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Monday 8:30am - 5pm Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm Thursday 8:30am - 5pm Friday 8:30am - 5pm

Wisconsin Policy Forum

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Wisconsin Policy Forum

The Wisconsin Policy Forum is a nonpartisan, statewide public policy research organization.

10/08/2026

PBS Wisconsin featured an interview with Forum President Jason Stein on the latest installment of its weekly state news program, Here & Now (link in comments).

They discussed a major new development for schools in Wisconsin: the expiration of the state's district-level enrollment caps for the statewide private school voucher program.

Asked about the implications of this change, he said "the short-term implications are modest, but the long-term implications could be very big."

10/07/2026

The next installment of our popular Forum Friday webinar series will focus on the stubbornly high rates of chronic absenteeism in Wisconsin schools. Join us Oct. 30 to review the data and highlight solutions that may be applicable to districts around the state.

Previous Forum research found that rates of chronic absenteeism for Wisconsin students spiked in the pandemic and remain elevated. An upcoming Forum report examines chronic absenteeism in Milwaukee schools and studies solutions adopted in other cities.

As part of Forum Friday, we'll hear insights from our panelists: Michele Butler, District Administrator, Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau School District; Elizabeth Cook, Vice President for State Impact, Attendance Works; and Robert Rauh, Senior Advisor, City Forward Collective.

As always, we'll conclude with a Q&A session for registered participants. Registration is free, but required for this event. Click the link in the comments to learn more!!

10/06/2026

"The Wisconsin Policy Forum... published a report addressing a variety of questions surrounding the state's data center boom."

"Microsoft Corp. (is constructing) a hyper-scale data center campus in Mount Pleasant, while Vantage Data Centers, Oracle Corp. and OpenAI are building one in Port Washington. Outside metro Milwaukee, Meta is building a hyper-scale data center campus in Beaver Dam."

The Milwaukee Business Journal's coverage notes our finding that state law makes it challenging for local officials to protect taxpayers in the case of data center developments that require significant tax increment finance spending. Check out the comments for links to the Biz Journal story and to our report, which includes a menu of options for local & state policymakers to consider in response to the issues raised.

10/05/2026

"A recent Wisconsin Policy Forum report (cites a projection that) peak demand for all customers on the state power grid to rise from 14.6 gigawatts in 2024 to 19.9 gigawatts by 2030."

Our research on data centers in Wisconsin is cited in a recent Wisconsin State Journal report (see link in comments).

Data centers can deliver multi-billion-dollar investments and jobs to Wisconsin communities. But key issues around their development remain unresolved, including how to ensure residents are spared from increases to transmission rates or property taxes.

10/02/2026

"While much of the public debate around data centers in Wisconsin has centered around water use, (Wisconsin Policy Forum) researchers found the bigger challenge is meeting the large electricity demands of those projects while protecting existing ratepayers."

Data centers can deliver multi-billion-dollar investments as well as jobs to Wisconsin communities. But key issues around their development remain unresolved, including how to ensure residents are spared from increases to transmission rates or property taxes.

As Wisconsin Public Radio notes (link in comments): "A new report from the Wisconsin Policy Forum aims to put those issues — and Wisconsin’s data center debate — into context. Researchers examined tax incentives supporting those projects as well as their energy and water use."

09/29/2026

Data centers can deliver multi-billion-dollar investments and large numbers of jobs to Wisconsin communities. But key issues around their development remain unresolved, including how to ensure residents are spared increases to transmission rates or property taxes.

In particular, the massive build-out of new power generation in response to AI data centers raises the question of who will foot the bill, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noted in its coverage of our report (see comments for story link.)

“Electricity arguably represents the single biggest challenge for large data centers – and the single biggest issue for policymakers," our report finds.

In considering data center proposals, elected officials have a difficult balance to strike. An August poll by the Marquette University Law School found that 78% of registered voters in Wisconsin felt the costs of large data centers outweigh their benefits, while only 21% felt their benefits outweighed their costs.

Some Wisconsin communities have recently blocked construction of large data centers, either by rejecting a specific proposal or approving a blanket moratorium. Local officials may have leverage with developers since there is a credible risk that these proposals will be rejected.

In response to some of the issues highlighted in our report, we offer a menu of options for state and local policymakers to consider. Click the link in the comments to read the report and learn more.

09/28/2026

"Condo production nearly flatlined in Milwaukee after the recession, producing a few units over the years.

"An average of around eight condo units were added in Milwaukee each year between 2021 and 2025... data from the Wisconsin Policy Forum showed."

The Daily Reporter cites our research in its coverage of a condo development that recently broke ground in St. Francis. (See link in comments.)

Some demographic trends point toward new market opportunities for condos. Increased condo supply also could improve housing affordability, but key hurdles may be constraining production, our research found.

09/21/2026

"Condominium construction has experienced a steep decline over the last 10 to 15 years, with few new projects breaking ground, according to the Wisconsin Policy Forum."

"The decline matters because condominiums play a crucial role in the housing market. They provide options for homebuyers who might otherwise be priced out of the market or unable to maintain a single-family home."

Check out the News 3 Now / Channel 3000 coverage of our latest research (link in comments.) We found that despite the decline, some demographic trends point toward new market opportunities for condos. Yet key hurdles may be constraining condo production — raising the question of whether state and local policy changes might help.

09/18/2026

Our latest Policy in a Pub event -- "The Data Center Challenge: Weighing Community Concerns with Growth Opportunities" -- is in the books!

In partnership with the La Follette School of Public Affairs: UW-Madison, we welcomed more than 120 attendees Wednesday evening at the Pyle Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Forum senior research associate Tyler Byrnes recapped recent Forum research on data centers, and previewed another report on the topic that we'll release this month.

Moderated by Forum president Jason Stein, we then heard insights from our panelists: Maggie Brickerman , president, Wisconsin Technology Council; Jason Delborne, associate professor, La Follette School of Public Affairs: UW-Madison; State Senator Jodi Habush Sinykin; and state Representative Shae Sortwell.

As usual, we wrapped with an audience Q&A. If you weren't able to join us, WisconsinEye was there to cover it, so check out the link in the comments.

09/17/2026

"Twenty years ago, in the lead-up to the Great Recession, Madison was averaging nearly 550 new condos a year....

"Between 2021 and 2025, Madison averaged just 16 new condos a year... according to a report released Thursday by the Wisconsin Policy Forum."

Via the Wisconsin State Journal's coverage of our latest research.

Madison and Milwaukee followed a national pattern in which condo production (new construction + conversions) soared during the 2000s, then plummeted during the Great Recession and immediately after. By 2025, in both cities it remained very far below pre-Great Recession levels.

Increased condo supply could improve housing affordability in our state and provide desired options for first-time and senior buyers. Demographic data suggest there is room for growth in the state's condo market.

Our latest research (link in comments) looks at some of the factors constraining condo supply. It also includes potential options for policymakers if they wish to take steps to bolster condo production in Wisconsin.

Address

Milwaukee, WI
53203

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5pm
Thursday	8:30am - 5pm
Friday	8:30am - 5pm

Website

http://wispolicyforum.org/

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