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Tonight, a WISN 12 commitment

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2026 election special.

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An unprecedented race for

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Wisconsin governor, state

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Democrats in a hell store.

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What does that say about you

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as a leader?

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Money troubles, scandal,

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upheaval.

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You want to just kind of...

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All right, Rodriguez just

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dropped out.

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Five candidates remain in a

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fractured Democrat field,

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just days from the primary to

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decide who will take on

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likely Republican nominee,

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Tom Tiffany.

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Tonight, their first and only

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televised debate.

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At a critical juncture in

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Wisconsin history,

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former Lieutenant Governor

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Mandela Barnes.

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We've been all across

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Wisconsin taking the fight

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directly to Tom Tiffany.

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Former Tony Evers cabinet

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member Joel Brennan.

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I am in this race and I am

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committed to continuing in

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this race because Wisconsin

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values are at risk.

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Milwaukee County Executive

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David Crowley.

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Wisconsin, you deserve a

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current Democratic candidate.

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And that's exactly why I am

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re-intering in this race.

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State Representative Francesca

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Hong.

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I am the only candidate in

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this race who takes income

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and power inequality seriously

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as the most urgent crisis of

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our times.

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State Senator Kilda Royce.

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That was not the time to move

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backwards and be in mortise

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array.

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And now live from the campus

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of Marquette University in

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downtown Milwaukee.

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Tonight's moderators,

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WISN 12 political director

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Matt Smith.

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And up front co-host,

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12 news anchor,

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Sharon Jordan.

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Good evening, everyone,

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and welcome.

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We are live tonight from the

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Marquette University campus.

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We thank our audience across

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Wisconsin for joining us for

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the first and only

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televised debate between the

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Democratic candidates and

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the primary for Wisconsin

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Governor.

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Mandela Barnes.

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Joel Brennan.

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David Crowley.

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Francesca Hong.

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And Kilda Royce.

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We thank you all for being

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here with us tonight.

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The top vote getter in the

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August primary will take on

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the likely Republican

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nominee, Tom Tiffany in

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November.

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With Tony Evers not seeking

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reelection, it is the first

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wide open race for governor

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since 2010.

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First tonight, a few ground

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rules.

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This is a debate, but we'll be

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having a conversation.

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We'll be discussing some of the

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key issues facing Wisconsin.

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Candidates are asked to state

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their positions, stay on topic,

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and to be concise.

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The candidates may speak to

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each other, but we will manage

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the time on any given topic and

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move the conversation along, if

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necessary.

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At the end, each candidate will

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make a brief closing statement,

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and it's fair to say that this

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race has been chaotic over the

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last few weeks, so let's get

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right to it.

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Mr.

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Crowley, three weeks ago, you

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dropped out of this race saying

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you couldn't see a path to

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victory 11 days ago that we

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could not see a path to

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victory 11 days ago that we

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could not see a path to

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victory 11 days ago.

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Mr.

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Crowley, you dropped out of this

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race saying you couldn't see a

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path to victory 11 days ago that

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we could not see a path to

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victory 11 days ago the primary

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upended when Sarah Rodriguez

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dropped out, and you made the

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unprecedented move of re-entering

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the race with an immediate

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endorsement from Governor Tony

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Evers.

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Since then, you have been linked

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to a social media account that

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includes offensive posts.

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You've said you didn't write

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any of those, and some have

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accused you of being the latest

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prop for the Democratic

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establishment.

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So, are you, and why should voters

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now trust your judgement and

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ability to win?

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Well, first and foremost, thank

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you for having us, but I was

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never born into the United

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States.

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But I was never born into the

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United States.

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But I was never born into the

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United States.

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And I was never born into the

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establishment.

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I was actually born into

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struggle.

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I grew up in the 5-3-2-6 zip code

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where I had to work extremely

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hard for everything that I have.

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And so, I'm not here to protect

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the establishment.

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I'm here to deliver real results

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for Wisconsinites all over our

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state.

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And, you know, I like to make

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decisions based off of the data,

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based off of facts.

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And we learned every since that

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day that a lot of things have

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changed, and we were going off

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of false data.

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And so, we know that the states

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are too high this upcoming

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election.

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And that's why I got back in the

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state.

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You know, we're going off of

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false data.

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And so, we know that the states

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are too high this upcoming

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election.

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And that's why I got back into

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this race.

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And I'm honored to not only have

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the endorsement of Governor

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Tony Evers, but labor unions and

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leaders all across the state who

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believe in my leadership.

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And I'm looking forward to

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delivering for all of Wisconsin.

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Ms.

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Fong, you are the Democratic

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Socialists who is leaving in all

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of the polls.

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Yet some Democrats are attempting

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to stop you from winning,

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fearful that you cannot beat

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Republican Tom Tiffany.

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Just this weekend, the co-chair

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of the Democratic Socialists of

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America, which you are a

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member, reaffirmed the DSA's

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position of abolishing the

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Senate, prisons, and

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replacing the presidency and

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the Supreme Court as we know it.

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Do you fully back the DSA

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platform, and why should primary

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voters trust your judgment and

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your ability to win statewide?

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Well, first, thank you so much

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to the team at WISN,

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the Marquette University, for

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hosting this important debate.

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I do not support the full

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platform of the national DSA,

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and I am not endorsed by DSA

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National.

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What Democratic Socialism is is a

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form of government that puts

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working-class people first, that

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puts work first.

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The policies that we have been

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working on, permanent affordability,

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has broad bipartisan support in

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every corner of the state.

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Well, things like fully funding

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our public schools, ensuring that

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we are doing right by our kids

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and cutting property taxes,

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taxing the ultra-wealthy and

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megacorporations, ensuring that

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we can invest in free childcare,

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and that everyone has access to

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affordable housing.

