☀️ Good morning!

It’s Sunday, December 21, 2025

💙 Please allow me this personal note to thank everyone who sent in their well-wishes on the final day of our morning radio show. My sadness at closing this particular chapter was definitely lightened by the many kind words shared by emails, texts, online comments, and notes sent to us in the mail (PO box address below). We are certainly proud of what we built over three years at Civic Media. However, times change, and we’ve decided to bring more of what we do best “in house” for our coverage of what will surely be a busy 2026 for political news. Stay tuned for more ways to follow us for — as the show’s tagline said — “Real information. Good conversation. Unabashedly Wisconsin.”

Have a wonderful week of holidays! And as always, we invite you to stay up to date with our social media posts.

⏮️ Last Week: How we pay for education

📚 In the new state budget passed earlier this year, Republicans provided no increase in general school aids. But costs continue going up, and that was reflected in many of the property tax bills that went out this month. Is this the right way to fund Wisconsin’s public schools? Or should state aid be increased significantly to reduce the property tax burden?

Your responses were nearly unanimous: The local property tax is a terrible way to pay for local schools and the Legislature needs to step up. Many of you went on to demand that public tax dollars stop going to tuition at private schools through voucher programs that are rapidly approaching a $1 billion annual price tag.

🟥 Bill said – “The State [government] has a responsibility to fund education at a higher level. Property tax solutions are a very regressive form of financial support and create huge discrepancies in school systems.”

🟥 Jean-Margret said – “School support should come ONLY from income tax. This would help allow all children to benefit from more financially equal schools.  And getting rid of vouchers should be the Democrats’ highest priority in the next administration.”

🟦 Jeffrey was one of only a few who went the other way – “More children generally means needing a larger residence, hence more property taxes. Persons and families without children shouldn’t have to bear the brunt of school tax. A direct tax per school age child would be most fair but would be very nearly a reversal of our child credit tax policy (with which I disagree). Retired persons, on average, had children so the property tax allows spreading the cost over their lives instead of paying it all when they have young children.”

⏭️ This Week: Blocking better services

The state’s Department of Safety and Professional Services wants to improve customer service by putting to work about $2 million in funds that have already been collected in licensing fees. The money would be used to reduce wait times for phone calls through additions to staff and technology. 

🚫 But the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee allows funding requests to be blocked if one member objects, even anonymously. And that’s what’s happening to prevent a state agency from taking better care of its callers and its license applicants for everything from doctors to contractors and accountants.

A cynical person may contend that the block is coming from a Republican legislator who knows the best way to prove “government doesn’t work” is to not give it the resources to be more efficient. Others might claim the anonymous objection is a good way to put the brakes on a request until it can be reviewed more thoroughly. What’s your view of the situation?

🄰 – Anonymous blocks are bad. They’re cowardly and prone to abuse as a way to throw sand in the gears of good government service.

🄱 – Anonymous blocks are good. They’re a useful tool and should allow for unlimited delays if needed.

🄲 – Anonymous blocks are only okay if a strict time limit is put in place for a review.

To answer this week’s question, hit reply or email me directly at pat@couriernewsroom.com, and we may share it in next week’s newsletter.

📉 Despite cratering poll numbers that show 67% of Americans disapprove of his handling of the economy, President Donald Trump didn’t hesitate when asked to rate his own performance in the first year of his second term.

“A+++++,” he said, repeating false claims that he had inherited one of the worst economies in history. Earlier, Trump dismissed Americans’ concerns about affordability as a “Democrat hoax.”

“Trump promised to lower costs for Wisconsin families on Day One, but he’s done the opposite,” said Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee, who provided statistics that put the perilous state of the Wisconsin economy into perspective.

For example: Using the same data source and methods Republicans used last year, Democrats pointed out that the average Wisconsin family has paid $671 more in 2025 for the same goods and services that were purchased in 2024 — despite Trump promising inflation would be in “FULL RETREAT” by August.

For other Wisconsin stats, read the full story on our website.

1️⃣ An appeal is all but certain in the case of Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan, after a jury reached a split verdict on charges about how she handled an undocumented migrant and a group of officers outside her courtroom waiting to arrest him. Dugan was convicted on a felony obstruction charge but acquitted on a misdemeanor of helping someone evade arrest as part of the incident on Apr. 18. Advocates for Dugan say the verdict is a case of federal overreach that intrudes on judicial authority.

2️⃣ California banker Eric Hovde won’t try in 2026 to win a statewide race in Wisconsin. In a social media post, Hovde said “now is not the time to run for governor,” despite the race being wide open with the retirement of Gov. Tony Evers. The Wisconsin-raised real estate and banking mogul lost to Sen. Tammy Baldwin last year.

3️⃣  Attorneys general in Wisconsin and nine other states have reached a $4.25 million settlement with Menards over allegations that the Eau Claire-based retailer misled customers with deceptive rebate advertising. An investigation by the collection of states found that Menards advertised discounts in ways that suggested immediate savings at the checkout, when in reality, customers received in-store merchandise credit for future purchases. “Fine print shouldn’t cancel out big promises,” said Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. “If a deal isn’t an immediate discount, companies need to say that plainly so consumers can make informed choices.”

📱 Remember, you can stay up to date all day with all of our team’s work through our social media feeds, including Instagram and TikTok.

🏁 Thanks for reading our update.

Have a great week!