2019
WA
S
THE FIRST
TIME
WITH
% DIVIDED GOVERNMENT AT
THE
STATE
% CAPITOL IN MORE
THAN
A
DECADE
% AND
THAT
DIVISION
SEEMED
TO
SHOW
% UP
IN
JU
ST
ABOUT
EVERY
WAY
% POSSIBLE.
% JOINING US
NOW
I
S
GOVERNOR TONY
% EVERS.%THANKS
FOR
Y
OUR
TIME
HERE
TODAY.
% >>
HI,
ZAC.
% >>
WE'LL
GET
TO
LAST
YEAR
AND
% NEXT
YEAR
IN A
SECOND.
% BUT
WIT
H
TH
E
U.S.
MILITARY% STRIKES AND THE
POSSIBILITY
OF
% IRANIAN
O
R
TERRORIST
RESPONSE% AROUND THE
WORLD
AND HERE
I
N
% WISCONSIN, HAVE Y
OU
PROVIDED
ANY
% GUIDANCE
TO
WI
SCONSIN NATIONAL
% GUARD?%>>
W
ELL,
CERTAINLY
THE
NATIONAL
% GUARD
IS
ALWAYS
PREPARED.
% THEY TRAIN
ON A
REGULAR
BASIS.
% WE'RE
READY TO
B
E
CALLED
U
P
O
N
% MINUTE'S NOTICE,
SO
I
FEEL
VERY,
% VERY
CONFIDENT
THAT
THEY'LL
B
E
% READY
T
O
TAKE
ON
ANY
CHALLENGES
% PUT BEFORE
THEM
.% >>
LOOKING BACK
TO
2019,
SHOULD
% WE
JUDGE
THINGS
BASED ON
THE
% TIME
YOU
A
ND
LEGISLATIVE
% REPUBLICANS DISAGREED
OR
THE
% TIMES YOU WERE ABLE
TO
WORK
% TOGETHER?
% >> I'D
SEE EITHER
W
AY
TO
LOO
K
% BACK
I
S A
G
OOD
WAY
TO D
O
I
T
% BECAUSE WE
ACCOMPLISHED
THINGS
% EVEN WITHOUT
US
WORKING
% TOGETHER.
% AND
THE
B
UDGET
ACTUALLY A
% GOOD
EXAMPLE
OF
THAT.
% >>
I
MEAN,
ASSEMBLY
SPEAKER% ROBIN VOS SAID
IN
HIS END OF
THE
% YEAR MESSAGE THEY
PASSED A
% CONSERVATIVE BUDGET.
% DID
YOU
SIGN A CONSERVATIVE
% BUDGET?%>> I
SIGNED A
BUDGET
THAT
W
E
SET
% A
H
IGH
BAR
FOR
THEM
A
ND
MADE
% SURE
W
E
H
AD
M
ORE
RESOURCES FOR
% OUR SCHOOLS
AND
OUR
ROADS
AND
% ACTUALLY
IMPROVED HEALTH CARE
IN
% THE STATE OF WISCONSIN.
% SO WE
SET A V
ERY
HIGH
BAR.
% THE
REPUBLICANS
DIDN'T
GET
QUITE
% THAT FAR.
% BUT I DON'T
BELIEVE
THAT A
% CONSERVATIVE
BUDGET,
LIBERAL
% BUDGET
IS A
GO
OD
WAY
TO FRAME
% IT.
% DID
W
E
PROVIDE
RESOURCES AND
% WORK THAT
TAKES
OU
R STAT
E
% FORWARD?
% YES.
% AND
I
FEEL
GOOD
ABOUT
THAT.% >>
THE
S
IGN
OF
THE
RELATIONSHIP
% TOOK
PLACE.
% HOW
HA
S
THAT
IMPACTED
Y
OU
AS
% GOVERNOR?%>>
IT
CERTAINLY
SET
THE
WRONG
% STAGE TO GET U
S
OFF
TO A
GOOD
% START.
% IF THAT
WAS
THE
GOAL,
THAT
% FAILED
MISERABLY.