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And we are the only campaign

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to support a moratorium on AI

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data centers, and we have found

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broad bipartisan support.

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I am looking forward to helping

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the Democrats become the big

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tent party that they've aimed to

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be for many years.

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Mr. Barnes, you were once seen as

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the clear front runner in this

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race.

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You previously lost a statewide

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election for U.S.

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Senate when the field cleared for

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you.

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In fact, last year, the Milwaukee

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Courier said, we need a candidate

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who can unite the state and win.

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Mandela Barnes already showed us

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he can't.

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And Governor Tony Evers recently

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endorsed David Crowley over you.

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So why should primary voters now

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trust you that you can win

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statewide this time?

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Well, thanks so much for the

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question and thanks so much for

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having me.

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There's not a single person on

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this stage who's united all

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shades of blue of the

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Democratic Party as I have before.

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Now, that race in 2022 is the

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closest U.S.

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Senate race in the state in over

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100 years.

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It was the closest challenge to

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any incumbent across the entire

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country.

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No incumbent lost statewide.

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Now, while D.C.

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insiders like Chuck Schumer

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didn't see the race as

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winnable, Republican billionaire

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certainly did.

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They spent over 50 million

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dollars to defeat me and I only

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lost by one point.

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26,000 votes.

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Now, I can tell you, having been

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the only person on this stage

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who's actually won statewide in

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2018, when we kicked Scott

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Walker out of office for good,

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that race was also decided by

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one point.

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Now, I've been on both sides of

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the coin and you learn a whole

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lot more when you lose.

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When you win, you think you did

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everything right.

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But when you come up that

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short, you have a whole lot of

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time to think about it.

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You learn about the devastating

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impact of big money and

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politics.

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You also learn about how low

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Republicans can get.

299
00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:40,000
And I can tell you, right now we

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have the resources and we have

301
00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:42,000
the support to get it done.

302
00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:43,000
And on the terms of Governor

303
00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:44,000
Evers, I have zero interest in

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upholding the status quo.

305
00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:46,000
I have zero interest in being

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00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:47,000
the establishment candidate.

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00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:48,000
That is the difference right

308
00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:49,000
here on the stage.

309
00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:50,000
Because I am pushing the envelope

310
00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:51,000
to make sure that we are as bold

311
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as we can possibly be in the

312
00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:53,000
Donald Trump era.

313
00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:54,000
Because that's what people have

314
00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:55,000
been calling for.

315
00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:56,000
And that's what I want to do.

316
00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:57,000
I want to do that.

317
00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:58,000
I want to do that.

318
00:06:58,000 --> 00:06:59,000
I want to do that.

319
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I want to do that.

320
00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:01,000
I want to do that.

321
00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:02,000
I want to do that.

322
00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:06,000
I want to do that.

323
00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:08,000
I want to do that.

324
00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:09,000
I really appreciate you.

325
00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:10,000
I want to do that.

326
00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:11,000
That's what people have been

327
00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:12,000
calling for Democrats to be

328
00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:13,000
all along.

329
00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:14,000
We have not truly.

330
00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:15,000
Mr. Brinnan and Chris Royce

331
00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:16,000
have been on the single

332
00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:17,000
play since the start of this

333
00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:18,000
race, at this point, our

334
00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:19,000
primary voters wasting their

335
00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:20,000
vote on a vote for you.

336
00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:21,000
Mr. Brinnan.

337
00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:22,000
Here's what I would tell you is

338
00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:23,000
that I don't think primary

339
00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:24,000
voters have been paying much

340
00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:25,000
attention until the last two

341
00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:26,000
weeks, and all the upheaval

342
00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:27,000
that you have seen.

343
00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:28,000
This is what I find when I

344
00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,000
am going out around the state

345
00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:33,720
by polls that was done here by my alma mater at Marquette

346
00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:36,920
because about half the people at this point

347
00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:38,360
haven't made a decision.

348
00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:40,520
And so that is a lane that's opening up.

349
00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:42,480
The challenge that I have had from day one

350
00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:45,040
is not that anybody thinks I'm unqualified for the office.

351
00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,880
I have served as the top appointed governor Evers.

352
00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:50,360
We created the largest budget surplus in state history.

353
00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:52,080
We increased the rainy day fund.

354
00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:55,160
We got millions of dollars out to family farms,

355
00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:58,280
to small businesses, to renters who needed it during COVID.

356
00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:00,480
So all of that stuff puts me in good stead.

357
00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:02,920
The challenge I have had is that people don't know me

358
00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:05,200
as well as they know some other candidates around the state.

359
00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:07,640
And so what I have found in recent days

360
00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:10,280
is that the disruption, the upheaval,

361
00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:11,840
somebody putting their thumb on the scale,

362
00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:14,200
it has gotten people much more engaged

363
00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:16,000
and much more interested in this race.

364
00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:18,320
And day by day, I am feeling that momentum.

365
00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:21,080
And I'm feeling people who want somebody who can beat

366
00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:23,960
Tom Tiffany in the fall and who can hit the ground running

367
00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:24,760
on day one.

368
00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:27,640
And I will put my qualifications on those issues

369
00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:29,280
up against anybody in this race.

370
00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:30,240
Mr. Brendan, thank you.

371
00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:33,200
Ms. Royce, you are continuing to poll in a single digit as well.

372
00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:35,080
At this point, our primary voters

373
00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:37,520
wasting their vote on a vote for you.

374
00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:39,600
If you want the best public schools in the nation

375
00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:42,080
for your children, if you want to open up the state's

376
00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:44,000
health care plan so that everyone can buy in

377
00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:46,720
and we could lower costs for all Wisconsinites,

378
00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:48,920
if you want a candidate who is gonna stand up

379
00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:50,960
and fight Donald Trump and bring an end

380
00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:54,040
to this authoritarian regime, then you should vote for me.

