How's everybody?
Happy New Year. Happy New Year.
Absolutely.
Well, thanks, everybody, for joining
us today.
And I hope everybody had a good
holiday season, a chance to
relax at the best.
So, you know, as we look back
on 2024, we have
accomplished a lot together.
I signed nearly 190
bills into law last year.
The vast majority of those had
bipartisan support.
I signed Fair Maps for Wisconsin,
undoing a decade of
living under some of the most
gerrymandered legislative maps
in the U.S..
I approved $73 million
in annual tax relief to reduce
childcare costs
for working families.
It was projected that more than
110,000
taxpayers will see an average of
about $650
in tax cuts beginning this year
and 2025.
I enacted two pieces of statewide
legislation enabling
Wisconsin to receive over $78
million in federal investments
to bolster our infrastructure.
There are now three new fast
charging TV stations coming online
in Ashland, Menominee
and Chippewa Falls, with more to
come with the new Year.
And we also successfully kept
the Brewers in Wisconsin to 2050
with a new lease ensuring future
generation will be able to root for
the home team, which was
finalized and approved just before
the holidays and go brewers.
And we secured a multi-billion
dollar investments from key industry
leaders like Microsoft, Eli
Lilly and Company Nestlé
Purina, Kikkoman
and more.
In my last State of the State
address, I declared 2024
the Year of the Worker to reach
new our focus on addressing
our state's generational
workforce challenges.
Through these efforts, we continued
our trend of historically low
unemployment.
And nine counties reported the
lowest rates of unemployment
on record.
We achieved record high employment
and participation in the state's
registry, registered and youth
apprenticeship programs and
expanded apprenticeship
pathways, including the first
ever teacher apprenticeship
pilot program.
We worked with Senator Baldwin to
secure the state's designation
of the U.S.
regional Tech hub,
which is set to bring more than
140,000 jobs and
$9 billion of economic
development to our state
over the next decade.
And we helped launch the U.S.
Climate Alliance Climate
Ready Workforce Initiative, which
is working to train 1
million new registered
apprenticeships across the nation
by 2023.
I'm incredibly proud of the work
we've done this last year,
built upon the efforts of over
the last five years.
We continued providing tax relief
to the middle class and working
families across our state,
including the Child and Dependent
Care credit I just mentioned a
minute ago.
That will go into effect this
year.
All told, through tax cuts, I've
signed into law throughout my time
in office, 86%
of Wisconsin taxpayers
have seen an income tax cut
of 15% or more,
with 2.4 million taxpayers
receiving relief.
And Wisconsin taxpayers will see
$1.5 billion in
annual tax relief, primarily
to the middle class targeted
to the middle class, thanks
in part due to these efforts
and tax cuts I signed into law
as governor.
A recent analysis by the Wisconsin
Policy Forum
showed Wisconsin's income tax
burden. And that means how much
of state and local taxes pay
Wisconsinites pay as a share
of their personal income
is the lowest on record.
That means we've worked hard and
successfully to make sure
Wisconsinites get to keep
more of their hard earned money
in their pockets.
We've also approved more than 8600
miles of roads and 2000 bridges,
and we have built more than 17,000
units of affordable housing
since I've taken office.
And our work to expand access
to affordable housing will continue
in 25 and 2025
as we implement one of the largest
state investments in affordable
housing in our history.
As we look forward to 2025.
There is, as always, more
work to do.
I look forward to delivering my
State of the State address on
Wednesday, January 22nd
at 7 p.m.,
where I'll talk about the work ahead
of us and to lay out our
state's top priorities for 2025.
While we had much success in 2020
for working to address our
states, challenges are recruiting,
training and retaining talented
workers.
Our efforts must continue
in 2025 to address the
workforce challenges that have
plagued plagued our state for
decades.
We can both help address our state's
workforce challenges and
give working families a little
breathing room in their household
budgets by making childcare
and housing more affordable
and accessible across our state.
And can childcare and housing more
affordable? And addressing our
state's looming childcare crisis,
which could have
really bad consequences
for our workforce and our state's
economy?
It's been a top priority for me
and my administration That will
continue to be that case
in the new Year.
I also continue to be concerned
about the burgeoning crisis of
mental and behavioral health in
Wisconsin, something that we've been
talking about for years.
I will again propose robust
investments in my biennial budget
to expand access to mental
and behavioral health statewide,
including in our schools.
And I urge the legislature to join
me in supporting this
important work.
