CAPITOL
WONKS
SPENT
MONTHS
% WORRYING OVER
THE
TWO-YEAR STATE
% BUDGET
WITH
FIGHTS
BACK
AND
% FORTH
ABOUT
PARTISAN
MATTERS
AND
% SPENDING.
% BUT WHAT
WILL
THE
PLAN
MEAN
FOR
% WISCONSIN
RESIDENTS?
% WE
SAT
DOWN
WITH
GOVERNOR TONY% EVERS THIS
WEEK
TO
HEAR
HIS
% TAKE.
% WE
STARTED
BY
ASKING
HOW
HE
% THINKS
THE
PLAN
WILL
AFFECT
% PEOPLE OVER THE
NEXT
TWO
YEARS.
% >> I
BELIEVE
IN A
POSITIVE
WAY% OR I
WOULDN'T
HAVE
SIGNED
IT.
% WE, LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR
AND
I,
% WENT ACROSS THE
STATE
BEFORE WE
% DEVELOPED THE
BUDGET
AND
% SUBSEQUENT TO
SUBMITTING
IT
AND
% GETTING
PEOPLE'S REACTION TO
IT.
% AND
SO,
THE
PRIORITIES
ARE
% AROUND HEALTH
CARE,
EDUCATION,
% TRANSPORTATION,
CLEARLY A TOP
% PRIORITY.
% BUT
ALSO A
TOP
PRIORITY
WAS
% LET'S
GET
SOMETHING DONE.
% AND
SO I
BELIEVE THAT
AT
THE END% OF THE
DAY,
THIS
BUDGET DOES
% MOVE US IN
THE
RIGHT
DIRECTION
% IN ALL
THREE
OF
THOSE
AREAS.
% AND
SO
I
THINK
PEOPLE
OF
% WISCONSIN WILL
SEE A
BETTER
% TRANSPORTATION
SYSTEM,
WILL
SEE
% EDUCATION
SYSTEM
THAT'S
FUNDED
% SOMEWHAT
BETTER
AND HEALTH
CARE,
% YOU
KNOW,
EVEN
THOUGH
THE
% MEDICAID
EXPANSION DIDN'T
% HAPPEN,
THERE'S
ADDITIONAL
% RESOURCES IN
THAT
AREA,
TOO.
% SO I
THINK
THE
PEOPLE
OF
% WISCONSIN WILL BE
PLEASED
THAT
% THOSE
THREE
CATEGORIES
THAT
WE
% RAN
ON,
FRANKLY, AND
LISTENED
% TO,
WE'VE
MADE
STEPS
IN
THE
% RIGHT DIRECTION.
% THAT'S NOT
TO
SAY
THAT
THIS
% BUDGET'S AN
END-ALL AND
BE-ALL.
% IT'S
SOMETHING
THAT
I
CONSIDERED
%
VETOING THE
ENTIRE
BUDGET, BUT
% AT
THE END OF
THE
DAY WE WERE
% ABLE
TO
MAKE
ENOUGH
CHANGES
TO
% MAKE IT
HAPPEN.
% >>
SPEAKING OF
THOSE
CHANGES,
% HOW
WAS
IT
IN
THE
VETO
PROCESS
% THAT YOU
WERE
ABLE
TO
INCREASE
% FUNDING
TO
SCHOOLS OVER
THE
% REPUBLICAN
PLAN?
% >>
WELL,
IT'S
CREATIVE
BUDGET
% VETOING.
% I WILL SAY
THAT.
% BUT
IT'S
NOT
CREATIVE
IN
THAT
% IT'S NEVER
BEEN
DONE
BEFORE.
% THAT PARTICULAR
TYPE
OF
VETO.
% AND
SO
WE
FELT IT
WAS
SOMETHING
% THAT
HAD,
YOU
KNOW,
BEEN
DONE
% BEFORE
BY
REPUBLICAN
AND
% DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS,
SO
WE
FELT% IT
WAS
THE
RIGHT
THING
TO
DO.