% IF
THESE
LAME
DUC
K
BILLS
W
ERE
S
O
% DARN
IMPORTANT, THEY
COULD
HAVE
% DONE IT
I
N
THE
FIRST
YEAR OF
T
HE
% WALKER ADMINISTRATION
A
ND
% DECIDED
TO DO
IT
AS HE
W
AS
% WALKING OUT TH
E
DOOR.
% SO
I
T
H
INK
THAT'S A BAD
WAY
TO
% START A
RELATIONSHIP.
% BUT WE CONTINUE
TO
WORK HARD
TO% MAKE
SURE
THAT
W
E
GET
A
S
M
UCH
% COMMON GROUND AS WE CAN.
% BUT
I
CAN
TEL
L
YOU THAT WAS
NOT
% A GOOD START.
% >>
WHAT
DO
YOU
HOPE TO
G
ET
% ACCOMPLISHED YET THIS
YEAR?
% >>
CERTAINLY WE
HAVE
SEVERAL
-
% THERE'S SEVERAL
BILL
S THAT H
AVE
% PASSED ONE H
OUSE
O
R
THE
OTHER
% THAT
WE'RE
INTERESTED
IN H
AVING
% SIGNED.
% BUT
OVERALL, WE
STILL
HAV
E
T
O
% FOCUS ON
S
OME
REALL
Y IMPORTANT
% THINGS,
L
IKE
THE
AGRICULTURAL
% CRISIS IN THE
STATE,
THINGS
THAT
% WEREN'T
ADDRESSED
APPROPRIATELY% IN THE
L
AST
SESSI
ON.
% WE'RE
HOPEFUL IT
WILL BE
ACTIVE.
% THERE'S NO
REASON
WHY
SEVERAL
% MONTHS OUT
FROM AN
ELECTION THAT
% SUDDENLY
PEOPLE
DISAPPEAR
FRO
M
% MADISON.
% THEY
NEED TO B
E
HERE
WORKING.% >>
IN
T
HE
LAST F
EW
WEEKS,
% HOMEOWNERS HAVE BEEN
GETTING
% PROPERTY TAX
BILLS,
WHICH A L
OT
% OF
THEM
HAVE
SEEN AN
INCREASE.
% YOUR
PREDECESSOR, SCOTT
WALKER,
% HAD A
VERY
HIGH
FOCUS
AND
% PRIORITY ON
KEEPING
PROPERTY TAX
% BILLS
LOW
OR
STAGNANT.
% DO YOU
T
H
INK
PEOPLE
WILL
BLAME% YOU
O
R
YO
UR
ADMINISTRATION
F
OR% THE
INCREASES
THEY'RE
SEEING
% AFTER EIGHT YEARS
O
F
N
O
RISE?
% >>
WELL,
SHOULDN'T, BECAUSE
% THE
REASON
T
HE
BILLS
WENT UP TO
% SOME
EXTENT, A GOOD PORTION
OF
% THAT IS
IMPORTANT
THE
P
ART
OF
T
HAT
IS
THE
LAST
% EIGHT
YEARS,
REPUBLICANS
PASSED
% REFERENDUMS AND THOSE
ARE
COMING
% DUE.
% IT
BE
CAME A
STATE
T
AX
INSTEAD
O
F% A
LO
CAL
TAX
BECAUSE
THE
LOCALS
% HAD TO
PUT
MORE
MONEY
INTO
% SCHOOLS BECAUSE THE
REPUBLICANS
% DIDN'T.
% SO W
E
MADE AN
EFFORT
TO
MA
KE
% SURE THERE
W
AS
M
ORE
RESOURCES.
% IT
WASN'T
A
SURPRISE TO
M
E
THAT% THERE
WAS A
SLIGH
T
INCREASE,
% 4.5%.
% THAT
PRIMARILY
C
AME
FROM
% REFERENDUMS THAT WERE
PASSED.% >>
R
E
PUBLICANS ARE
TALKING ABOUT
% PASSING A PROPERTY TAX
C
UT
T
HIS
% SPRING.
% ARE Y
OU
INTERESTED
IN
SEEING
% THAT?
