Gov. Evers announces $250M in additional cuts to state spending due to COVID-19

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers announced on Wednesday, July 22 he has directed the Department of Administration (DOA), under Secretary Joel Brennan, to work with state agencies to identify $250 million in cost savings for the current fiscal year (FY20-21).

The governor’s directive is an effort to ensure the state is in a stronger position to weather revenue impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, while also ensuring critical services remain accessible to Wisconsin residents. Earlier this summer, also at the direction of Gov. Evers, DOA announced the implementation of $70 million in cost savings for FY19-20 across 18 of Wisconsin’s largest state agencies.

“We have hard and urgent decisions before us, but I have full confidence that my colleagues will rise to the challenge the governor presents us with today,” said DOA Secretary Joel Brennan. “And, we know that Wisconsinites are depending on us to do the right thing. The right thing financially and the right thing to provide support during these uncertain times.”

DOA and state agencies will follow the same “North Star Values” in identifying cost savings, as was done in the previous reduction effort. Those values are: