For more than a century, the Wisconsin Policy Forum has stood for addressing the problems of our state through informed and civil debate. Nothing could run more counter to those principles than acts of political violence, and that is why we have watched the events of the past year with deep unease and alarm. Continue reading…
As recent changes to federal tariff policies focused attention on international trade, a two-part Forum research series examined the impact of imports and exports on the state’s economy.
Our first report focused on the state’s exports, finding that international markets are vital for Wisconsin’s manufacturing and agricultural industries. Canada, the European Union and Mexico are the biggest purchasers of Wisconsin’s goods. High-value manufactured goods like industrial machinery dominate the state’s exports value, while combined agricultural goods also play a key role. Though Wisconsin’s export economy is strong, the value of these goods, when adjusted for inflation, has fallen since the mid 2010’s.
In May, the Forum published research on Wisconsin’s imports. We found that like exports, high-value manufactured goods dominate the goods purchased from overseas, and Canada and Mexico are among the state’s top trade partners. Somewhat surprisingly, imports from China have fallen dramatically in recent years, though it was still the single largest source of overseas goods. Statewide, imports have shown an upward trend, growing considerably since 2016.
Forum researchers recently completed a successful six-month research and facilitation project commissioned by Lake Country Fire and Rescue (LCFR) to resolve conflicts that had emerged regarding the department’s approach to allocating fire department costs.
LCFR is a consolidated fire department serving seven Waukesha County communities – the city and town of Delafield, the villages of Chenequa, Nashotah, Oconomowoc Lake, and Wales, and the town of Genesee. The department has been operating under a cost allocation formula developed in 2021, when LCFR expanded from three to seven communities. As it sought to transition to a full-time staffing model, disagreement arose about the formula’s specifics and the potential need to update it.
WPF was brought to analyze the fairness of the current formula and compare it to those used by other consolidated departments in the state. After conducting that analysis and interviewing municipal leaders from the seven communities, we recommended a set of policy principles to guide formula revisions and ultimately developed four revision options. Forum staff then facilitated discussions on the options among municipal leaders at four separate meetings that produced agreement on a new formula in May. Details can be found in this report.
With this difficult issue resolved, LCFR can now focus on staff enhancements that will ensure appropriate coverage and response times and save lives. This type of facilitation and mediation is one of the least known but valuable services we offer to local governments and school districts. Please let us know if your organization or one you know is interested in seeking our assistance.
Sponsoring public events that feature informed discussion on state and local policy issues is key to the Forum’s mission, and we did that in the second quarter with a pair of informative events.
The first came on April 4, with the latest installment of our Forum Friday virtual event series. With the next state budget being hotly debated at the state Capitol — and potential federal funding cuts looming — this event featured two former state budget directors giving us an inside look at what to expect. They were: Michael Heifetz, who served under former Gov. Scott Walker, and David Schmiedicke, who served under former Gov. Scott McCallum and former Gov. Jim Doyle and had a role for a time in Gov. Scott Walker’s administration.
Our next event on April 28 was our Viewpoint Luncheon, with this installment looking at the costly challenge of how to replace Milwaukee County’s Public Safety Building. The aging building raises concerns for both safety and the integrity of court cases, but the replacement cost estimate is about $500 million. Insights on how the state and county might tackle the mammoth project came from our panel: Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley; Milwaukee County Chief Judge Carl Ashley; Milwaukee County District Attorney Kent Lovern, State Senate President Mary Felzkowski, R-Tomahawk; and state Rep. Bob Donovan, R-Greenfield.
Watch for more info on our future events, including our next Forum Friday on July 18!
State Budget Wrap-Up: In July, we will take stock of the 2025-27 state budget that lawmakers and Gov. Tony Evers are expected to approve in the coming weeks. This will include reviewing the priorities put forward by both sides, what ultimately survived in the final budget, and how it affects taxpayers, the state’s K-12 schools and local governments, higher education, state finances, and more.
Turnover in K-12 Schools: In 2022 and 2023, our research found that turnover among Wisconsin’s public school teachers had surged during the pandemic. Turnover among teachers, principals, and superintendents had been particularly high within districts serving vulnerable student populations. With the pandemic’s peak now behind us, our upcoming report will take a fresh look at these trends using data through the 2024-25 school year.
