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FACT BRIEF

Does the Republican-authored shared revenue bill propose banning advisory referendums at the local level in Wisconsin?

By Erin Gretzinger
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YES

The shared revenue bill proposed by Wisconsin Republicans would prohibit a county or municipality from holding an advisory referendum, according to a draft of bill released May 2. 

Advisory referendums are used to gauge public opinion on proposals and are not binding, meaning the government does not have to enact the measure — even if the majority votes for it.

While the bill would boost state funding to Milwaukee by 10%, it would limit the city's ability to fund certain initiatives by requiring a two-thirds vote from City Council to approve spending on new programs. Some local leaders, particularly those in Milwaukee, have protested such stipulations attached to the shared revenue bill.

Though the bill's exact details could change, Gov. Tony Evers said he will veto it, saying it fails to provide a sufficient amount of unrestricted funds to local government.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Wisconsin State Legislature 2023 Assembly Bill 245
Wisconsin State Legislature Ballot Initiative and Referendum in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Public Radio 'Attack on local control': Milwaukee leaders decry shared revenue provisions for city
AP News Evers promises to veto GOP local aid increase plan
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Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.