Wisconsin is handing out almost $79 million in federal funds to private businesses to build charging stations for electric vehicles at a make-or-break moment for both the EV and charging station industries.

And while the state Department of Transportation says recent turmoil in the charging industry isn’t affecting its plans for creating a statewide network, automobile buyers in Wisconsin continue to be among the least interested in EVs in the country.

To this point, state lawmakers from both parties have been receptive to EV developments — as long as the funding comes from federal taxpayers. The state hasn’t yet contributed tax funds for the network, nor is there a state tax credit for electric vehicles.

A Republican-controlled Legislature cleared the way to be eligible for the charging station funds, passing two bills in this past session. In none of the four votes to pass the bills were there more than two “nays.” Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, an ardent supporter of taxpayer support for the EV industry, signed the bills into law.

Memorial Day: Sure, there’ll be cookouts later, but spare a moment for the day’s serious purpose — the communal acknowledgement that we live on land that was made free by the more than 1 million Americans who died defending it.

Certainly none of them wanted to die, but our imperfect country was given a chance to stick around and overcome its flaws because they were willing to do so. The least we owe them is a moment’s thought and thanks this one day of the year.

In honor of Memorial Day, we reach into the archives for a powerful story of fatherhood, family and the greatest generation. “My dad at war” was originally published in the August 2013 edition of Wisconsin Interest magazine.

This past Memorial Day, I happened upon a large batch of photographs from World War II posted on The Atlantic website. There were hundreds in various categories with titles like “Pearl Harbor,” “The Allied Invasion of Europe” and “The Fall of Imperial Japan.”

Among some of the famous images of the war were many I hadn’t seen before. These were not the iconic photographs that appeared in Life magazine or in newspapers across the country. These were pictures that an editor looked at once before moving on. They were ordinary pictures, almost snapshots of the war.

As I scrolled through the category called “The Fall of Nazi Germany,” I stopped at image number 23. The caption reads: “Men of the American 7th Army pour through a breach in the Siegfried Line defenses on their way to Karlsruhe, Germany, on March 27, 1945, which lies on the road to Stuttgart.”

What caught my eye in this particular photo wasn’t the detailed picture of the Siegfried Line or even the composition. It was much more personal. There, in a jeep, looking straight at the camera was Capt. Sidney P. Kozak, my father.

Single motherhood is a difficult reality for many Wisconsin homes: In 2022, 20.9% of households were headed by single parents, most frequently mothers. Such households are not scattered across income levels in the same way that households on the whole in Wisconsin are. Rather, single motherhood is associated with increased odds of having a low income.

Badger Institute’s Annual Dinner is set for Tuesday, October 1, 2024 — at the Wisconsin Club in Milwaukee, WI. The Institute is honored to welcome Rich Lowry, editor-in-chief of National Review, as the keynote speaker.

Registration information coming soon! Email Angela Smith for sponsorship opportunities.

“I’m really sad to see the SDC go. I loved seeing women who look like me in charge and helping us! It saddens my heart to read the scandal that was taking place internally. I hope that things will get resolved and the community will gain these resources again with better guidance.”

— Tashiba Jones

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The Badger Institute, formerly known as the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute (WPRI), has long been at the forefront of the fight for school choice, right to work, welfare reform, tax restructuring, limited government, civil society and so much more. If you appreciate the Institute’s legacy and want to support free markets, opportunity and prosperity, please consider donating today. Your support will help the Institute continue to advocate for conservative principles now and in generations to come.

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