Governor Projects $2.5 Billion for 2019-2021 Capital Budget Print
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Written by GOV Press Wisconsin   
Saturday, 09 March 2019 11:32

alliant-energy-centerDeferred maintenance and life safety issues plus facilities to support institutions of higher education given priority.


MADISON - Governor Evers released his 2019-2021 Capital Budget Thursday, recommending historic investments in state-owned vertical infrastructure. State agencies submitted approximately $3.4 billion in requests to address a growing backlog of deferred maintenance and counter low levels of funding in recent budgets. Governor Evers responded by recommending a $2.5 billion Capital Budget which represents the strongest investment in our state’s facility infrastructure.

road-repair-wiThese Capital Budget Recommendations aggressively and responsibly address deferred maintenance and life safety issues in state-owned buildings and provide suitable and safe facilities to support institutions of higher education and other important agency programs that were neglected in recent budgets. This historic investment will also help grow the economy by providing family-supporting jobs and supporting Wisconsin businesses.

Highlights of Gov. Evers’ Capital Budget Recommendations include:

  • Investing in correctional and health services facilities, including those that support Juvenile Justice Reform
  • Significant statewide investment in UW-System facilities that support higher education
  • Protecting our natural resources in state parks and forests including upgrades to Fire Response Ranger Stations
  • Honoring and caring for Veterans by funding upgrades to the Veterans Homes and improvements to Veteran Cemeteries
  • Reinvigorating the energy conservation investment in state facilities by providing substantial funding with an emphasis on installation of renewable energy projects such as solar, wind, and geothermal, to provide alternative energy power sources throughout UW-System campuses and state agency facilities
  • Fully funding the agency requests for small to mid-sized capital maintenance and repair projects in the All Agency Program
  • Grants to support Alliant Energy Center Exhibition Hall, Medical College Cancer Research Facility, Greater Green Bay Visitor Education Center, and the Incourage Tribune Economic and Community Hub

The State Building Commission will meet March 20, 2019, to vote on the Governor’s Capital Budget Recommendations. Then, the Building Commission’s Capital Budget Recommendations are statutorily required to be submitted to the Joint Committee on Finance by the first Tuesday in April.

The Building Commission is chaired by Gov. Evers and made up of the following members:

• Senator Janis Ringhand;

• Senator Jerry Petrowski;

• Senator Patrick Testin;

• Representative Jill Billings;

• Representative Rob Swearingen;

• Representative Mark Born; and

• Citizen member Summer Strand.

To get more information about the 2019-2021 Capital Budget, click here.