381
00:08:54,040 --> 00:08:55,360
I am the candidate in this race

382
00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:58,320
that brings the most experience in and around state government

383
00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:00,080
with 10 years of service in the legislature

384
00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:02,440
and the only one who served on the state budget committee.

385
00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:04,120
I've also been an executive in the private

386
00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:07,400
and nonprofit sectors and for over 20 years,

387
00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:10,440
I've been the candidate that has turned progressive ideas

388
00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:13,600
like the kind that all of us have on this stage into law.

389
00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:16,120
That kind of experience is absolutely essential.

390
00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:19,160
And voters need to think about not just who can beat

391
00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:21,200
Tom Tiffany, although that is important,

392
00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:23,440
not just who can deliver a democratic legislature,

393
00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:25,200
although that is vitally important,

394
00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:27,720
but who can actually do the job on day one?

395
00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:30,160
And I am proud to have earned by far the most endorsements

396
00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:31,960
of any candidate in this race,

397
00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:34,720
including the most endorsements in Milwaukee County,

398
00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:37,120
the most largest labor union endorsement

399
00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:39,320
with We Act, the state teachers union

400
00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:41,720
and the endorsement of former Lieutenant Governor Barbara

401
00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:42,560
Lawton.

402
00:09:42,560 --> 00:09:43,400
Thank you all.

403
00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:46,440
Last week, a Madison police officer shot and killed a man.

404
00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:49,520
Tonight, the investigation and the protests continue.

405
00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:52,000
Governor Tony Evers has called for transparency

406
00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:55,440
and accountability and urged for peaceful protests.

407
00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:57,320
Ms. Hong, in the hours following the shooting,

408
00:09:57,320 --> 00:09:59,240
standing alongside protesters, you said,

409
00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:03,040
quote, the state sanctioned violence was an execution.

410
00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:05,720
Would you make those immediate declarations as governor,

411
00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:08,680
even though an investigation had not yet started?

412
00:10:08,680 --> 00:10:11,600
No, the governor has the largest microphone in the state

413
00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:14,120
and there comes deep responsibility with that.

414
00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:18,560
But what we saw in videos and what I had talked to folks

415
00:10:18,560 --> 00:10:20,560
who had witnessed that,

416
00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:24,640
I think what we saw, it was clearly the type of violence

417
00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:27,200
where no one's life should have been taken.

418
00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:30,880
My thoughts are with Corey Ruiz and his family.

419
00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:34,840
And I hope that the accountability and transparency

420
00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:37,720
that both the governor and Evers and I have called for,

421
00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:39,920
the independent investigation,

422
00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:42,040
the investment in body cameras,

423
00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:46,080
we want local governments to be able to invest in public safety,

424
00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:47,840
to be serious about public safety.

425
00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:49,560
And I plan to be a partner in that.

426
00:10:49,560 --> 00:10:52,640
You have also called to defund and abolish police before,

427
00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:55,360
while saying your ideal world is one without prisons.

428
00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:56,920
Would you sign a bill or budget

429
00:10:56,920 --> 00:10:58,960
that cuts funding for police departments?

430
00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:00,400
No.

431
00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:01,800
No, why not?

432
00:11:03,680 --> 00:11:06,160
The governor cannot defund police

433
00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:08,800
and I'm not here to govern by slogan.

434
00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:11,000
I'm here to make sure that I am the governor

435
00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:13,400
that is most serious about public safety.

436
00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:15,520
And that means investing in the things that we know

437
00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:18,440
prevent crime and getting resources to victims

438
00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:20,680
and ensuring that the people who are incarcerated

439
00:11:20,680 --> 00:11:22,640
and the folks who are working in our prisons

440
00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:26,600
are able to live a life of dignity and work with dignity.

441
00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:28,800
I think it's important that we invest in communities,

442
00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:30,080
including our public schools,

443
00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:34,440
out of school programs and mental health resources

444
00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:37,240
and attacking the opioid epidemic.

445
00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:40,640
These are things that are proven to prevent crime.

446
00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:42,640
And this is what will help to make sure

447
00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:45,920
that we have a government that is serious about public safety.

448
00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:48,080
Mr. Barnes, you have previously shown support

449
00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:50,680
for reducing police funding and abolishing ICE.

450
00:11:50,680 --> 00:11:51,840
Following the Madison shooting,

451
00:11:51,840 --> 00:11:54,520
you said you were deeply disturbed and pained.

452
00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:55,800
Would you sign a bill or budget

453
00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:57,480
that cuts funding for police departments?

454
00:11:57,480 --> 00:11:59,400
First of all, we should all be very disturbed

455
00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,080
by what we saw in those images, what we saw in the video.

456
00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:06,040
And we should fight as hard as we possibly can

457
00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:08,280
as a state, as a people, as a society

458
00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:10,200
to make sure that never happens again.

459
00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:13,040
And body cameras, of course, are the norm.

460
00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:14,320
It should be the norm.

461
00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:16,200
And I wish that the Madison police department

462
00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:17,360
did have those body cameras.

463
00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:20,160
So, of course, I would not sign a budget that reduced funding

464
00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:22,280
because, obviously, that police department

465
00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:24,360
needs the funding to have body cameras.

466
00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:26,440
Ms. Royce, after the Madison shooting,

467
00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:28,960
you said we do not have to accept this as inevitable.

468
00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:31,560
We can create a more fair, safe world.

469
00:12:31,560 --> 00:12:32,960
Would you sign a bill or budget

470
00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:35,280
that cuts funding for police departments?

471
00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:38,600
No, but I think we need to actually fund local communities

472
00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:40,960
so that we can do evidence-based programs

473
00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:43,440
that actually reduce and prevent crime.

474
00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:46,080
At the end of the day, I'm a mom and step-momma five.

475
00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:49,560
I want my kids and every kid to be safe in our communities.