It also, obviously, and everybody
in this room is in
the same position,
weighs heavily on me that
we're kicking off a new year just
weeks after a school shooting
here in Madison, an abundant
life Christian school that took
the lives of Ruby and Erin,
injured several and affected
countless others, including a
student who is still recovering from
those injuries.
Keeping our kids, our schools,
our streets and our communities safe
and addressing. Gun violence has
been a top priority for me and my
administration over the last
five years.
Despite continued legislative
resistance and inaction
in 2025, this should be a shared
priority that transcends
politics and partizanship
and one I am hopeful to finally
receive bi annual support
and effort.
So I look forward to sharing more
details about my budget proposals
to address these pressing statewide
challenges.
And I deliver my 20 2527
BI annual budget.
That message will happen on Tuesday,
February 18th, 2025
at 7 p.m..
Be there.
It's going to be something.
I'm hopeful that as we ring
in the new year in Wisconsin
after fair maps, we will
see a legislature that's more
collaborative, more responsive,
and reflects the will of the people
of the state.
That work begins here today.
I spent the last month of my youth
this last year traveling
across our state, hosting my bi
annual budget listening sessions,
and completing my fifth
annual 72 county
tour to hear directly from
Wisconsinites about the issues that
are important to them.
So today I am announcing excuse
me, a provision I'll be including
in the biennial budget, to require
the legislature to give the people
of Wisconsin a pathway to
enshrine the will of the people.
It's no secret that since I took
since I took office, Republican
legislators have repeatedly
ignored the will of the people in
Wisconsin, a majority
of whom support support
proposals like restoring role
and access to safe legal abortion,
legalizing and taxing
marijuana like we do alcohol,
finding our public schools
and implementing common sense gun
safety reform, among
many other issues.
Instead, Republican lawmakers have
repeatedly worked to put
constitutional amendments on the
ballot that Republicans drafted
Republicans pass all
while Republicans refused to give
that same power to the people
we serve.
That's wrong.
Republican lawmakers shouldn't be
able to ignore the will of the
people and then prevent the people
from having a voice when their
legislatures fail
to listen.
We have to change.
Our Republican lawmakers
are going to continue to try and
legislate by constitutional
amendment.
Then they should give Wisconsinites
the same opportunity that
26 other states have.
It's that simple.
The legislature should give the
people that same power, too.
And that's what I'll be asking them
to do in my next budget.
So thanks for being here
today, and I'm happy
to take your questions, folks.
That would be a referendum like
the a signature on the ballot
or in the polls.
Yeah. In order to do that,
it has to be a joint resolution.
And that and the requirement
for that joint resolution will be
in the budget.
And that would give people
the ability, like in 26
other states, to
have a ballot initiative
brought by the people of Wisconsin.
Governor, you.
Said previously that he would
support cutting Wisconsin's
prison population
in half. But since the pandemic,
Wisconsin's prison population.
Upward.
What explains that time and why
hasn't the prison population
increased more under your
leadership?
Well, we again, we
had a pandemic that made things
very much more difficult.
We will be addressing that issue
in the budget. There's no question
about that.
We need to have criminal
justice reform.
And that's one of the things we'll
be putting in the budget.
We're getting through this last four
years and, you know, a very
difficult time for our correctional
institutions and the people that are
in it.
And we believe we'll have some
answers for that in this next budget
and hopefully we'll get some support
for that.
We indicated
legislation to allow absentee
ballots before today as
a priority.
Is that an effort that you want to
go back to the session?
For sure.
We should have done it a long time
ago. Yes.
Over speaking to legislative leaders
in the last few weeks, there appears
to be a bipartisan push heading
into the new year to try to regulate
Delta eight and Delta nine.
Of course, this is from a loophole
in the 2018 farm bill.
Right. Many grocery stores, you can
buy the substance.
But it's concerning a lot of parents
as teens and get their hands on it.
Right.
We don't know what that bill will
look like. But in theory, regulating
the industry, possibly raising
the age to 21 to be able to purchase
these products.
Is that something you would
generally support?
Generally. I'll have to take a look
at it, but we needed to address
that. The issue of marijuana also.
It'd be nice to be able to do both
things at the same time, but I'm
open to that.
We have to make it clear to people
what's legal and what's not.
I think that's important.
But in addition, the people in
Wisconsin, I don't know the exact
numbers, 60, 70%
in the that have
been polled by
by Marquette University to support
the legalization of marijuana.
It'd be great to be able to take
care of both those things
at the same time.
Have you heard any concerns about
these products being out there and
being easily accessed?
Yes.
Yes. Yes.
Yes.
What would you like to see?
Some type of.
Regulation? Yes, I would.