% >>
WELL,
THEY'RE
LOOKING
AT
% USING MONEY
THEY
D
ON'T KNOW
IS
% THERE.
% SO
THAT'S A PROBLEM.
% I GUESS
F
ROM
THAT
POINT
O
F
VIEW
% I'M A
FISCAL
CONSERVATIVE.
% ONCE WE
GET
TO
A
POINT
WHERE
W
E
% KNOW THERE MIGHT
B
E SOME
MONEY
% AVAILABLE FOR THAT
P
URPOSE, WE
% NEED TO
TAK
E A
LOOK
A
T
WHETHER% WE SHOULD
PUT
THAT
IN A
RAINY
% DAY
FUND.
% >>
SENATOR
MAJORITY
LEADER SCOTT% FITZGERALD IS ALSO
RUNNING
FOR
% CONGRESS.
% DOES A
R
ACE
WH
ILE
IN
OFFICE
% IMPACT WHAT
POLITICIANS MIGHT
% DO?%>> OF
COURSE.
% YOU
TRY
T
O
GET
A
S
M
ANY
VOTES
AS
% YOU
CAN
S
O
YOU
CAN
MOVE
O
N
TO
% GREENER PASTURES.
% THAT IN
A
ND
O
F
ITSELF
ISN'T A
% GOOD
REASON TO
SPEND
MONE
Y W
E
% KNOW
WE
D
ON'T
HA
VE.% >>
YOU'VE
ALREADY
S
EEN
T
HE
% LEGISLATURE SHUT DOWN
ONE
% SPECIAL SESSION
YOU'VE
CALLED
ON
% GUN
CONTROL
B
UT
YOU
H
AVEN'T
% RULED OUT DOING
IT AGAIN.
% WHAT
WOULD
THAT
ACCOMPLISH?
% >>
70% OF
THE
PEOPLE S
AY
THESE
% ARE
COMMON
SENSE
ISSUES
S
O
I'M
% HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN
MAKE
SOME
% HEADWAY HERE.
% BUT
I'M NOT
SAYING
THAT WE
AR
E
% OR
AREN'T
GOING TO
HAVE A
% SPECIAL
SESSION
O
N
G
UN
SAFETY.
% BUT IT'S
STILL AN ISSUE
I
N
THE%
STATE OF WISCONSIN.
% PEOPLE FEEL
STRONGLY
ABOUT
IT
% ONE WAY OR
THE
OTHER.
% FOR
ME,
I
F
IND
IT
AMAZING
THAT
% WE
JUST
DON'T
HAVE A
VOTE.
% CALL THEM
IN.
% HAVE A VOTE.
% IT
WI
LL
TAKE
HALF A DAY
AT
THE
% MOST AND
WE'LL
SEE
WHERE
PEOPLE
% STAND
AN
D
T
HEN
PEOPLE CAN
RUN
% FOR
REELECTION BASED
ON THAT
% STANCE.
% FOR
ME,
THAT'S TH
E
M
OS
T
FAIR
WAY
% OF
DOING
IT
.
% BUT THE
CONTROL OF
THE
% LEADERSHIP DOESN'T ALLOW U
S
T
O
% DO
THAT
.
% >>
I
N
THAT
CA
SE A
SPECIAL
% SESSION
ON
G
UN
CONTROL WOULD
BE
% APPLYING
PRESSURE
TO
SOMEBODY
% BEFORE THEY ARE
ABOUT
T
O
FACE
% THE
BALLOT.
% >>
THAT'S
HOW
THE
SYSTEM
WORKS.
% IF INDIVIDUAL
LEGISLATORS
CAN'T
% STAND UP
AND SAY THIS
IS
WHAT
I
% BELIEVE, WHETHER IT'S GU
N
SAFETY
% OR
ANY OTHER
THING,
WHY BE
% THERE.
% YOU NEED
T
O
REPRESENT
THE
PEOPLE
% THAT
ELECTED
YOU
TO
OFFICE AND
% IF PEOPLE
DON'T KNOW
WHAT
Y
OUR% STANCE
IS,
H
OW
DO
THEY
MAKE THAT
% DECISION.%>> WOULD
YOU
CONSIDER A SPECIAL
% SESSION ON M
ED
AID
EXPANSION?