476
00:12:49,560 --> 00:12:52,600
And I want law enforcement officers to be safe in our communities.

477
00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:55,080
That means that we have to invest in proven strategies

478
00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:58,200
that actually do that, unlike what Republicans, like Tom Tiffany,

479
00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:00,840
have done, which has cut funding to local governments

480
00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:03,960
and take away local control so that communities don't have

481
00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:06,480
the resources to be able to actually solve

482
00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:08,320
these problems effectively.

483
00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:10,800
I am really proud, as the only attorney on this stage,

484
00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:14,160
to be someone that has fought for and passed criminal justice

485
00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:17,040
reforms to make us more safe and more just.

486
00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:20,240
I have taken on racial disparities in areas from health

487
00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:21,800
to criminal justice.

488
00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:25,480
And I believe that Wisconsin can be a place where everyone

489
00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:28,040
has the freedom to thrive, but not if we aren't

490
00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:30,120
willing to tackle these really tough issues.

491
00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:31,960
Mr. Brendan, after the shooting in Madison,

492
00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:35,040
you are also calling for a full DOJ investigation.

493
00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:37,680
Would you sign a bill or a budget that cuts funding

494
00:13:37,680 --> 00:13:38,400
for police departments?

495
00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:39,240
Of course I wouldn't.

496
00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:41,080
And I think, as others have said here,

497
00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:43,440
there has been a generation of disinvestment

498
00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:46,040
and a broken system between the state,

499
00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:48,400
the broken partnership between state and local governments.

500
00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:51,320
So we need to make sure that we're robustly funding that.

501
00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:54,080
It has been demonstrated, this 115-year-old contract

502
00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:56,040
that we have had between state and local government

503
00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:58,360
worked pretty well for the first 80 years.

504
00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:00,280
And then the Republicans just turned off

505
00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:02,080
the spigot and stopped funding local governments.

506
00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:03,760
So we need to make sure we do that.

507
00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:06,440
On the larger issue of criminal justice reform,

508
00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:08,880
we need to look a little bit to our neighbors to the West.

509
00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:12,800
In Minnesota, they spend about $215 per capita

510
00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:14,720
on criminal justice in that state.

511
00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:16,200
They're about the same size.

512
00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:17,760
They have about the same crime rate.

513
00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:20,160
We have about three times as many people incarcerated.

514
00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:24,160
In Wisconsin, we spend about $315 per capita on that.

515
00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:28,520
As a long-term target, spending that $600 million difference

516
00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:31,040
that they spend on other things in Minnesota,

517
00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:34,800
spending those on early childhood, on K-12 education,

518
00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:36,680
on other programs in Wisconsin.

519
00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:39,000
That would be the kind of investment over the long term

520
00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:40,680
that would put us in better stead

521
00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:43,000
and keep us from having fewer of these incidents

522
00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:44,640
because they should outrage all of us.

523
00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:47,560
But there are ways that we can make a difference on those

524
00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:49,320
by spending our money differently.

525
00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:50,280
Mr. Brennan, thank you.

526
00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:52,520
Mr. Crowley, without first seeing any video,

527
00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:54,440
you said that you were horrified by the reports

528
00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:56,120
of the shooting and immediately pointed

529
00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:58,840
to other police shootings in Kenosha and Minneapolis.

530
00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:00,560
Did you rush to judgment with your comments

531
00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:02,320
and would you sign a bill or budget

532
00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:04,080
that cuts funding for police departments?

533
00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:06,120
No, I did not rush to judgment with my comments.

534
00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:08,000
My thoughts and prayers are not just with Corey

535
00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:09,120
and his family and friends,

536
00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:10,800
but with the entire Madison community

537
00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:12,040
and everybody who's been affected

538
00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:13,680
and re-traumatized by this.

539
00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:16,000
Again, we have seen these types of incidents happening

540
00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:17,880
here locally with Jacob Blake,

541
00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:19,840
as well as George Floyd in Minnesota.

542
00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:22,600
And so it's extremely important that we have transparency.

543
00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:24,120
We cannot defund the police.

544
00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:26,040
We should be investing in public safety

545
00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:28,560
and that doesn't mean more money to police officers.

546
00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:31,160
That's like investing in systems

547
00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:33,120
like the community violence interruption.

548
00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:34,600
Milwaukee County, we have been a leader

549
00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:37,040
in actually helping to reduce violent crime here

550
00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:38,440
in Milwaukee County.

551
00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:41,400
Working directly hand in hand with not just police departments

552
00:15:41,400 --> 00:15:43,280
but also community organizations.

553
00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:46,520
And so we have to focus on not just investing upstream

554
00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:48,840
but making sure we wrap around services around families

555
00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:50,920
that don't have to go down a road of criminality

556
00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:51,920
in the first place.

557
00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:56,800
Madison police currently do not have police body cameras.

558
00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:59,760
Raise your hand if as governor you would sign legislation

559
00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:01,640
requiring all police and sheriff's departments

560
00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:04,040
in Wisconsin to have body cameras.

561
00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:06,280
All of you.

562
00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:07,120
All candidates.

563
00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:08,440
Let's move on to the economy.

564
00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:11,240
Tonight Wisconsinites overwhelmingly say inflation

565
00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:13,800
and the cost of living is the most important issue

566
00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:15,320
ahead of this election.

567
00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:18,320
The failed tax relief deal negotiated by governor Tony Evers

568
00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:20,960
and Republican leaders would have delivered rebate checks

569
00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:23,560
to Wisconsinites, directed money to local schools

570
00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:27,680
to lower property taxes, increased special education funding

571
00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:30,520
and eliminated taxes on tips and overtime.

572
00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:32,320
It failed in the state Senate.

573
00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:34,880
I'd like you to raise your hand if as governor

574
00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:38,360
you would have signed that deal into law if it passed.