But but also, I'm saying, is
it be great to deal with this
issue? Marijuana.
At the same time, we have to have
clarity on what's happening
with what you've brought up.
But we also are the will
of the people.
It seems to indicate that
legalizing marijuana and
and treating it in a really,
really appropriate way
is something that we should be
supporting also.
After the Supreme Court ruling last
year. Republicans are pessimistic
on reauthorizing the bill's Nelson
program.
Is that concerning to you?
You know, it's pretty bold.
$1 billion over a ten year proposal.
Do you think that's something that
you can find common ground to get
done?
We should.
I mean, if you think about the
value of those
stewardship fund, it is so
important to
who we are as Wisconsin.
And and also the ability
to make sure that
we have the land available
for people to recreate on.
And so, yes, we will we
will be dealing with that issue in
the budget. Absolutely.
Your budget
House.
I would veto that part of it.
Yes.
We can't we can't stop.
I mean, people expect that Wisconsin
or the state of Wisconsin
to support the No
Notes Nelson project.
And it's been
great for the state of Wisconsin.
It's important for our tourism
industry.
And and so
the idea of ending it is
not going to happen.
Dr.. Doing certain facts in the case
of.
Speaker Vos recently told us that
people have banned THC products
like delivery to anyone under the
age of 21.
Would you sign something like that?
I mean, I need to see the whole
bill.
I need to see the whole bill.
Another proposal Republicans have
talked about taking out early this
session did involve requiring
cooperation with Ice.
Individuals who are arrested in our
country illegally.
Curious thoughts on a bill like
that. If it were to reach your desk
or some of these other conversations
with.
Presidential administration.
Yeah, I think it's somewhat
premature to.
I mean, we can make some guesses as
to what what might happen with
a new administration in Washington,
D.C..
My my goal is to
work with that administration
when we can and
be in opposition and
trying to change ideas
when when we can't when
we can't support it.
That may be one of them.
But I'd have to see that bill before
it's way too early for me to say
I'd support it or not.
The bottom line is, you know,
in Wisconsin, 70% of
all of our
on our farm,
our farms are dealing with 70%
of the people that may be
part of or
maybe part of a federal government's
idea to move
them elsewhere, like
out of our country.
Think about that.
How in the hell would we
continue to be the dairy state
when there's nobody there to milk
the cows and do the other important
work? So that and we've
made that clear.
But we the overall goal
with this administration will be
to work with them when they can't
and and work with and
to be in opposition
and change their minds when
we cannot.
Whatever you think. The difference
being that and the people who are
here with definition of good crimes
or have a criminal history, should
they be deported if they have.
It's. You know
what? What crime?
Speeding.
What about.
Violent crime?
I think if they're serving time
already,
they shouldn't be treated any
differently. I mean, violent crime
is violent crime.
If you end up in a correctional
institution.
That serving that time is
equally important for someone that
is documented and someone
that is not.
Senator.
We need to address the issue.
Be willing to revisit.
I'm trying to remember the letter.
I remember getting it.
PE First thing is simple
Joining Finance Committee asked to
release the money that was passed.
It's part of law.
When it comes to approaching
education funding.
Are you waiting for the Supreme
Court decision and your veto?
No.
We will be having a robust
budget for public education
as as we always have.
And so whatever's
happening in the courts, that's
that's not going to stop us from
making that proposal.
Speaker Vos has said that if the
court upholds your 400 year veto,
that's likely for education funding,
it's going to be for this year, no
increase.
What's your response to that?
That's a joke.
I mean, honest to God, that is
it is a joke.
Calling and attacking our needs.
Do you believe that the city of
Green Bay and the state is prepared
to host the NFL draft this spring?
And how is the state assisting in
security efforts?
We're working already on that
issue.
So, yes, we're working with
Brown County and Green Bay.
We anticipate
it's going to be a good event, but
it's an event that we are
you know, whether it's our
folks at the National Guard,
the folks that we have,
honor our our work,
you know, the people at
the state patrol, all those
people are working together.
It's it's like it's going to be like
the
RNC that happened in Milwaukee
that those things have already begun
that work on that.
It's going to be a great opportunity
for the state of Wisconsin,
obviously, and Green Bay to run.
For $3 million a year for pupils,
which is a that's a big increase
per year for revenue gaps or
not funding for the mental health
department.
It's port.
No schools. There's no schools would
be able to get by just on that small
amount of
of ability to spend money.
They'd have to spend their tax
money back home.
They would would likely have to go
to referendum even more
so. So it's a joke.
And, you know, the issue
of mental health, you know, we
put, I think, $50 million
in the last budget.