% AND IT
ALLOWED
US
TO
INCREASE
% FUNDING
FOR
OUR
SCHOOLS,
WHICH A
% TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF
% OUR
BUDGET.% >>
IN
RESPONSE TO
THAT
% PARTICULAR
VETO,
TWO
REPUBLICAN
% LAWMAKERS
ARE
CIRCULATING A
% PROPOSED
CONSTITUTIONAL
% AMENDMENT TO
LIMIT A
GOVERNOR'S% VETO
AUTHORITY.
% WHAT'S
YOUR
REACTION TO
THAT?
% >>
WELL,
I
HEARD
ABOUT
IT.
% I HAVEN'T SEEN
IT.
% SO
THAT'S A LITTLE
BIT
OF
% DISADVANTAGE THERE.
% BUT, YOU
KNOW,
THE
THING
THAT
% CONCERNS ME
I
S
THAT
IT'S
ONE
% MORE
LET'S
DEAL
WITH
--
LET'S
% TAKE POWER
AWAY
FROM
THE
% ADMINISTRATION.%WE
STARTED
WITH
THE
LAME
DUCK
% SESSION AND NOW
WE'RE
MORPHING
% INTO THIS.
% I JUST
--
I THINK
P
EOPLE OF
% WISCONSIN
ARE
SATISFIED
THAT
% THIS
BUDGET
PROCESS
IS
OVER
AND
% WE
NEED
TO
MOVE
ON.
% BUT
CLEARLY
THERE'S
AT
LEAST A
% COUPLE
STATE
REPS
THAT
FEEL
THAT
% THAT'S IMPORTANT
T
O
LAY
DOWN A
% MARKER.
% I DON'T BELIEVE
THAT'S
% NECESSARY.
% WE
HAD
FAR
FEWER
BUDGET
VETOES
% THAN
THE
PREVIOUS GOVERNOR.
% SO I
THINK
IT'S
JUST
KIND
OF
% MORE OF
THE
SAME THAT
IS
AN
% OUTGROWTH OF THE
RESULTS OF
THE
% LAST
ELECTION.% >>
IN
REDUCING
SPENDING ON THE
% ADMINISTRATION
OF
FOODSHARE
WORK
% REQUIREMENTS FOR
PEOPLE
WITH
% CHILDREN TO
YOUR
VETOES,
YOU
% EFFECTIVELY KILLED THAT
% REQUIREMENT.%WHY
DID
YOU GO
AHEAD
AND
DO
% THAT?%>>
WELL,
CERTAINLY
POOR
PEOPLE
% NEED
ASSISTANCE,
AND
ANY
% ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS PUT
ON
% THEM
I
THINK
IS
UNFAIR.
% AND
I
OPPOSED
THOSE
REQUIREMENTS% WHEN
THEY'RE
PASSED
IN
THE
% LEGISLATURE IN
THE
PAST.
% WHEN
FAMILIES AND
INDIVIDUALS
% ARE
STRUGGLING
FINANCIALLY
AND
% THEY
NEED
HELP
FROM
--
IN
THIS
% CASE
IT'S
FEDERAL
MONEY.
% MOST
OF
IT'S
FEDERAL MONEY.
% I DON'T SEE
THERE'S A
REAL
NEED
% TO
PUNISH
THEM
FURTHER.
% JUST
DOESN'T
MAKE
ANY
SENSE
TO
% ME.
% AND SO
WE
HAD
THE
OPPORTUNITY
TO
% SAVE
SOME
MONEY
BY
DOING
THOSE
% VETOES
AND
ACTUALLY
MAKE A
% STATEMENT AROUND
WHAT
WE
FEEL
IS
% IMPORTANT
AND
WHAT
ISN'T
% IMPORTANT.%>> AND
THE
VETO
DID
NOT
% ELIMINATE
THE
DRUG
TESTING
% PROVISION.
% WOULD
YOU
GET
RID
OF
THAT
IF
YOU
% COULD?%>> IF I
COULD, SURE.
