State Sen. Cory Tomczyk and State Rep. Brent Jacobson hosted a listening session at the Iola Village Hall’s Community Room on Monday, April 28, attracting about 30 attendees. The legislators fielded numerous questions on topics ranging from the state’s multi-billion-dollar budget surplus to school funding and childcare issues.

There was a good mix of Democrats and Republicans, citizens and government officials attending. It was a civil and respectful gathering, and the two politicians indicated that it was a larger gathering than they had experienced in listening sessions elsewhere. At one point, Maggie Thompson of Iola, a Democrat, expressed birthday wishes to Jacobson, who celebrated his birthday days ago, and there was a round of applause.

In opening remarks, Jacobson stated that the three big areas of concern on the budget horizon were Medicaid, transportation, and childcare funding.

When asked about priorities for Wisconsin’s estimated $4.2 billion budget surplus — $2.7 billion of which stemmed from unspent COVID relief — residents sought clarity on whether tax cuts or investment in public education would be the focus. Jacobson supported broader tax reductions, while Tomczyk advocated for eliminating retirement income taxes to boost the state’s competitiveness.

Gov. Tony Evers’ proposed budget had allocated over $3.15 billion to public schools, including inflationary adjustments to per-pupil revenue limits and funding for universal school meals. However, the Department of Public Instruction had requested $4 billion in total. Tomczyk expressed strong opposition to the governor’s budget, stating he didn’t “like anything about it,” and criticized the projected $2 billion in property tax increases it included. Jacobson echoed the concern, saying he could not support such tax hikes.

Childcare costs and accessibility also drew pointed discussion. Attendees described financial strain and a lack of providers. Tomczyk argued that the problem wasn’t legislative but regulatory, criticizing what he saw as excessive oversight of childcare centers. Jacobson, a parent of two young children, acknowledged the challenges and suggested solutions like association health plans, while emphasizing political friction in Madison as a barrier.

Concerns about the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) surfaced, particularly its handling of aquatic weed control in Lake Iola. Tomczyk made a joking remark about wolves and weeds but promised to follow up with Rep. Kevin Petersen, who is familiar with the issue. Jacobson criticized the DNR’s centralization in Madison and supported decentralizing operations to better serve local communities.

One attendee raised the idea of a tax credit for families dealing with the death of a child — an initiative that could assist around 300 families statewide with funeral costs. Both legislators are committed to looking into the matter.

The issue of unspent COVID funds and the potential for federal claw backs also came up. An attendee questioned whether municipalities would be financially liable for state-mandated programs funded initially with temporary federal aid. Tomczyk and Jacobson acknowledged this risk and agreed on the need for cautious fiscal planning.

There was consensus among those present — and from both lawmakers — that Wisconsin should prohibit the influx of out-of-state money into its political campaigns. They also discussed election cycles, highlighting the distinctions between partisan and non-partisan ballots.

In the final part of the session, attention returned to school funding, with both legislators supporting the concept of educational funding following the student, thereby supporting private school vouchers. Chris Nelson, administrator of the Iola-Scandinavia School District, thanked the community for its support and pressed the legislators on sustainable school funding solutions.

Tomczyk responded with sarcasm, referencing Gov. Evers’ use of a partial veto to lock in school funding increases for centuries. He then sharply criticized Milwaukee Public Schools, calling them a financial drain on the rest of the state and arguing they failed to properly educate students for decades.

Jacobson condemned Evers’ use of veto power in the last budget, suggesting it undermined trust in the process. He advocated for increased state funding for special education, seeing it as a more productive use of public dollars.