And I know the speaker does
feel strongly about mental health
issues, but that doesn't
that doesn't necessarily
portray what happened
in the budget with the
amount of money that we got in the
budget, which is a fraction of that
$50 million.
A year and work through for me to
forgive for your your budget.
On that piece.
There's going to be more there's
going to be more money period for
schools.
On the audits looking
into the Milwaukee public schools.
And if you don't have any updates,
do you think apps overall and
orders are working fast enough to.
Find some answers?
Yeah. It seems like forever doesn't
have the.
But.
The audits that we
were that we provided
will be done soon.
I don't know if it's going to be
done before the budget.
So hopefully some information
can help us in the budget.
But yeah, I'm frustrated.
I'm frustrated, especially I
think in working together
with the city
on the issue of police and in
the schools, that's part of state
law and they have to obey
the law. So somehow they have to
come to a conclusion
on that.
Because you mentioned
the 70% of the workforce on the very
farms in Wisconsin, mostly
undocumented because there's no
you're obviously Google cell phone
where you have thoughts about
what could be done to protect
that workforce and with your in
streams.
Yeah, well, we have
to work with our friends in
Washington, D.C.
I mean, they're the ones that
control that issue.
And we will do everything in
our power to prevent that from
happening. I mean, it's
it's illogical for if
you're a Republican or Democrat to
say, well, we're going to mess with
America's Dairyland
because of somebodies
idea of what immigration
sort of look like.
We have people working there.
They're doing a great job.
Our farms and frankly, our
manufacturers also
need that work.
You need those workers.
So we'll be working with folks in
Washington, D.C.
to make sure that doesn't happen.
Governor Walker, Governor,
school resource officers
obviously are under the purview
of local school boards, but.
Right. Do you have a preference as
to whether it be that strong rules
in Madison and the law schools
again?
I don't have that's a local
decision to make.
It's been successful.
Some people, some school districts
feel it hasn't been successful.
But the fact of the matter is the
marquee public schools, I
mean, as part
of a last budget,
need to finalize that.
Now, whether individual
school districts make that decision.
I know some people, some school
districts feel strongly about
having allowing it to happen
and some some folks
are It's just it's
a local issue.
Bottom line.
What is your number one priority
in this budget to get across the
finish line?
Well,
number number one is
multifaceted.
We we have to have a fort.
We have to make sure that people
in the state of Wisconsin have the
ability to
thrive economically.
And part of that is
affordable housing.
Part of that is tax relief.
Part of that is to making sure that
our public schools are strong.
And so to say, if there's one
thing that
we absolutely have
to have, I'd
say it's a multifaceted, an answer.
It's the same it's the same question
that I address
around just around schools
themselves.
Yes, we need to fund our public
schools.
But children are in schools
maybe six, seven hours a day.
How about affordable housing that
impacts those kids?
How about transportation?
That that affects those
kids. How about health care?
That affects those children?
So in order
for us to
thrive as a state economically,
and that has to be an overall
goal, there's more than one
thing that has to happen.
And what I just talked about
is just around kids.
System where closing prisons
such as Will Potter every day.
And so should those prisons
be replaced? Would you support any
particular next budget?
Well, I think you have an answer
for that in the next budget.
Governor, we're a little less than
two years out from this will be
run in 2026.
So when you consider this together,
no, because I
haven't decided if I'm running out
in 2026 that
that that
I'll be making that decision
sometime post post
budget your system
$800 million.
And what is the future of the system
If I think things continue the way
they are.
They seem to be limping from
cycle to cycle cycle.
All these are getting.
Older right.
Down to you.
How is the system sustainable?
Where do you get the 300 million?
We have 800 million for sure.
And that's what's going to be in my
budget.
Yeah, you're right. You hit all the
highlights.
We can't continue to starve
our system.
Whether it's higher education
or UW system or the technical
college system or our K-through-12
system.
That's part of economic development.
So, yes, we will.
I made a commitment to you for
the $800 million in the budget
and it will be there.
You guys decision about
money after the budget.
2024 election Democrats have said
that you, Joe Biden, could pass the
torch.
Use that phrase that way.
Research and see if you're Joe
Biden.
Or do I have a torch?
You say despite the directions of
their viewership, you hope that
your decision.
Of course.
Look, I'll think about all those
things, but it ain't going to be
right today.
Well, Governor, given that you have
new maps, we're coming into a new
biennium that new Democratic
lawmakers are still weighing
your future. Would you say that you
have a political New Year's
resolution when it comes to
reaching across the aisle?