% I
MEAN,
THERE'S THIS
NOTION
THAT
% SOMEHOW
THERE'S
ALL
THIS
RAMPANT
% ABUSE OF
THE
SYSTEM
AND
THAT
% JUST
ISN'T
TRUE.
% AND TO
TIGHTEN
UP
THAT
SOMETHING
% ISN'T A
MAJOR
ISSUE
JUST
COSTS
% MORE
MONEY
THAT COULD
BE
USED
% ELSEWHERE.%>> GOING
FORWARD, YOU HAVE SAID
% THAT
YOU
ARE
INTENT
ON
EXPANDING
% MEDICAID.
% HOW DO
YOU
EXPECT
TO
DO
THAT
% WITH
THE
LEGISLATURE
DEAD
SET
% AGAINST
IT?
% >>
WELL, WE
HAVE
LEGISLATORS% LEADERS THAT
ARE
DEAD
SET
% AGAINST IT.
% I
KNOW
THAT THERE
ARE
% REPUBLICANS THAT
IF
GIVEN
THE
% OPPORTUNITY WOULD
SUPPORT
IT.
% I
BELIEVE
THAT
IF
W
E
TAKE THIS
% TO
THE
PEOPLE
OF
WISCONSIN
AND
% CONTINUE TO PUT IT
OUT
IN
FRONT
% OF
PEOPLE,
YOU
THINK
ABOUT
IT.
% I'VE SAID
THAT A MILLION
TIMES.
% 70% OF THE
PEOPLE IN
THE
% MARQUETTE POLL
SUPPORT
IT.
% WE
HEARD
IT
CONSISTENTLY ACROSS% THE STATE
WHEN
WE
DID
OUR
% LISTENING
SESSIONS.
% AND IT'S
FINANCIALLY
PRUDENT.
% RIGHT NOW
WE'RE
SPENDING A%
COUPLE BILLION
OF
OUR
TAX
MONEY
% HELPING
NEW JERSEY
AND I
!
ILLINOIS
% EXPAND
MEDICAID.
% SO
I
THINK
ALWAYS
IT
MAKES
% SENSE.
% OUR GOAL
IS
TO
MAKE
SURE
THAT
% PEOPLE WHEN
THEY'RE
RUNNING FOR
% OFFICE NEXT
TIME
AROUND,
THAT
% THAT'S PART
OF A
DISCUSSION AND
% GET
PEOPLE ON
THE
RECORD
ON
THIS% ONE WAY OR
THE
OTHER.
% YOU
KNOW,
ALL
POLITICS
ARE
% LOCAL,
AND
I
F
LOCAL
PEOPLE
WANT
% THIS, AND
CLEARLY THEY
DO,
WE'RE
% GOING TO BE
ENCOURAGING PEOPLE
% TO TAKE
STANCES
ON
THIS
WHEN
% THEY'RE
RUNNING
FOR
REELECTION.% >>
WHY DID
YOU
VETO
THE
PART OF
% THE TRANSPORTATION BUDGET
THAT% WOULD HAVE
SPENT
$2.5
MILLION
ON% A
MILEAGE-BASED
FEE
STUDY?
% >>
WELL, BECAUSE
FIRST
OF
ALL,
% THAT'S A
VERY
--
FIRST
OF
ALL,
% WE DIDN'T
GET
RID OF
THE
MONEY.
% WE
GOT
RID OF
THE
STUDY.
% SO THE
MONEY
IS STILL
THERE.
% BUT AT
THE END OF
THE
DAY
WE'VE
% HAD LOTS
OF
STUDIES ON
THE
ISSUE% OF THE
TOLLING, WHICH
IS
PART
OF
% IT.
% AND, YOU
KNOW, AM
I
AGAINST
% TOLLING
OR
FOR
TOLLING?
% IT DOESN'T
MAKE
ANY
DIFFERENCE
% ARE.
% WE JUST
HAD A
LOT
OF
STUDIES ON
% IT.