% >>
I
WOULD
LOV
E
TO
DO
THAT.
% SEVERAL THINGS COULD
PASS
IF
% PEOPLE WERE
ALLOWED
TO
VOTE.
% THAT'S AN
ISSUE.
% >> Y
OU
DECLARED
THE
YEAR
OF
2019% TO BE THE
YEAR
OF CLEAN
DRINKING
% WATER IN
WISCONSIN.
% DO YOU
TH
INK
THE
LEGISLATURE
HAS
% TAKEN
PFAS
AND
GROUNDWATER
% CONTAMINATION
SERIOUSLY?% >>
CERTAINLY
IT'S
NOT
DONE.
% WE'VE
MADE
GOOD
HEADWAY,
BUT% THIS IS
GOING TO
BE
AN
ONGOING
% THING.
% THE
PEOPLE THAT WERE
HERE
BEFORE% WE
WERE,
O
UR
NATIVE
TRIBES, HAV
E
% MADE
THIS AN
ISSUE
FOR
HUNDREDS
% OF YEARS.
% IT'S GOING
TO
TAKE MORE
THAN ONE
% YEAR.
% BUT
I
AM
NOT
CONVINCED
THAT WE
% ARE
IN
A GOO
D
P
LACE ON THIS.% WE
N
E
ED
T
O
MAKE
SUR
E
T
HAT
WE
% BALANCE
B
USINESS INTERESTS AND
% THE
ABOUTS OF
% THE INTERESTS OF THE
WATER
.
% AT
THE END OF THE
DAY, NOBODY
% WANTS TO
DR
INK
CRAPPY
WATER
.
% WE NEED T
O
WO
RK
TOGETHER.
% I'M
NOT
SURE
THAT
THAT'S
% HAPPENED YET.%>>
YOU'VE
USE
D
EXECUTIVE
ORDERS
% EXTENSIVELY
YOUR
FIRST
Y
EAR
I
N
% OFFICE.
% IS
THAT A WAY TO
GET AROUND
THE
% LEGISLATURE
?
% >> TO
G
E
T
SOME
THINGS
% ACCOMPLISHED I DON'T N
EED
%
LEGISLATION TO DO.
% AT
T
HE
END
.
% DAY I THINK THE
PEOPLE
OF
% WISCONSIN EXPECT US
T
O
WORK
% TOGETHER.
% >>
FOXCONN
JUST
ANNOUNCED
THAT
% THEIR
FACILITY
IS
WEATHER-TIGHT
% AND WHILE
THEY'RE
GOING
TO
% CONTINUE
CONSTRUCTION ON
THE
% INSIDE, THEY COULD BE
% OPERATIONAL BY
THE
END OF THE
% YEAR.
% DO THEY
NEED
T
O
RENEGOTIATE THE
% CONTRACT WITH
THE
STATE
BEFORE% THEY SHOULD
STAR
T
OPERATIONS
% THERE?%>>
WELL,
THE
Y C
AN
CONTINUE
ON,
% BUT THE
BOTTOM
LIN
E IS
I% CONTINUE TO
BELIEVE
THAT
T
HE
% PEOPLE OF
WISCONSIN
EXPECT
U
S,
% THE
POLITICIANS, TO
BE
% TRANSPARENT AND
HAVE
THE
M
BE
-
% FOXCONN BE
ACCOUNTABLE.
% IT'S DIFFICULT TO
DO
T
HAT IF
THE
% DEAL THAT
W
AS
C
UT
IS
BASED
ON
% SOMETHING THAT
DOESN'T E
XIST
% NOW.
% IT'S
J
UST
COMMO
N
SENSE.
% WE
NEED TO
TAKE A LOOK AT
THAT.
% I BELIEVE THAT
A
T
THE END OF
THE
% DAY WE WILL BE
ABL
E T
O
SOLVE
% THIS.