575
00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:42,680
If it passed, would you have signed it into law?

576
00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:46,200
One, Mr. Crowley.

577
00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:48,400
Ms. Royce you were one of the 15 Democratic senators

578
00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:50,640
who helped kill the deal, why?

579
00:16:50,640 --> 00:16:51,920
Because at the end of the day,

580
00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:54,920
my job is to be a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars

581
00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:58,840
and this would have created a $2.9 billion deficit

582
00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:00,880
down the road which our schools

583
00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:02,800
and our healthcare system and our local governments

584
00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:04,280
cannot afford.

585
00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:07,000
It also would have spent the surplus

586
00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:08,680
before it had even materialized.

587
00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:11,200
Look at what is happening with the economy.

588
00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:14,680
When we are spending money that we do not yet have

589
00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:18,120
and spending it in ways that do not actually help us

590
00:17:18,120 --> 00:17:20,320
solve the long-term problem of getting more money

591
00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:23,200
into our public schools, giving property tax relief

592
00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:25,520
to property taxpayers and making sure

593
00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:28,080
that we have a more fair just tax system,

594
00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:30,240
all we are doing is throwing that money away

595
00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:32,480
on a political gimmick that was frankly cooked up

596
00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:35,280
by Robin Voss as he sees the blue wave coming

597
00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:37,280
and wanted to do anything that he could

598
00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:39,760
to either protect his members from losing their seats

599
00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:42,880
and run away from their terrible record on public education

600
00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:45,440
which Tom Tiffany is partially responsible for.

601
00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:48,760
Quickly that projected deficit factored in zero economic growth.

602
00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:50,720
Would you consider zero economic growth?

603
00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:52,400
Would that be part of a Royce administration

604
00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:54,200
if you cite that deficit?

605
00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:57,240
I'm looking at having a president who is hell-bent

606
00:17:57,240 --> 00:17:59,080
on making things as expensive

607
00:17:59,080 --> 00:18:01,480
and challenging for families across the state

608
00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:03,680
and a congressman running for governor

609
00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:06,800
who has done nothing but rubber stamp tramps agenda 100%.

610
00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:08,320
Thank you, Mr. Crawley, you're the only one

611
00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:09,560
who raised your hand to sign the deal.

612
00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:10,960
Why would you have signed it into law?

613
00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:12,000
Well, I would have signed it into law

614
00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:13,720
because we would have gotten a bipartisan deal

615
00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:14,560
that actually done.

616
00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:17,000
I think folks understand here in the state of Wisconsin,

617
00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:18,520
when you have divided government,

618
00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:20,320
it can be a bit chaotic.

619
00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:22,360
Were there things in this bill that I did not like?

620
00:18:22,360 --> 00:18:23,200
Absolutely.

621
00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:26,080
I love the fact that we were going to give relief

622
00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:28,000
and to our schools and property tax relief

623
00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:30,120
and there are other things in this bill that I didn't like.

624
00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:31,000
At the end of the day,

625
00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:32,440
we know that there are many Wisconsin families

626
00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:33,320
who are desperate.

627
00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:35,960
We should be focusing on how we lift them up

628
00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:37,280
and not playing politics.

629
00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:38,520
And so I would have signed that bill

630
00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:42,080
because that means it would have passed with bipartisanship.

631
00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:44,400
Congressman Tom Tiffany is campaigning on the fact

632
00:18:44,400 --> 00:18:46,720
that he would return the entire surplus, he says,

633
00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:48,120
to taxpayers.

634
00:18:48,120 --> 00:18:50,520
Ms. Hong, would you return the surplus to taxpayers

635
00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:53,240
or how would you spend the projected $2.5 billion?

636
00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:54,960
Those are the taxpayers' dollars,

637
00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:56,800
but investment is what we need.

638
00:18:56,800 --> 00:18:59,160
Thinking about our shared future, our kids,

639
00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:02,360
it is an investment when we invest in public schools

640
00:19:02,360 --> 00:19:04,800
and ensuring that we are cutting property taxes

641
00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:06,280
but doing right for our kids.

642
00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:09,600
Our campaign is about permanent affordability

643
00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:12,200
and putting all of those surplus dollars

644
00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:14,840
back into the taxpayers' money.

645
00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:17,480
I think that it would be irresponsible.

646
00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:20,400
And the reason why that surplus deal was so problematic

647
00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:22,560
is that those who are on fixed income

648
00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:24,520
would not have received that check.

649
00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:27,400
Folks who are lower income would have received less.

650
00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:30,400
I think it's important to think about some of the working

651
00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:33,880
class families across our state that deserve real relief,

652
00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:37,040
durable relief, and that deal was not it.

653
00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:39,440
We should mention you did vote against that in the assembly.

654
00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:41,840
Quickly, what would you spend the surplus on?

655
00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:43,960
Public education and health care.

656
00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:46,760
Mr. Brennan, would you return it to the taxpayers

657
00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:48,280
or would you spend it and how would you spend it?

658
00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:50,240
Well, I think Tom Tiffany and the Republicans

659
00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:52,080
have already shown their hands about how they'd return it

660
00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:53,120
to the taxpayers.

661
00:19:53,120 --> 00:19:56,280
There are three sections in the studio audience here tonight.

662
00:19:56,280 --> 00:19:58,640
If the poor people and the people on fixed income

663
00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:00,480
and Social Security were sitting over here,

664
00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:01,720
they would get nothing.

665
00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:04,800
The rest of us who are doing OK would get the $300 and $600.

666
00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:07,400
And by the way, if you want a stimulating effect

667
00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:08,680
by putting money into the economy,

668
00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:10,680
you put it in the hands of people who are going to spend it.

669
00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:12,200
And so that was part of the deal.

670
00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:14,200
The thing that I would have exercised in all of this

671
00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:16,960
is caution, because we live in a Trump economy.