% SO
IF
INDEED
THERE
NEEDS TO
B
E
% MONEY
AT
SOME
POINT
IN
TIME
TO
% TAKE A LOOK
AT
THE
MILEAGE-BASED
% PIECE, WE CAN
TAKE A
LOOK AT
IT.
% BUT
TO
ME IT
WAS
TOO
RESTRICTIVE
% AS IT
WAS,
SO
WE
KEPT
THE
MONEY
% AND
GOT
RID OF
THE
REQUIREMENT.% >> WILL
YOU
INSIST ON
THE
GAS
% TAX
INCREASE?% >>
I
THINK
IT'S
THE
MOST
% SENSIBLE WAY
TO
D
O
THAT.
% BUT
IF
THERE'S
BETTER
% ALTERNATIVES THAN THE
ONE WE
% HAVE RIGHT
NOW,
WHICH
IS
% ESSENTIALLY
DOUBLING
FEES,
WHICH
% WE
CAN'T
DO
EVERY
FOUR
YEARS, WE
% HAVE
TO COME UP
WITH A
SOLUTION
% SOMETIME BETWEEN NOW
ND A
THE
--
AND
% THE NEXT BUDGET.
% I
BELIEVE A GAS
TAX
INDEXED
TO
% INFLATION IS
THE
MOST
LOGICAL
% WAY.
% BUT THERE
MAY
BE
OTHER
WAYS,
% TOO.
% FOUR
YEARS
IS A
LONG
WAY
OFF.
% OR TWO
YEARS
IS A
LONG
WAY
OFF.
% BUT
I
CAN'T
BELIEVE
THAT
THINGS
% ARE GOING
TO
CHANGE
THAT
MUCH
% SINCE
THEN,
OR
IN
THAT
PERIOD OF
% TIME,
SO
I
STILL
THINK
IT'S
THE
% BEST
ALTERNATIVE.% >>
IN
YOUR
VETO
MESSAGE
YOU
SAID
% YOU'RE
GOING
TO
BRING
THE
FIGHT
% FOR A
NONPARTISAN
REDISTRICTING% PROCESS TO
THE
LEGISLATURE?
% >>
EITHER
THROUGH
LEGISLATION% THAT IS
PROPOSED AND
WE'LL
WORK% HARD TO MAKE THAT
HAPPEN.
% BUT
AT
THE END OF THE
DAY
WE
% WILL
BRING IT TO
THE
PEOPLE
OF
% WISCONSIN.
% AND AS
I
SAID
BEFORE,
ALL
% POLITICS ARE
LOCAL.
% THIS IS
ONE
THAT
ALL ACROSS
THE
% STATE
PEOPLE
FEEL
VERY
STRONGLY
% ABOUT.
% IT'S
NOT
JUST
DEMS.
% WE
HAVE
TO
MAKE
SURE
THAT
% PEOPLE,
THAT
LEGISLATORS
AND
% GOVERNORS AREN'T
SELECTING
THEIR
% VOTERS, THAT
VOTERS SELECT
THEM.
% AND
THAT'S A
PRETTY
SIMPLE
% CONCEPT AND
I
KNOW WE CAN
WIN ON
% THAT.
% IT'S
JUST A
MATTER
OF
GETTING
IT
% OUT
THERE.% >>
WHAT
DO
REPUBLICAN-DRAWN MAPS
% HAVE TO D
O
WITH
THE
STATE
% BUDGET?
% >>
WELL, A
LOT.
%
FIRST OF
ALL, WE
HAVE A
% LEGISLATURE THAT
IS
MOSTLY
% REPUBLICAN.
% AND IT'S
ONE
SIDE
ORT
!
OR
THE
OTHER,
% ONE
LESS,
ONE
MORE.
% A LOT
O
F
IT
HAS
T
O
DO
WITH
THE
% FACT THAT
WE'VE
BEEN
% GERRYMANDERED.
% SO
IN
ORDER
TO
MAKE
SURE
THAT WE
% ARE NOT
SELECTING THE
VOTERS,
% THAT THE
VOTERS ARE
SELECTING
% US, WE
NEED TO
HAVE
FAIR
MAPS.