% BUT
I
T
TAKES PEOPLE TO
COME
% TOGETHER AND
SEE
K
COMMON
GROUND.% >>
I
N
YOUR
CAMPAIGN FOR
GOVERNOR
% YOU
TAL
KED
ABOU
T
CUTTING
% WISCONSIN'S PRISON POP
POPULATION
% AND
TO
CLOSE
LINCOLN
HILLS.
% HOW
CLOSE
A
RE
W
E?
% >>
W
E
STILL
H
AVE
THINGS
I
N
JOINT
% FINANCE
WE'
RE
WAITING
FOR
% APPROVAL ON.
% IT'S
DIFFICULT
TO
CLOSE
T
HAT
IF
% WE DON'T
HAVE A PLACE
FOR
T
HOSE
% KIDS TO GO.
% I
THINK WE CAN
GET
THERE,
MAYBE
% NOT AS SOON AS WE
WANT
.
% CRIMINAL
JUSTICE
REFORM
I
S
A
BIG
% ISSUE
AND WE NEE
D
SOME
% LEGISLATIVE HELP
T
O MAKE
THINGS
% HAPPEN.
% WE'RE DOING SOME
THINGS IN
THE% DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS THAT
I
% THING ARE
M
ORE
FAIR.
% WE'RE
WORKING
WIT
H
PEOPLE THAT% ARE
ORGANIZATIONS,
LOT
S
OF
% FAITH-BASED GROUPS THAT
ARE
% HELPING
PEOPLE
TRANSITION
T
O OUT
% OF
CORRECTIONS INTO
THE
R
EAL
% WORLD.
% SO
WE'RE
MAKING
SOME
HEADWAY.
% AT
THE END OF
THE
DAY,
WE'RE
% GOING TO
NEE
D
SOM
E
LEGISLATIVE
% HELP.%>>
WISCONSIN
IS
EXPECTED TO
BE A
% FOCAL POINT IN
THE
PRESIDENTIAL
% ELECTION THIS YEAR.
% DO
YO
U
EXPECT
TO
MAKE
% ENDORSEMENTS
IN
THE
DEMOCRATIC
% PRIMARY?
% >>
NO.
% MY GOAL
IS
T
O
MAKE
S
UR
E
EVERYONE% THAT
IS
LEFT AT THAT TIME
ARE
% COMING THROUGH
WISCONSIN, LET
% PEOPLE OF
WISCONSIN KNOW
WHO
% THEY
ARE.
% >> WE
COULD
EXPECT TO
SEE
SOM
E
% INCREASED TURNOUT THIS FALL.
% DO
YOU
EXPECT
ANY OF
THE
% PRESIDENTIAL RACE TO
IMPACT
% DOWN-BALLOT
RACES
F
OR
STATE
% SENATE OR
ASSEMBLY, THAT
COULD
% IMPACT YOUR
ABILITY
TO
LEAD
NEXT
% YEAR?%>> SURE.
% THEY'RE ALL
CONNECTED.% WE
HAV
E
T
O
MAK
E
SURE WE
HAV
E
THE
% ABILITY TO
HAVE A
ROBUST
% DISCUSSION ABOUT
L
OTS
O
F THINGS
% IN
THE STATE OF
WISCONSIN
A
ND
,
% FRANKLY, ONE
O
F
T
HOSE
THINGS
% WE'RE GOING TO B
E
TALKING ABOUT% IS THE
ISSUE
OF
FAIR
MAPS
AND
% MAKING SURE
W
E
DON'T GET
TO
THE
% POINT
WHERE
GERRYMANDERING
F
OR
% ANOTHER TEN
YEARS.
% WE
NEE
D
F
AI
R MAPS
NOW.
% SOME OF
T
HE
SOLUTION TO
THAT
I
S
% TO
MAKE
SURE
SOME
O
F
THOSE
% DOWN-BALLOT
ISSUES,
THOSE
% COMPETITIONS BETWEEN
REPUBLICANS
% AND
DEMOCRATS, HAVE
TO
HAPPEN
I
N% A
W
AY
THAT GIVE
M
E
THE
VETO
% POWER TO
MAKE
FAIR
MAP
S
HAPPE