672
00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:19,120
I put together, as the Secretary of Administration,

673
00:20:19,120 --> 00:20:20,800
two budgets for Governor Evers.

674
00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:24,400
And we need to make sure that we are doing everything possible

675
00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:26,320
to be cautious in this time of Trump.

676
00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:28,920
The way that I would spend it, one, it would be cautious.

677
00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:30,240
But the first thing that I would spend,

678
00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:33,840
the first $100 million, which I will do in January,

679
00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:36,480
will go into childcare and early childhood education.

680
00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:38,200
It is a system that is broken.

681
00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:40,320
A billion dollars of productivity

682
00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:43,600
sits on the sidelines every year, especially from women,

683
00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:46,560
mainly from women who can't find affordable, accessible,

684
00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:48,080
or high quality childcare.

685
00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:50,080
It is a K-12 and workforce issue.

686
00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:52,360
That's the first place I'd spend $100 million.

687
00:20:52,360 --> 00:20:55,000
Then I would restart the Knowles Nelson Stewardship Fund

688
00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:56,200
with another $100 million.

689
00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:59,040
It's like, those are the types of things that we can do

690
00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:00,560
that's bipartisan effort.

691
00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:03,240
Those are bipartisan things that have been successful.

692
00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:06,320
The Knowles Nelson Stewardship Fund, 90% of us

693
00:21:06,320 --> 00:21:08,840
live within a mile of a project that's been enhanced

694
00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:10,160
by that over the last 40 years.

695
00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:11,840
It's as bipartisan as it gets.

696
00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:14,880
And it now, as of July 1, doesn't exist anymore.

697
00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:16,960
Those are the types of things that we should be investing in.

698
00:21:16,960 --> 00:21:17,800
Thank you.

699
00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:19,760
Mr. Barnes, would you send it back to taxpayers

700
00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:21,240
or spend it and how would you spend it?

701
00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:22,920
Well, let's first talk about how we got here.

702
00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:24,480
Now, the reason there is a surplus

703
00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:26,200
is because Republicans in the legislature

704
00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:27,840
have failed the people of Wisconsin.

705
00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:29,720
Our school districts are going to referendum

706
00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:32,320
every single year just to keep the lights on.

707
00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:34,440
And we also see gaps in health care

708
00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:38,680
because we are one of 10 states that has yet to expand

709
00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:41,200
our Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act.

710
00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:42,560
We are in a world of trouble.

711
00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:45,880
And Robin Voss has never been a good negotiating partner.

712
00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:47,520
So no, I certainly wouldn't have signed the deal.

713
00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:50,000
But the way we give more money back to people,

714
00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:52,400
the way we actually return money to folks

715
00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:54,680
is by taxing the wealthy, taxing the billionaires,

716
00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:57,280
taxing these corporations that have been getting over on us,

717
00:21:57,280 --> 00:21:59,080
making money hand over fist

718
00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:02,120
while communities continue to starve for resources.

719
00:22:02,120 --> 00:22:05,120
This is how we can most effectively return money back

720
00:22:05,120 --> 00:22:05,960
to folks.

721
00:22:05,960 --> 00:22:07,360
And on the issue of affordability,

722
00:22:07,360 --> 00:22:10,000
the best way to get the affordability gap

723
00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:12,480
is to put more money in the pockets of hardworking people.

724
00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:14,600
Our minimum wage is still $7.25.

725
00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:16,720
Since costs have gone up, wages have not.

726
00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:18,680
But returning that money to the people,

727
00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:21,280
that means making the right investments in public education,

728
00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:22,840
making the investments in health care,

729
00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:26,520
taxing the wealthy and implementing a working class tax cut

730
00:22:26,520 --> 00:22:28,840
for folks who work hard every single day

731
00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:30,560
and don't get the benefits the corporations get.

732
00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:32,600
So quickly, what are you doing with the surplus?

733
00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:33,680
Well, with the surplus, like I said,

734
00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:36,240
it just reinvesting back into education.

735
00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:40,440
And also now, and also because of Trump's big ugly bill,

736
00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:41,960
there's gonna be some stresses

737
00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:44,240
when it comes to expanding badger care,

738
00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:45,680
which I still support.

739
00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:47,160
It is the right thing to do for us.

740
00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:48,400
So many folks are steering down.

741
00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:50,360
Medical debt, medical bankruptcy.

742
00:22:50,360 --> 00:22:51,680
We're gonna move money into health care.

743
00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:52,960
We're gonna move on to taxes.

744
00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:55,160
We did bring up taxes, so let's move on to taxes.

745
00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:56,760
You all in some degree have used phrases

746
00:22:56,760 --> 00:22:59,240
like making the wealthy pay their fair share

747
00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:01,320
and discussed raising taxes on the rich

748
00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:02,960
to fund your priorities.

749
00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:05,520
Wisconsin already has the second highest top income tax

750
00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:08,360
rate in the Midwest at 7.65%.

751
00:23:08,360 --> 00:23:11,560
So we wanna know what all of you define as rich.

752
00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:13,080
So Mr. Barnes, under your plan,

753
00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:14,920
what is the specific income level

754
00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:16,400
where taxes would go up

755
00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:19,280
and what percentage would that top tax bracket pay?

756
00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:21,560
Yeah, so I think that incomes over a million dollars

757
00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:23,120
should be taxed a little bit higher.

758
00:23:23,120 --> 00:23:24,480
Even if it's temporary,

759
00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:27,320
the fact is we are in a real crisis right now.

760
00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:32,080
And our necessities have not been seeing the resources,

761
00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:33,440
have not been seeing the funding.

762
00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:35,320
Again, there's no reason these school districts

763
00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:37,320
should be going to referendum every single year

764
00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:38,880
just to fund basic services.

