GOP rejects investments in veterans homes, corrections, and higher education, declines to address state’s estimated $13 billion deferred maintenance backlog

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers released a statement on March 26th, after Republican lawmakers on the State Building Commission (SBC) voted to once again block every project in the governor’s 2025-27 Capital Budget recommendations, deadlocking the Commission with a 4-4 vote. Republican lawmakers yesterday voted against key projects at Wisconsin’s veterans homes, across the University of Wisconsin, to improve parks and trails, and to modernize correctional institutions statewide by rejecting the governor’s $4.1 billion investment in key projects across 26 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties and in Republican and Democratic legislative districts alike. Republican lawmakers have now obstructed state infrastructure projects through the Capital Budget process for four consecutive biennia, causing a backlog of maintenance projects that have only grown more expensive due to delays and obstruction.

“We have key infrastructure projects across our state that need repairs and investments, but Republican lawmakers continue to kick the can down the road, which only makes these projects more expensive with each day of delay while our buildings and infrastructure continue to deteriorate. It makes no sense,” said Gov. Evers. “These projects will support our veterans, help keep our communities safe, improve our university system, and create thousands of family-supporting jobs—this should be a no-brainer. One way or another, these projects have to get done, and with reckless tariff taxes and trade wars that could cause the costs of these projects and building materials to go up, decisions by Republican lawmakers to obstruct this important work will only force taxpayers to pay more in the long run.”

Due to obstruction by the Republican members of the Commission to block critical projects, the SBC has consistently failed to develop a State Building Program since the 2019-21 biennium, undermining what had for years been a collaborative, bipartisan process. In the 2019-21 biennium, the SBC reviewed state agency requests and the governor’s 2019-21 Capital Budget recommendations and failed to provide recommendations for any of the items submitted on the agenda, marking the first time in SBC records the Commission did not collaborate to develop a State Building Program. Unfortunately, Republican lawmakers continued that trend in the 2021-23 and 2023-25 biennia, and yesterday’s vote marks the fourth consecutive biennia Republican lawmakers have blocked the governor’s Capital Budget and key projects across the state.

Wisconsin’s infrastructure challenges continue to grow, and delaying investments will only drive up costs, create safety risks and hazards, and threaten the reliability of state-owned facilities. Across Wisconsin, aging university buildings are failing to meet 21st-century education and workforce training needs, while dilapidated correctional facilities—some dating back to the 1800s—pose safety risks for staff and inmates. Additionally, deteriorating healthcare and veterans facilities are putting vulnerable populations at risk, and neglected state parks, bridges, and public safety infrastructure are threatening community access and safety.

Gov. Evers’ 2025-27 Capital Budget proposal would have generated an estimated $7.5 billion in economic activity and supported more than 41,300 jobs across Wisconsin, as according to updated numbers from the Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin, every $1 in construction spending results in $1.82 in economic activity, and every $1 million spent supports 10 jobs statewide.

By refusing to recommend the governor’s Capital Budget, Republican legislators turned their backs on:

• A commitment of $325 million for the realignment of correctional institutions in support of Gov. Evers’ Comprehensive Corrections Reform Plan to improve public safety, reduce costs to taxpayers and recidivism, and support corrections staff with a “domino” series of facility changes, improvements, and modernization efforts across Wisconsin’s correctional institutions, including ultimately closing Green Bay Correctional Institution (GBCI) in 2029 and wholly rehabilitating and transforming Waupun Correctional Institution (WCI), facilities that were both built in the 1800s.
• Supporting reforms to the juvenile justice system through continued investments in correctional facilities to further work towards closing Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Schools as juvenile facilities, including additional bonding to complete the Dane County Type 1 facility on Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC)-owned property in Oregon, planning funds to begin design for a new Type 1 facility in Northeastern Wisconsin, and the expansion of the Grow Academy in Oregon.
• A transformative investment of nearly $1.6 billion in capital improvement projects across the University of Wisconsin (UW) System, ensuring campuses statewide remain at the forefront of education, research, and innovation.?This builds on the governor’s budget promise to propose the largest two-year increase in the UW System in state history with a $856 million investment over the biennium to prevent further campus closures, layoffs, and program cuts and ensure the UW System remains the crown jewel of Wisconsin’s workforce and economy for future generations. These projects modernize aging infrastructure, address critical maintenance needs, and create flexible, future-ready spaces for students and faculty. Key projects include:
• Demolishing and replacing the deteriorating Mosse Humanities Building at UW-Madison, which suffers from severe structural and environmental deficiencies putting students at risk. This investment ensures the Art and Music Departments are relocated into modern, sustainable, and adaptable spaces, securing the long-term future of these programs.
• Completion of the Prairie Springs Science Center at UW-La Crosse, replacing the outdated Cowley Hall, which lacks fire suppression, has failing mechanical systems, and no longer meets modern science and research needs. This expansion supports STEM education and workforce development by providing state-of-the-art instructional labs and research spaces.
• Transforming former hospital buildings into a cutting-edge, interdisciplinary Health Sciences hub at UW-Milwaukee. This project unifies programs currently scattered across five buildings, expands instructional labs, and enhances collaborative learning in high-demand fields such as physical therapy, biomedical sciences, and occupational therapy. 
• Protecting Wisconsin’s cherished natural resources and enhancing visitor experiences through strategic investments in state parks and forests, critical bridge replacements, trail upgrades, and upgrades to fire response ranger stations.?These projects focus on preserving natural landscapes, improving infrastructure resilience, supporting tourism, and ensuring public safety.
• Honoring veterans with more than $137 million in essential upgrades to Wisconsin veterans homes and setting the stage for the future Wisconsin Veterans Museum upgrade and expansion with dedicated planning funds.
• An over $40 million investment to restore and modernize components of Wisconsin’s historic State Capitol, preserving its legacy for generations to come.
• A commitment of over $195 million to strengthen health services facilities statewide, including renovating the food service building at Central Wisconsin Center and upgrading utility infrastructure at the Mendota and Winnebago Mental Health Institutions. 
• Advancing clean energy solutions with a $25 million investment for renewable energy construction projects at state facilities, aligning with Gov. Evers’ Clean Energy Plan, supporting the state’s energy reduction goals, and reducing utility costs. These projects include solar, wind, standby generators, and geothermal enhancements to support the state’s energy reduction goals and reduce utility costs to the state. The achieved savings from the reduction in utility costs is used to pay the debt service payments on the bonds. 
• Laying the groundwork for future investments by allocating nearly $50 million for preliminary planning and design of upcoming major projects across Wisconsin. This proactive approach ensures that critical projects in state agencies’ six-year plans are more shovel-ready for future capital budgets.
• Aggressively tackling Wisconsin’s $13.1 billion deferred maintenance backlog with a more than $1.2 billion investment in the All Agency program—one of the largest commitments to date—targeting small to mid-sized maintenance and repair projects across all state agencies, including the UW System. Additionally, an over $406 million investment in the Minor Facilities Renewal programs for DOC, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, including almost $230 million for the UW System. This critical funding will modernize aging infrastructure, improve safety and efficiency, and prevent costlier emergency repairs, ensuring Wisconsin’s public facilities remain functional and reliable for years to come. 
• Investing funds for preliminary planning, design, and sitework at the Milwaukee County Courthouse Complex. 
• Supporting local community projects and fostering stronger, more vibrant communities by recommending four projects for inclusion in his Operating Budget as part of the Grants for Local Projects program. These projects include the Green Bay New Community Shelter, YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee and Community Smiles Dental Health Commons, Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin, and the Colfax Railroad Museum.

The complete 2025-27 Capital Budget Agency Requests and Governor’s Recommendations can be found here. The Building Commission is chaired by Gov. Evers and comprised of the following members:

• State Sen. Brad Pfaff;
• State Sen. Mary Felzkowski;
• State Sen. André Jacque;
• State Rep. Jill Billings;
• State Rep. Rob Swearingen;
• State Rep. Robert Wittke; and
• Citizen Member Barb Worcester.