WED AM News: Building Commission deadlocks on Evers’ $4.3 billion capital budget

March 26, 2025

— The state Building Commission again deadlocked on the Gov. Tony Evers’ capital budget, sending it to the GOP-run Joint Finance Committee with no recommendation as Republican lawmakers argued more discussion was needed.

Senate President Mary Felzkowski, R-Tomahawk, told Evers at the outset of yesterday’s meeting that a lot of worthy projects had been proposed. But she raised concerns about the more than $3.8 billion in new bonding he had proposed, noting it was more than what the Legislature had approved in the past five capital budgets combined.

“I think to get to a more appropriate level, further discussion is needed, and we need to hear from stakeholders and the public, and that just hasn’t happened,” Felzkowski said.

Sen. Andre Jacque, R-New Franken, added he believed the capital budget needed to be considered in context of other priorities such as tax cuts, road funding and the costs to continuing Medicaid programs. He argued it was premature to commit to recommending a capital budget.

The four GOP lawmakers backed a motion upfront that would’ve sent the guv’s $4.3 billion capital budget to the Joint Finance Committee with no recommendation. But the guv, his appointees and the two Dem legislators opposed the move. The commission then deadlocked 4-4 on each agency proposal in the document, ending with the same result as the GOP motion.

It is the fourth straight time the commission has deadlocked with Republicans in control of the Legislature — giving them four spots on the body — and Evers in the East Wing, giving his party the other four.

The deadlocked vote six years ago was believed to be the first time the commission had sent the capital budget to the Finance Committee without a recommendation.

One of the big-ticket items in Evers’ capital budget is the $493 million in construction costs of his previously announced plan to revamp the state’s prison system.

Felzkowski called the guv’s plan a missed opportunity because GOP lawmakers hadn’t been consulted as Evers put it together. Felzkowski’s district includes the troubled youth prisons, Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake. She noted corrections reform has been a priority for a number of lawmakers.

“We could’ve been brought in earlier to discuss the changes,” she said.

Evers, his appointees and Dem lawmakers on the commission didn’t respond to the comments from GOP lawmakers.

— A public hearing on We Energies’ proposed 1,100 megawatt natural gas power plant at Oak Creek drew both opponents and supporters of the $1.2 billion project.

Power Wisconsin Forward, a clean energy campaign, encouraged residents to express their concerns at a Public Service Commission hearing yesterday. Comments opponents submitted to the PSC expressed concern over potential damage to the environment and air quality and claimed We Energies is only building for its financial benefit.

Power Wisconsin Forward criticized We Energies in a release for ignoring more cost-effective renewable options in favor of more fossil fuel developments. It claimed that the plant would lead to significant negative health and financial impacts.

“We continue to encourage the PSC to vote to reject these plans and reaffirm their commitment to Wisconsin’s clean energy future,” the campaign said.

In support of the project, the Wisconsin Building Trades Council organized a rally today in Oak Creek. The council’s release said the proposed plant “will play a crucial role in providing reliable, around-the-clock energy for Wisconsin energy while creating up to 800 jobs during peak construction activity.”

In a statement to WisPolitics, We Energies spokesman Brendan Conway said the proposed Oak Creek plant would result in a decrease of 3.5 million tons of carbon dioxide per year compared to the current Oak Creek coal plant. Conway also said the project would lead to less nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, landfill, water usage and other emissions every year.

“Our proposed natural gas generating facilities are a commonsense step to ensure reliability for customers during the transition to a cleaner energy future in Wisconsin,” Conway said in the statement.

Assembly Committee on Energy and Utilities Chair David Steffen, R-Howard, sent a letter in support of the project. He said natural gas “has proven to be a reliable and clean burning fuel.”

“Wisconsin utilities have an obligation to provide customers power when they need it,” Steffen said in the letter. “Natural gas power plants can run any time of the day and any time of the year, making them a critical part of our state’s energy infrastructure.”

Proposed Oak Creek natural gas plant brings critics and supporters to hearings on the project

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