WSUM Daily Newscast

INTRO GOOD (DAY) EVENING MADISON! YOU’RE LISTENING TO THE 5/6 O’CLOCK NEWS UPDATE ON WSUM 91.7 FM MADISON STUDENT RADIO. I’M TALULA HAYES.

IN THE NEWS TODAY,

IN STATE NEWS,
The Madison Metropolitan School District outlines priorities regarding their 2026-27 preliminary budget. They are focused on long-term monetary sustainability while prices rise and the state struggles with funding, with the potential maximum cost of $38.2 million. District leaders are working to begin planning months in advance amid lacking public education funding the previous term year. Highlighted cost increases can be seen through $14-16 million for health insurance, $9.5 million for inflationary compensation increases, and various other budgeting increases aimed at stabilizing heightened costs. The pressures they face with costs are reflections of contractual obligations to remain competitive, the assistant superintendent of financial services Bob Soldner said. The school district is expecting to receive about $7 million less in general state aid, accounting for roughly 10% of its funding. School districts face a $62 million gap between special education costs and reimbursement from the state. While 4K students are funded at 60% of a full pupil count, districts have to cover the full cost of program provisions. The budget will be refined within the next few months.

ALSO IN STATE NEWS,
Wisconsin schools and teachers file lawsuit against the legislature in hopes of more funding on Monday. The lawsuit, filed in Eau Claire County, argues that schools are in crisis, with high need students facing the greatest risk. It asks the court to adopt a new finance system that meets the needs of districts unless the Legislature and governor enact one first. Lawsuits of this nature have been filed with varying degrees of success in Wisconsin for a while. These battles are usually fought in the legislature, but this lawsuit will almost certainly make its way to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The last time the state’s school funding system was changed was in 2000. The lawsuit also comes as Governor Evers and the republican controlled legislature have been considering tapping into the state’s budget surplus to cut taxes and increase school funding. Around when the funding was last changed, the state was paying about two-thirds of all students' tuition, now that number has fallen to about one-half. In 2024, a record-high 241 referendums were put before voters for approval to fund schools, with 169 approved, according to the Wisconsin Policy Institute.
For WSUM News, I’m Nathan Jahn

IN NATIONAL NEWS,
President Trump’s State of the Union address will seek to sway skeptical midterm voters following economic concerns on Tuesday. Topics he will likely discuss include his immigration crackdowns, cutting of federal government programs, the continuation of widespread tariffs, and his military actions, namely in Iran and Venezuela. This push is to ensure American voters will recognize these acts as beneficial and will vote Republican in November, although he won’t be on the ballot. A crucial theme revolves around a conflicting topic, as Trump claims domestic manufacturing is on the rise with an increase of new jobs while Americans do not feel the same. The speech is set to be a “celebration” of 250 years of America’s Independence. He is expected to defame the decision by the Supreme Court to rule against his tariff policies, and explain his plan to maneuver around that decision. It is likely that he will urge lawmakers to increase military funding and further tighten voter identification requirements. This address comes at a time of stark bipartisanship and growing tensions, so he may defend his immigration crackdown efforts following the fatal shootings of two citizens and the military dispatch of various carriers amid talks with Iran.

IN ECONOMIC NEWS,
Wisconsin Democrats introduce a bill which would change the state minimum wage from $7.25 to $15. The last time a proposal was made to shift the wage was in 2024, where Rep. Lisa Subeck introduced a bill to raise the wage to $15/hr in two steps and would’ve allowed local governments to set higher minimums, but it failed with the Republican-controlled state legislature. Another aspect of the current proposal features a $1.25 yearly increase to the minimum until 2030. After 2030, the wage would change depending on inflation. It is important to note there are also various exceptions and changes for small businesses and tipped worker minimums. When asked, Democratic State Senator and Gubernatorial candidate Kelda Roys stated quote, “In not one of Wisconsin's 72 counties is fifteen dollars an hour a living wage today. This bill is not only long overdue, it's actually pretty modest compared to what people actually need to thrive," End quote.
For WSUM News, I’m Elise Hendrickson

IN ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS,
Environmental Protection Agency weakens standards limiting toxins from coal plants. The Trump Administration continues on its wrecking ball path against climate change, overturning a Biden-era amendment to the Mercury and Air Toxin Standards act. The amendment prohibited coal-fired power plants emitting more brain-damaging mercury and other harmful heavy metals such as nickel, arsenic, and lead. The agency also revoked a requirement for power plants to have systems in place to monitor the amount of pollution they emit in accordance with air pollution standards. President Trump says that the move is to ensure American energy dominance. Mercury and other heavy metals are capable of causing severe damage to the nervous, digestive, and immune systems, as well as the lungs and kidneys. They are also responsible for extensive environmental damage, poisoning fish and wildlife as they deposit in soil and water. Quote “The Trump administration is willfully ignoring evidence that coal plants can reduce their pollution in readily available ways for reasonable cost – and American families will be the ones paying the price” End-Quote, said Surbhi Sarang, Senior Attorney at the Environmental Defense Fund.
For WSUM News, I’m Nathan Jahn

OUTRO: THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN! FROM THE WSUM NEWS BOOTH, I’M TALULA HAYES. HAVE A GREAT EVENING MADISON!