Criminal Justice System: This fall, we will publish a landscape study of Wisconsin’s justice system with the support of the Public Welfare Foundation. It will review and analyze data from each major component of the system, from offenses, arrests, and law enforcement to the courts and corrections system. It will also examine recent state law changes relevant to the justice system and, where possible, compare Wisconsin’s policies and outcomes with those of other states.
Interactive DataTools: In the coming months, we will also publish updated versions of our School DataTool, Municipal DataTool, and Property Values and Taxes DataTool, which allow users to access a trove of data about their communities and compare them with their neighbors and peers.
Our name, Attolles (ah-tole-us) Law, derives from a combination of the Latin words attollo (meaning “to elevate or raise up”) and meles (meaning “badger”). In fact, our name doubles as our mission: using our talent to elevate our clients’ interests and create opportunity in the face of challenge. You will never question our entire team’s dedication to your interests and success. With our mission in mind, we have put together a team of professionals that understand not only our clients’ legal concerns, but what will bring our clients success. We have deep roots in Wisconsin’s public sector and pride ourselves on being industry insiders with law degrees.
How has your membership in the Wisconsin Policy Forum been a resource for you and your organization?
“The overwhelming majority of our work revolves around the work of county, school district and state government. The Forum’s dedication to objectively reviewing current issues impacting state and local government blends perfectly with our role as counsel to the governmental organizations impacted by the issues and measures the Forum analyzes. We have utilized the Forum’s reports to get a deeper understanding of how issues impact our clients and have even worked on projects that the Forum has reviewed. Like the Forum, we pride ourselves on tackling the tough issues impacting government and we view the Forum as a critical partner organization to provide insight and depth to every analysis.”
Contact Info: Andy Phillips, President and CEO
aphillips@attolles.com
Ava Gagner started in June as a full-time researcher for the Forum, having first joined us in 2023 as our Todd A. Berry Fellow that year. Her primary policy interests are housing and economic development. Previously, Ava was a data analyst at the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA). She holds a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a bachelor’s in sociology from Saint Louis University.
Denise Manjarrez-Renteria started in April as Administrative Coordinator for both the Forum and the Milwaukee Community Justice Council. She supports administrative and program coordination for both organizations, while also focusing on community outreach and engagement activities. Denise holds a master’s degree in sustainable peacebuilding from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a bachelor’s in global studies and political science from Alverno College.
The Forum is also excited to welcome our summer 2025 interns, who started in June.
Luis Navarrete, our graduate intern, is working toward dual master’s degrees in public affairs and urban planning at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Luis also works as a policy researcher at Downtown Madison, Inc., where he works on issues related to economic and community development.
Erin Hu, our undergraduate intern, is working toward dual bachelor’s degrees in neuroscience and global affairs at Yale University. A Brookfield native, she also works as a research assistant at the Bordey Lab at the Yale University School of Medicine. Her policy interests include health, education, and social services.
The Forum’s annual Salute to Local Government is Wisconsin’s premier celebration of public sector innovation and excellence. We recently began accepting award nominations for the 33rd annual Salute, which will be held November 19 at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee.
Salute awards recognize local governments and school districts for innovative problem-solving, efforts to advance racial equity, intergovernmental cooperation, and public-private cooperation. Additional awards are given to individuals for excellence and lifetime achievement, and for innovation in state government in partnership with the UW-Madison La Follette School of Public Affairs.
We appreciate all nomination submissions for these awards, so please do all you can to provide worthy submissions – either on your own, or by alerting others who might provide them. And if you do submit, please take the time to fully complete the nomination form so we can give your submission the consideration it deserves. Thanks in advance for all that you do to make the Salute a success!
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Forum Friday: Global Trade in Wisconsin
July 18, 2025 | 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Zoom Webinar
Join us on July 18 for the latest installment of our virtual event series, Forum Friday! This discussion will focus on recent developments around tariffs and global trade and how they have affected Wisconsin’s economy. We’ll unpack our research on these topics and try to discern what the future may hold.
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In these polarized times, we are especially grateful for the support of our members and sponsors. Thank you for reading our research, attending or tuning in for our events, participating in our committee meetings, and maintaining your membership with us.
We are supported by hundreds of corporations, nonprofits, local governments, school districts, and individuals from across the state of Wisconsin. The following members provide particularly generous support that ensures Wisconsin will continue to benefit from having one of the nation’s most successful nonpartisan, independent public policy research organizations.