% AND I
SAID
THIS
DURING
THE
% CAMPAIGN AND
I'L
L
SAY
IT
NOW.
% THIS CAN'T
BE RECEIPT
!
RETRIBUTION BY
% DEMOCRATS.
% WE
JUST
HAVE TO
HAVE
THEM
DRAWN
% FAIRLY.
% THERE'S
LOTS OF
WAYS WE
CAN
DO
% THAT.%>> DO
YOU
EXPECT
YOU MIGHT BE
% ABLE
TO WORK
WITH
THE
% LEGISLATURE
TO
PASS
LEGISLATION
% ON
MEDICAL
MARIJUANA?
% >>
POSSIBLY.
% THERE
SEEMS TO
BE
SOME
INTEREST
% IN
DOING
I
T
IN
THE
BUDGET.
% PEOPLE
THAT
WERE
AGAINST
% RECREATIONAL
MARIJUANA
FELT% THERE
WAS TOO
MUCH
TIED
TO
THE
% MEDICINAL USE
OF
MARIJUANA.
% BUT
I
THINK
IT'S
POSSIBLE.
% BUT AT
THE
MINIMUM,
WE'RE
GOING% TO
HAVE A GOOD
CONVERSATION% AROUND
IT.
% IN
THE PAST
IN
THE
BUDGET
WE
% PROPOSED IT
AND IT
WAS
YANKED
% OUT RIGHT
AWAY,
SO THERE
WAS
NO
% CHANCE TO
TALK
ABOUT
THAT.
% IF
THERE'S
LEGISLATION THAT'S
% PROPOSED, AND
I'M
SURE
THERE% WILL BE,
YOU
KNOW,
SPEAKER
VOS
% HAS
INDICATED
INTEREST
AND
% OTHERS IN
THE
REPUBLICAN
SIDE
% HAVE TALKED ABOUT
IT,
TOO.
% SO
I
FEEL
GOOD
THAT
WE'RE
% ACTUALLY GOING TO
HAVE A
% CONVERSATION AROUND
IT.
% >>
NOW
SHES
MEMBERS
!
,
MEMBERS
OF
YOUR
CABINET
% WILL HAVE
SPENT
THE
WEEK
TOURING
% THE
STATE.
% WHAT
IS
THEIR
MESSAGE?
% >>
T
HEIR
MESSAGE
IS WE
HAVE
% DELIVERED ON
OUR
PROMISES TO
% MAKE A GREAT
START
IN
AREAS
THAT
% WE
FOCUSED
ON
AND
ALSO
TALK
% ABOUT
--
REALLY,
IT'S IMPORTANT% FOR PEOPLE OF
WISCONSIN TO
% UNDERSTAND THAT
ADMINISTRATION
% ISN'T
JUST
EVERS
AND
MANDELA
% BARNES.
% IT'S
THE
PEOPLE THAT ARE
DOING
% THE HARD WORK
IN
THE
AGENCIES.
% AND SO
GETTING THEM
OUT
% INTERACTING WITH
PEOPLE ACROSS% THE STATE
IS
REALLY
IMPORTANT.
% IT'S
ALSO IMPORTANT FOR
THEM
TO
% TALK
ABOUT
WHAT
DIFFERENCE
THIS
% BUDGET IS
GOING
TO MAKE TO
THE
% PEOPLE
OF
WISCONSIN
AND
IN
OTHER
% AREAS.%FOR
EXAMPLE,
IT
SEEMS
SMALL ON
% THE
SURFACE, BUT
IN THE
AREA
OF
% TOURISM, IT'S
IN
THE
BUDGET,
THE
% REPUBLICANS AGREED TO
IT,
W
E
NOW
% HAVE
THE DIVISION
OF
OUTDOOR
% RECREATION, WHICH
IS
REALLY% IMPORTANT
TO
THE STATE OF
% WISCONSIN.
% WE NEED TO BE
TALKING
ABOUT
HOW
% THAT'S GOING TO
BE
IMPLEMENTED.% >>
I
SPOKE
WITH