State Rep. Shannon Zimmerman (R-River Falls) sits on the legislature’s Joint Finance Committee, which will get the first crack at reviewing Gov. Tony Evers’ budget proposal after its unveiled next month. 

Zimmerman said the state’s sizable budget surplus could be used to provide some relief to municipal and county governments who’ve seen their debt increase in recent years. 

But he said local governments also have to come up with longer-term solutions to stay fiscally healthy going forward. 

Zimmerman also said he expects the legislature, where Republicans continue to hold majorities in the Senate and the Assembly, to discuss boosting the amount of state aid - or shared revenue - that communities across Wisconsin get.