Joel Brennan Releases “The People’s Budget”, Outlining His Plan for an Open & Transparent Budget Process, Accountable to the People of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, WI – Today, Democratic candidate for governor Joel Brennan released “The People’s Budget,” outlining the process he would use to craft the Wisconsin biennial budget in an open, transparent way that is accountable to the people of Wisconsin.
"I helped build two budgets with Governor Evers. It's one of the hardest things a governor does, you're balancing the needs of every state agency and every community, all at once, with the clock ticking. I saw what works. I also saw what could be done better,” said Joel Brennan. “Too many Wisconsin families feel like the budget happens to them, not for them, and honestly, can you blame them? Deals get cut in back rooms, last-minute items get crammed in at midnight, and by the time anyone finds out what's in the budget, it's already law. This is the people of Wisconsin's money, and they deserve a seat at that table, and as governor, I'll make sure they have one."
As Governor, Joel will commit to the following when crafting Wisconsin’s budget:
Ask Wisconsin families what they need first. Before introducing Wisconsin's first budget, every household in the state will get a survey.
Take the budget to Wisconsin — all of Wisconsin. Hold public listening sessions in every region of the state, in person and online, at varying times that work for people who work.
Show our work. We'll publish every state agency's budget request alongside the governor's proposal, showing what they asked for, what made it in, and what got cut.
See exactly where the money goes. Joel will release a live spending dashboard online, updated regularly, that tracks every grant, every contract, and every agency budget. Additionally, a true plain-language budget summary, so any Wisconsin family can track where the money is going, whether their community is getting its fair share, and why we're spending it.
Make sure rural Wisconsin isn't left behind. Every budget will include a geographic fairness analysis. Ensuring all communities get their fair share, especially the rural areas of the state, who have been left behind by the state government for too long.
End backroom lobbying on the budget. Any lobbyist who meets with a state agency about the budget must publicly disclose within 72 hours who they met with and what they asked for.
No more midnight deals. If budget negotiations are still open, the public gets a 72-hour window to see what's on the table before anything is signed. No more last-minute air-drops or surprises. If it's going into the budget, Wisconsin deserves to know about it first.
About Joel Brennan
Joel Brennan is a Democratic candidate for Governor of Wisconsin in the 2026 election. As Wisconsin’s former top appointed cabinet official and a leader in Milwaukee’s business and nonprofit community, he has spent his career in public service working with government, community leaders, and businesses to strengthen communities, uphold democratic values, and ensure government works for the people it serves. Brennan is running for governor to provide accountable leadership and to ensure Wisconsin families have a voice in the decisions that affect their lives. For more information, visit www.BrennanforWI.com.
