% YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.
% >> YOU'RE WELCOME.
% >> THIS FALL'S ELECTION SAW
% REPUBLICANS IN THE LEGISLATURE
% GAIN ADDITIONAL SEATS IN BOTH
% THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY.
% BUT NOT ENOUGH TO OVERRIDE THE
% VETO PEN OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR
% TONY EVERS.
% SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER ZAC
% SCHULTZ SAT DOWN WITH DEVIN
% LEMAHIEU THIS WEEK TO TALK ABOUT
% HIS VISION FOR THE LEGISLATIVE
% SESSION.
% >> REPUBLICAN SENATE MAJORITY
% LEADER LEMAHIEU SENT A CLEAR AND
% DIVIDED MESSAGE IN THE ELECTION.
% >> VOTERS TRUST US BUT WE
% LEARNED THAT WISCONSIN MAYBE
% LIKES DIVIDED GOVERNMENT AS WELL
% BY REELECTING TONY EVERS.
% >> HE SAYS REPUBLICANS HELPED
% EVERS WIN BY SENDING HIM TWO
% FISCALLY CONSERVATIVES BUDGETS
% TO SIGN.
% >> UNFORTUNATELY FOR US IT
% WORKED FOR HIM BUT WE'LL
% CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE THINK IS
% IMPORTANT FOR STATE OF
% WISCONSIN.%>> REPUBLICANS AND
EVERS SAW
% EACH OTHER AS ADVERSARIES OVER
% THE LAST TWO YEARS SO THERE WAS
% LITTLE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE
% GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND THE
% LEGISLATURE.
% LEMAHIEU HOPES IT'S CHANGING.
% >> OBVIOUSLY SOME PEOPLE IN THE
% STATE WHO VOTED FOR REPUBLICAN
% LEGISLATORS AND A DEMOCRAT FOR
% GOVERNOR SO WE NEED TO TRY TO
% WORK TOGETHER TO FIND SOME
% SOLUTIONS WHILE STILL MAKING
% SURE WE'RE BEING RESPONSIBLE IN
% OUR BUDGETING.
% >> THE BUDGET WILL BE THE FIRST
% BIG TEST OF WHETHER THE TWO
% BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT CAN COME
% TOGETHER.
% THANKFULLY, WRITING A BUDGET
% WHEN THE STATE HAS A PROJECTED
% $6.6 BILLION SURPLUS IS A LOT
% EASIER THAN WHEN THERE IS A
% DEFICIT.%>> WE HAVE AN UNPREC
EDENTED
% SURPLUS.%>> HE SAYS REPUBLICA
NS WILL
% START WITH A GIANT TAX CUT.
% >> WHEN THE STATE IS COLLECTING
% 6.6 BILLION MORE THAN THEY'RE
% SPENDING, PEOPLE ARE BEING
% OVERTAXED.
% WE NEED TO PROVIDE PERMANENT TAX
% RELIEF IN THAT SITUATION.
% >> GOVERNOR EVERS SAYS HIS
% PRIORITIES WILL INCLUDE MORE
% MONEY FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION AND
% LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
% REPUBLICANS AREN'T OPPOSED TO
% THAT BUT HE HOPES TO NEGOTIATE
% THE DOLLAR FIGURES WITH THE
% GOVERNOR.
% >> IF THE GOVERNOR IS WILLING TO
% WORK WITH US AND NEGOTIATE I
% THINK WE CAN ACCOMPLISH SOME OF
% THE THINGS HE WANTS TO
% ACCOMPLISH WHILE STILL DOING
% IMPORTANT TAX RELIEF, INVESTING
% IN EDUCATION, EXPANDING SCHOOL
% CHOICE.%>> THE NEXT COMPROMI
SE BETWEEN
% SENATE REPUBLICANS AND THE
% GOVERNOR IS OVER APPOINTMENTS.
% OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS
% REPUBLICANS HAVE REFUSED TO HOLD
% FINAL VOTES ON MULTIPLE
% CABINET-LEVEL APPOINTMENTS TO
% GOVERNING BODIES LIKE THE DNR
% BOARD AND THE UW BOARD OF
% REGENTS.
% HE SAID EVERS PICKS WERE TOO
% PARTISAN.%>> WE'VE SOME OF T
HE
% APPOINTMENTS LATELY SEEM TO BE
% MORE POLITICALLY CHARGED.
% >> THE BIGGEST CONTROVERSY WAS
% OR FRED PREHN WHO REFUSED TO
% STEP DAB AFTER REPUBLICANS URGED
% HIM TO STAY ON TO DENY EVERS'
% NOMINEE THE MAJORITY.
% THE CASE WENT TO THE WISCONSIN
% SUPREME COURT.
% >> DO YOU EXPECT FRED PREHN TO
% STAY ON THE DNR BOARD?
% >> I'M NOT SURE.
% I HAVEN'T TALKED TO HIM.
% YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GOING TO
% CONFIRM SOME OF THESE
% APPOINTMENTS THEY NEED TO BE
% PEOPLE WHO ARE QUALIFIED AND
% SERIOUS FOR THESE POSITIONS AND
% NOT JUST POLITICAL OPERATIVES
% DOING THE WILL OF ENVIRONMENTAL
% EXTREMISTS.%>> THE SESSION S