765
00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:43,560
And if we increase that tax rate by less than 1%, 0.9%,

766
00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:46,920
we do a great deal to be able to provide

767
00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:48,840
much more funding to our school districts

768
00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:51,240
and also help close the share revenue.

769
00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:52,160
Is that what you're proposing?

770
00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:54,200
0.8 or 0.9%.

771
00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:55,120
Well, I'm saying this is all of,

772
00:23:55,120 --> 00:23:56,160
I'm happy to negotiate.

773
00:23:56,160 --> 00:23:57,880
This is what we need to negotiate,

774
00:23:57,880 --> 00:23:59,960
but this is the arena where I'm in right now.

775
00:23:59,960 --> 00:24:02,480
Ms. Hong, the income level that you would raise taxes

776
00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:04,360
and how much?

777
00:24:04,360 --> 00:24:07,400
Those who are making the millionth and one dollar,

778
00:24:07,400 --> 00:24:09,720
I think that the billion as well

779
00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,680
to increase that to 0.9%.

780
00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:15,320
It is incredibly disappointing

781
00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:17,160
that some of our lowest income earners

782
00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:18,840
are paying a higher tax rate

783
00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:21,080
than some of our highest income earners.

784
00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:24,240
We need to return to a progressive income tax rate.

785
00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:27,080
It is how we build sustainable revenue

786
00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:29,640
and ensure that we're able to actually increase

787
00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:31,280
our tax base across the state

788
00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:33,880
as more working class people are gonna be attracted

789
00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:36,960
to coming to Wisconsin to live, work, and play here.

790
00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:39,720
I think that the legislation that I introduced

791
00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:41,360
that would tax the billionaire

792
00:24:41,360 --> 00:24:44,400
and add a millionaire tax bracket

793
00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:47,520
would lower property taxes by up to 44%.

794
00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:50,480
And we could put that funding into special education funding,

795
00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:53,840
which we have neglected to actually honor the budget amount

796
00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:57,000
and we must bring that back up to 90% reimbursement.

797
00:24:57,000 --> 00:24:58,920
And the percentage for those millionaires?

798
00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:01,240
I would increase that by about 1%.

799
00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:03,840
Well, you would increase that to about, so about 8.65.

800
00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:04,680
Correct.

801
00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:06,600
Mr. Crowley, your income level

802
00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:08,200
and how much would you tax them?

803
00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:09,040
Well, let's be very clear.

804
00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:11,000
There's just not the income tax,

805
00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:12,280
but there's also the property taxes

806
00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:14,280
that are also extremely high in the state of Wisconsin.

807
00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:15,280
We'll talk about that next.

808
00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:17,080
Okay, well, when we talk about income taxes,

809
00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:18,480
what we really need to be focusing on is

810
00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:21,160
how do we actually fix this system moving forward?

811
00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:23,600
What we need to do is take a holistic view

812
00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:26,120
of our taxes here in the state of Wisconsin.

813
00:25:26,120 --> 00:25:28,400
The last time that we took a holistic view

814
00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:32,440
of how we spend our money and bringing revenues was in 1986

815
00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:34,720
when Governor Tommy Thompson was actually governor.

816
00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:36,640
And so we need to bring academics.

817
00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:38,160
We need to bring labor.

818
00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:39,560
We need to bring business owners

819
00:25:39,560 --> 00:25:41,040
and community members to the table.

820
00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:42,800
And let's actually have a real discussion

821
00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:44,520
about the entire system.

822
00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:46,120
I don't think that we should be just focusing

823
00:25:46,120 --> 00:25:48,680
on how we can increase taxes,

824
00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:51,800
just particular for a certain income on earners

825
00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:53,760
when we haven't looked at the entire system.

826
00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:56,480
When it comes down to those who are making hand over fist,

827
00:25:56,480 --> 00:25:59,000
we absolutely need to tax the ultra wealthy,

828
00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:00,160
but we need to be smart about

829
00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:01,520
how we're doing things long-term.

830
00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:03,840
Do you have an income level or a percentage for that?

831
00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:05,280
Well, I think we always gotta look at those

832
00:26:05,360 --> 00:26:08,200
who are making more than a million dollars a war.

833
00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:09,040
Absolutely.

834
00:26:09,040 --> 00:26:10,760
And do you know how high you'd like to tax them?

835
00:26:10,760 --> 00:26:11,840
No, I think that we have to look

836
00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:14,000
at the entire system holistically.

837
00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:16,600
Ms. Royce, your income level and percentage,

838
00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:19,040
you would tax them looking to raise taxes.

839
00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:21,480
I agree with my colleagues that anyone who's earning

840
00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:22,720
over a million dollars a year

841
00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:24,880
should pay a slightly higher tax rate.

842
00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:27,280
But we also need to look at the corporate tax giveaways

843
00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:29,400
that have run rampant over the last 15 years

844
00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:30,800
of Republican rule.

845
00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:33,640
We have rolled out the red carpet for Foxconn,

846
00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:36,480
the AI data center tax breaks are estimated

847
00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:38,960
to cost us two billion dollars.

848
00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:42,480
All that at a time when we are spending zero dollars

849
00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:44,360
on early childhood education,

850
00:26:44,360 --> 00:26:47,080
when our public schools have been starved to resources,

851
00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:48,800
jacking up people's property taxes

852
00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:52,080
just to help our kids keep teachers in the classroom.

853
00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:54,840
So as a small business owner, it offends me

854
00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:57,120
that the largest businesses in the state

855
00:26:57,120 --> 00:26:59,080
are not only not paying their fair share of taxes,

856
00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:01,680
but they're often getting public resources.

857
00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:04,200
These are going to big polluters, big corporations,

858
00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:05,560
out-of-state corporations.

859
00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:07,200
They're not tied to job creation,

860
00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:09,040
and we need to not just tax the wealthy,

861
00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:11,280
but make sure that big corporations pay their fair share too.

