The state has the largest rainy day fund in its history but it’s still below the national average.
About $320 million was in reserves at the end of the last fiscal year.
Jason Stein is with the nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum. He says the state has made progress in the operating budget by including more of a cushion than previous years.
Stein says while that’s a positive the numbers need to be put in perspective. He says reserves are expected to be at nearly six percent of overall spending at the end of the current fiscal year. He says the national average is more than seven percent.