Yeah.
Because I see it.
I see it already.
I re.
I anticipate that.
Well, we'll things be
perfect and
everybody is going to get together
and Robin Vos and others aren't
going to be complaining about me.
Of course that's all going to
happen. But I've already seen
with and I've talked to every
Democratic legislator
and I'll be, you know,
any Republicans I want to meet with
me that will make that happen.
But I've already seen a
opportunity for some
of the new people on the Democratic
side reaching out and talking
to individuals on the Republican
side about issues
that just didn't happen in the past.
So do I think that there's
opportunity there's certainly
opportunities for us
to get along better and to
accomplish things for the people in
Wisconsin.
And that's what fair maps are all
about. As you know, there
were when
I ran for this office, I said
we have to have fair maps, not
gerrymandered Democrat maps.
And that's exactly what we have.
And the reason I believe we
so strongly about that is
that the
will of the people is the law of the
land. And we're a purple state
and the
maps reflect that.
And I think as a result of that, we
will see more collaboration
and cooperation.
So I'm looking forward to that.
Speaker Hastert said he wants to see
tax cuts passed before much
of it.
That you were in the office, did a
surplus. Do you think there's a
compromise to reach there, to pass a
tax cut?
It's unlikely, but you never know.
We'll take a look at it.
Would you propose a driver's
license?
And I'm sorry.
Will you propose restoring driver's
licenses for undocumented
immigrants?
I think we've done that every time.
So we'll do it again.
I bring up API for
altering your test scores before an
exam.
The changing the test scores
standards. Do you think that was the
right move? There's been many
people critical of that decision
because it's very difficult
to even compare to previous years.
Yeah.
I hate to even talk about things
that aren't my purview
anymore and the Department of Public
Instruction, but I just think
there should have been some.
Information and
dialog happening with all sorts
of people before that decision was
made.
Because of that change,
as you just said, it's hard to
compare year to year.
If one year you're doing something
completely different and so
do I. Do I think it could have been
handled better?
Yes, absolutely.
You have to have that have to have
in a decision like this.
I'm not even sure how many school
people knew about it.
And so I think
in retrospect, if I would
be have criticisms about
the process.
Was it a surprise to you?
Hell, yes.
Was it a mistake?
Not not telling me at the
last minute that you
had a problem.
I'm just saying the mistake was
that there wasn't enough
conversation with
the stakeholders with
parents ahead of time.
Can you understand? I was there.
Who do you want to see elected as
the messenger?
I'm not taking any position
on that.
It's there's at least three
people, two of people running, and I
think it's likely a third.
So for us.
Yes.
Do you think that there is
going to be a way to get that money
released from joint finance or do
you think that there should be room
for negotiation and that night
after the.
Election to do it?
I'll do anything to get it done.
I mean, the idea that
we passed, we
the legislature passes a law.
I signed something into law.
And I mean, this isn't the only time
this has happened.
And whatever I signed
into law, it doesn't really happen
because joint finance decides
to hang on to that money.
That's wrong. That's why we're in
court.
But
whatever we can do to get it out, if
that means tying it to something
else and we move on.
But it's just wrongheaded to think
that that is appropriate
and and legal.
I just think it's not.
That's why we're in court.
But if there's something we can do
in the meantime,
what's happened.
To us?
This governor drew a line item veto
on the proposals that would have
funded the hospitals.
The Republicans argue that
those that you're.
Good line item veto.
The reason why they're holding
those funds.
And are you willing?
What we did was the right thing.
We, the people, the
representatives of
Clare area, people
in the health care world,
you know, Clare asked us
to do this and we did it.
We did. You know, the what
came out of that came out of the
last budget or,
you know, the last budget on this
was not what the people in Clare,
at least the ones that talked to us
and that included health care folks,
they wanted a broader use
of that money.
So no,
I mean we're well past the ideals
that somehow I'm going to undo
that veto.
We need to get that money out.
Joint Finance Committee does
not have the legal authority to
to do what they did.
And so we're looking forward to
a resolution in court.
Do you have plans to do more
communication with leaders
of the legislature and Democratic
legislators, you know, sort of.
Francis No, no, no.
Well, we'll work with that.
We'll work with them any time that
they're available.
And, you know, we
worked a lot on the budget last
time, especially when we talked
about shared revenue.
And we hope to be
able to do that in the future.
Thanks, you guys.
Thanks, everybody.
Have a good day.
Have a good year.
Thanks.
I'll be right back.
Any other questions that I can
answer for folks? Just for
background, I know I distributed
that press started.
And how to.