WPT Midweek Moment

In this week's episode, we take a deeper look into the Legislative Committee process: What is the typical range of topics that a committee might take up in a hearing? What are the goals of some bills? We guess at where the motivation comes from to fix certain bills, and what "fixing" looks like in government. We look at a study on taxes. What trends play a big role in where people move? If we know...

It's about time everyone gets put on blast, so buckle in. This week's episode is a good one. Full of energy and turns of phrase! In this week's episode, we get caught up on: The State of the State Address - We update you on a few of the major announcements Governor Evers made. Rhetoric - Governor Evers talked about the state, its budget, and its finances, so we do a dive into the numbers. His acti...

In this week's episode, we get caught up on a few notable headlines about the Senate and Assembly: The Senate got things rolling in the Capitol this week with a morning floor session. We review how only one of Governor Evers' 30+ committee nominations was denied and why. Once those were done, they took up a wide range of bills, including air guns, muzzle-loaders, and pipeline safety. We look at ho...

In this week's episode, we get caught up on a few notable headlines: The DNR announces that one of the two annual Free Fishing Weekends are this month. We review which weekends and what the key guidelines are. Nearly $760,000 in housing grants were designated for people recovering from opioid addiction. We look at the four categories of homelessness that dictate who is qualified for the assistance...

In this week's episode, we get caught up on a few notable headlines: The DNR announces the 2024 Wisconsin Public Access Lands Atlas. How many ways can you access it (four) and what can you find? More than you might think. We take a brief look at politics and the first attempt to keep Donald Trump off the Wisconsin ballot. How far did that get? We share the details. Why did the Wisconsin Presidenti...

In this week's episode, we look at some news items about how our government is being efficient with tax dollars: How many Dept of Administration and UW employees are allowed to work from home and how are they using their office space resources? What has the state already done to try and be more efficient? What overhaul is proposed for school funding and can it actually bring down property taxes wh...

In this week's episode, we look at the UW System's spending deal with the Republicans in the legislature: A negotiated deal between sides that rarely get along is announced as done, then gets rejected by the Board of Regents. How did this happen? We break down the main wins and concessions on both sides of the deal. One of the most critical editorials on the actions by Democrats was written by a D...

You really don't want to miss this week's episode ... What's an amazing gift idea for someone that has you stumped? There's a big hint in the episode and in this email. Which bill did Governor Evers sign into law this week before any others? What controversial state statute is left in complete limbo? We read a portion of it and you can decide how you think it gets interpreted. We wrap it up with w...

In this week's episode... What is the latest legislation that Governor Evers vetoed? You will not be surprised. What was getting chippy in the WI Supreme Court? Oral arguments in a contentious case. Have you heard of the Republic of Kugelmugel? We learn about what inspires the founding of a nation state. All this and a very cool quote for Thanksgiving from General George Washingon. All in less tim...

In this week's episode ... How did some Senators pull a fast one on the law making process? We explain what happened! What other debatable laws were fast tracked to get them put away and off people's radar? We will pitch you some ideas. Also, where does Wisconsin rank for hunting and fishing participation and tourism? The numbers might surprise you. Listen in and find out, all in less time than ta...

In this week's episode ... What is the most recent example of Wisconsin farmers getting the short end of the stick? What is the latest industry that is losing poorly run competition? How is Milwaukee strengthening its hold on being the center of the universe? Listen in and find out, all in less time than it takes to do an easy sudoku puzzle!

In this week's episode ... On what grounds is Governor Evers suing the Wisconsin Legislature? What has the Department of Corrections quietly been up to? Do you need a doctorate to understand the typical question on a ballot? (almost!) Still all in less time than it takes to make a frozen pizza!

This week is #Wisconsin Week ! Listen in and find out: Will you win our Wisconsin Celebrity - Easter Egg contest ? What ways is Wisconsin lapping the field compared to our Midwest neighbors? What #education rankings is Wisconsin excelling in? What numbers prove Wisconsinites show up and work hard ? What proves that the glass is actually half full in Wisconsin sports? Everyone learns something this...

This week we have a couple "you can't make this stuff up" moments. What did we learn in the Speaker's Task Force on Truancy? It might surprise you. What emergency funding did Governor Tony Evers authorize? What does it take for a bi-partisan bill to get full bi-partisan support? Even what looks like a slam dunk isn't always a sure thing. Thanks for listening!

This week we start the show passing along what we have been hearing from some of our members about big property tax increases . What have they been seeing and doing? From there, what steps are we taking in Wisconsin to limit PACs and money influencing elections ? We look at some new bill proposals. We end looking at a few positive blips from past news cycles, and which Founding Father quote will w...

In this week's episode, we look at property taxes. Which county in Wisconsin is #1 in biggest property tax burden? How much more will their 2024 budget proposal add? We also get an update on Milwaukee's budget rescue and some of the new numbers they have to consider. All in less time than it takes to cook a frozen pizza.

Welcome to your Midweek Moment with WPT! Compact, elite and effective , we are the Mike Tyson or Lionel Messi of WI government podcasts. We dissect what's going right amongst the politics hurricane... ~ An elections focused committee hearing without drama?! ~ Multiple election related bills without drama?! ~ A fiscal critique of Wisconsin without drama?! Be my Buddy and listen for the 🥚easter egg...

Welcome to your Midweek Moment with WPT! This week we look at some ongoing polling data and ask whether there really is a big shift in voter sentiment over the past 60 days. What amendments to the Wisconsin Constitution might we to vote on in spring? What are daycare center owners seeing on the front lines? All this in less time than it takes to get a car wash!

Welcome to your Midweek Moment with WPT! The first day of Assembly floor session didn't disappoint if you were looking for plot twists. What is the Assembly Parlor? What unexpected bill came out of there? How did Governor Evers respond? What international holiday did this all happen on? Find the answers here and then some!

Welcome to your Midweek Moment with WPT! This week we look at what is being done to support staffing issues in the industries struggling most. How can we help the child care industry? How do the plans from each side of the aisle try to address problems and expand care? What industry has the most staffing issues and what was proposed to help them? What bigger, faster, taller attraction is in the wo...

Welcome to your Midweek Moment with WPT! Quite the past 48 hours! We cover three tax proposals and how incredibly fast these pieces of legislation are moving. Two tax cuts, one constitutional amendment, and who looks to gain.

This week we learn: In which restaurant trend is Wisconsin clearly #1 compared to every other state? Also, it sounds like there might be chaos in Wyoming? We take a closer at a recent court ruling there. Not only that, did you know an attempt at entering the Guinness Book of World Records is happening in Wisconsin on Saturday? We investigate that and the first predictions for what Wisconsin winter...

Welcome to your Midweek Moment with WPT! This week's theme is problem solving! We look at proposals to impact the current workforce and invest in the next generation. Are the ideas on the right track? We also recap how has our government been accomplishing major steps forward for the state, but might lose momentum and are falling back on bad, counter productive habits. Feed your brain and listen i...

The numbers from last year's state finances are starting to show some trends. What did incomes look like for towns, cities, and individual Wisconsinites last year? We also look at some of the tax cuts and fee increases in the new state budget, along with how many aspiring whistleblowers are using the Wisconsin's Fraud, Waste, and Mismanagement Hotline.