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By D.L. Davis July 5, 2022

State's minimum wage remains at $7.25 an hour

Wisconsin's minimum wage has been $7.25 an hour since 2009. 

As a candidate in 2018, Tony Evers pledged to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, with automatic inflationary increases.

His first budget took steps to do that — albeit relatively small ones — by proposing an increase to $8.25 in 2020, then 75 cents per year for three years after that and then growing at the rate of inflation. That failed in the GOP-controlled Legislature. 

In his 2021-'23 budget, Evers wanted to immediately raise the minimum wage to $8.60. The proposal called for it to go up to $10.15 by 2024 and increase by the rate of inflation annually after that. Again, the matter failed in the Legislature. 

This promise was previously rated In the Works. But with the end of Evers' term approaching, we need to offer a final rating. Our policy with the Evers-O-Meter, like the Walk-O-Meter before it, is to rate outcomes, not intent.

Despite Evers' efforts, this promise is not in place. If he wins a second  term, we'll revisit next year. But for now, we rate it Promise Broken.

 

Our Sources

PolitiFact Wisconsin Evers-O-Meter

PolitiFact Wisconsin Evers-O-Meter, March 26, 2019.

Governor's Task Force on Broadband Access, 2021

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "Wisconsin awards $125M in rural internet service grants. Which communities will receive higher speeds?" June 24, 2022

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "Inmates say they will stop eating to persuade Tony Evers 'to make good' on campaign pledge to reduce solitary confinement," March 27, 2019.

PolitiFact Wisconsin Evers-O-Meter, April 18, 2019.

PolitiFact Wisconsin Evers-O-Meter, March 9, 2021.

Budget in Brief, Feb. 2021

PolitiFact Wisconsin Evers-O-Meter, Jan. 19, 2021

Budget in Brief, 2021-23

Gov. Tony Evers, Executive Orders

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "As Congress passes new gun controls, what to know about Wisconsin's laws on concealed carry, age limits and more," June 30, 2022

Wispolitics.com "Republican Party of Wisconsin Resolutions 2022"

PolitiFact Wisconsin Evers-O-Meter, March 9, 2021.

Justia Regulations "Wisconsin Administrative Code Department of Corrections Chapter DOC 308 - Administrative Confinement Section DOC 308.04 - Administrative confinement," March 28, 2022

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "Wisconsin Democrats call for stricter gun laws, GOP candidate Nicholson seeks more armed security after Texas school shootings," May 22, 2022

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel   """"""" "Nearly everyone supports universal background checks for gun buyers. Here's why Wisconsin is unlikely to make it law," Aug. 7, 2019

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