Funding the First Years and Beyond
State and Local Options to Raise Revenue for Child Care

Wisconsin Taxpayer | February 2026

The need for affordable child care has become an increasingly pressing policy issue facing families, employers, and governments. Wisconsin residents seeking to raise additional revenue to address the issue will find that they have many more levers available at the state level than the local level, which could mean more opportunity for broad-scale solutions but also fewer opportunities for local initiatives like those seen in other states. 

Related Research

An All of the Above Budget: State Budget Draws Down Balances to Cut Taxes, Increase Spending

Wisconsin Taxpayer | July 2025

Gov. Tony Evers and lawmakers negotiated a wide-ranging budget deal on key issues including income tax cuts and funding for K-12, child care, transportation, corrections, the Universities of Wisconsin, and payments to hospitals. Though the budget addresses many top issues, it also leaves unanswered questions such as funding for juvenile corrections, the timeline for closing an aging adult prison, and potential K-12 property tax increases. Continue reading...

Not Mere Child’s Play: Unpacking the Economics of Early Childhood Education and Care

Wisconsin Taxpayer | May 2023

Child care in Wisconsin is a labor-intensive enterprise. To make ends meet, providers typically must charge rates that leave many families paying well above federal guidelines – and yet they can only pay very low wages to their staff that fall short of what workers might earn elsewhere. In addition, operators wishing to invest in higher quality care can quickly find themselves in the red. As temporary federal pandemic aid approaches its end, providers, workers, and families face looming challenges and difficult choices.  Continue reading...

Upcoming Events

Our First-Ever Green Bay Policy in a Pub Event!

March 10, 2026 | 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Titletown Brewing | Green Bay

Registration is now open for the Wisconsin Policy Forum’s first-ever Green Bay Policy in a Pub event! It will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10 at Titletown Brewing. 

We will include time for attendee networking, followed by a brief presentation by the Forum on recent trends in northeast Wisconsin, particularly in workforce development, education, and taxes.

Forum Friday: Aging and Substance Use in Wisconsin’s Criminal Justice System

March 20, 2026 | 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
Zoom Webinar

Join us on Friday, March 20, for the latest installment of our virtual event series, Forum Friday! This discussion looks to our state’s criminal justice system, including the aging of our state’s defendant and prison populations. We’ll also discuss substance use disorder in these populations, and the increase in the number of Wisconsinites incarcerated for drunk driving.