The Budget’s Effects on Public Workers

by Kids Forward | June 22, 2011

Home 9 Tax and Budget 9 The Budget’s Effects on Public Workers

Changes in the state budget and budget repair legislation will make it harder for low-income workers in the public sector to make ends meet, according to a new analysis by the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families.

A two-page brief released today examines these changes and their impact on the families of people employed in public sector jobs. Beginning teachers, janitors, workers in school, and other working-class public employees could lose thousands of dollars per year, the equivalent of as much as six months of grocery costs.The new WCCF analysis found that:

  • Workers earning the least will take the biggest hits to their budget – as much as 15% in lost income and increased costs.
  • The impact on low-income public sector workers, in terms of monetary impact, will be far greater than that on workers in the private sector.
  • Working-class families with children will be hit especially hard, as the state rolls back tax credits for working families with children and support for child care.

Taken together, changes in the budget and budget repair bills could potentially push many families that are barely scraping by and still reeling from the recession into insolvency.

Thousands of Wisconsin households, many of whom are not very well off to begin with, stand to take a huge pay cut. It’s bound to take a toll on the well-being of those families and on the well-being of the state’s economy. The degree to which low- and moderate-income people are being asked to pay the tab for closing the budget deficit is striking, and that is especially true for low-income public sector workers with children.

The brief can be found here.

Join us to build a Wisconsin where
every child and family thrives.

Recent

Testimony: Opposing Barriers to Health Care

Testimony: Opposing Barriers to Health Care

Main Takeaways Kids Forward submitted the below testimony opposing Assembly Bill 163. This bill would make it harder for people to stay on Medicaid by adding extra paperwork and hoops to jump through. This bill would especially hurt children, parents, and people with...

State Budget: Mental Health

State Budget: Mental Health

Main Takeaways Everyone in Wisconsin, regardless of their county, age, or profession deserves to live in a community that supports their wellbeing. This means access to quality, affordable mental health and substance use disorder services. Governor Evers’ proposed...

Sign up for Emails

Your address helps us identify your legislators and the most relevant messages to send you.