MADISON, WI -- For the first time as governor, Tony Evers will lay out his budget priorities for the next two years for Wisconsin Thursday night.

Following through on campaign promises that got him elected won't be easy for Governor Tony Evers since his proposals must be voted on by the Republican-controlled legislature that's not likely to agree.

Wisconsin is under divided government for the first state budget since 2007 and that could lead to a stalemate over different priorities.

Ken Taylor is the executive director of Kids Forward, an advocacy group focusing on issues affecting children, families, and communities facing income inequality and racial disparities. 

“What we're hoping to see is a budget that invests in our kids, that invests in their education, that invests in their health, that invests in our communities,” Taylor said.

Kids Forward also has the Wisconsin Budget Project, which focuses on analysis and education about the state budget, under its umbrella of initiatives.

“The budget that we're discussing now goes into effect July 1 of this year, and if there is no budget we just stay with the old budget, so we don't shut down like the federal government does,” Taylor said. “We just keeping going on the old budget, and that is cause for concern for us because we didn't think that there was sufficient investment in many of the things we think are important.”

There could be no new budget for a long time.

Wednesday morning, Spectrum News 1 learned Governor Evers will propose indefinitely delaying closure of the state's juvenile prison. He also wants to cap enrollment in Wisconsin's private voucher schools, which is likely to lead to another fight with Republicans who made it a priority the past eight years to expand the program statewide.

Add in non-starters for Republicans like accepting federal Medicaid expansion and legalizing medical marijuana, and agreeing on a state budget could take even longer.

But some say a long road ahead isn't all bad.

“With the long view, taking an extra month or two or three to get it right on behalf of Wisconsin's kids and families is time well spent,” Taylor said.

There seem to be some areas of common ground like on tax cuts for the middle class, but Evers and Republicans still haven't been able to find a compromise on that either.

It's unclear when Evers will actually sign a budget, but former Governor Scott Walker did not sign the last state budget until late September after Republicans struggled over how to fund roads.