862
00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:13,240
Do you have a specific percentage in mind?

863
00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:15,200
I think it's concurrent with what the,

864
00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:16,480
my colleagues have talked about.

865
00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:17,320
Mr. Biden.

866
00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:18,760
I'm going to find that I have general agreement

867
00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:20,600
that people making over a million dollars

868
00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:21,600
should pay a little bit more,

869
00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:23,240
and we could talk about what that is.

870
00:27:23,240 --> 00:27:25,320
But I also think that there are other things,

871
00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:27,680
the manufacturing and agricultural tax credit,

872
00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:29,760
which is generally not paid to farmers,

873
00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:31,320
and which has continued to increase

874
00:27:31,320 --> 00:27:33,520
the tune of about 400 million dollars.

875
00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:35,080
I would like to continue,

876
00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:36,800
we're talking about raising taxes on the rich.

877
00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:39,000
One of the real successes of Tony Evers

878
00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:41,640
is making sure that we have had middle class tax cuts

879
00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:43,800
and ensuring that we can continue to do that.

880
00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:45,600
Now, the other thing about this, however,

881
00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:47,320
is that I like to win,

882
00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:49,600
and we are losing right now to Ohio,

883
00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:51,760
we're losing to Michigan, we're losing to Minnesota,

884
00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:53,400
when it comes to economic development.

885
00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:55,960
And so if we're truly going to get to the Wisconsin

886
00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:58,480
that we need, if we're going to increase our population,

887
00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:00,080
if we're going to increase what we're getting

888
00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:00,920
out of our government,

889
00:28:00,920 --> 00:28:02,680
it's going to come from economic growth.

890
00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:03,920
And I think we need to make sure

891
00:28:03,920 --> 00:28:06,320
that we are aggressive in those things.

892
00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:08,320
You know, you don't need to tell me about Foxconn.

893
00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:10,960
I spent the first year of the Evers administration

894
00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:12,680
trying to figure out how do we get out

895
00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:14,400
of that $3 million obligation.

896
00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:17,080
Ultimately, we brought that down to $80 million,

897
00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:19,320
and we were able to invest and treat them

898
00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:21,320
like virtually every other company,

899
00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:23,480
and then be able to invest in main street businesses.

900
00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:26,360
So this is not just about how do we raise revenue,

901
00:28:26,360 --> 00:28:28,480
it's how do we raise revenue by taxes,

902
00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:30,360
it's how do we raise revenue through growth,

903
00:28:30,360 --> 00:28:32,360
and making sure that we are growing our own

904
00:28:32,360 --> 00:28:35,160
and investing in economic development in our state.

905
00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:36,560
Real quick before we move on,

906
00:28:36,560 --> 00:28:38,120
what if all the millionaires leave the state

907
00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:40,680
and go to a state nearest that has a flat tax rate

908
00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:43,920
or a lower tax rate than all of these plans collapse, correct?

909
00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:47,400
I think that's why this needs to be a holistic strategy.

910
00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:49,120
You know, there's a whole bunch of ways

911
00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:51,000
in which people don't trust government

912
00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:52,240
and don't trust Democrats.

913
00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:54,520
And we better be in a position where we can demonstrate

914
00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:56,560
to them that when we're spending these things,

915
00:28:56,560 --> 00:28:58,160
they're also getting some benefit on it.

916
00:28:58,160 --> 00:29:00,840
So if all we're talking about is raising taxes,

917
00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:02,400
and if this is all gonna be about

918
00:29:02,400 --> 00:29:04,120
how do we make sure that we are, you know,

919
00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:05,800
doing that to people penalizing,

920
00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:07,200
if it's just gonna be penalties,

921
00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:08,600
then we are going to start to lose.

922
00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:10,600
We need to make sure we're growing with everybody.

923
00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:12,880
Ms. Hong, do they leave the state?

924
00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:16,800
You know, discussing that hypothetical is a little bit,

925
00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:19,680
I'm confused about that.

926
00:29:19,680 --> 00:29:22,480
However, let's look at all the other policies

927
00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:23,800
that we have talked about,

928
00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:26,440
that we have been fighting for with our campaign

929
00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:27,560
when there is free childcare,

930
00:29:27,560 --> 00:29:29,440
when there is fully funded public schools,

931
00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:31,880
when we see some of these corporate loopholes

932
00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:33,760
in corporate welfare come to an end,

933
00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:36,440
when we have investment in rural roads,

934
00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:39,320
when there's legalization of cannabis,

935
00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:41,640
I think that we can improve the quality of life

936
00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:44,240
for millionaires and ensure that they too,

937
00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:47,240
will be able to live, work, and thrive here in our state.

938
00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:48,560
Let's talk about property taxes.

939
00:29:48,560 --> 00:29:51,280
This past year, Wisconsinites saw the highest property tax

940
00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:52,720
increase in three decades.

941
00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:56,880
School property tax levies increase on average nearly 8%.

942
00:29:56,880 --> 00:29:58,560
Raise your hand if you as governor

943
00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:02,000
would commit to an across-the-board property tax decrease.

944
00:30:05,840 --> 00:30:08,920
All candidates agreeing to a across-the-board

945
00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:10,120
property tax decrease.

946
00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:11,720
We'll start with you, Mr. Barnes.

947
00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:13,040
How would you make that happen?

948
00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:15,640
Well, first of all, we have to get school funding

949
00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:16,840
off of the property tax rolls.

950
00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:17,680
That's the biggest thing.

951
00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:21,040
The reason we have seen these historic property tax increases

952
00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:23,320
is again, because communities all across the state

953
00:30:23,320 --> 00:30:26,640
of Wisconsin have voted to raise their own property taxes,

954
00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:28,600
just to keep the doors open.

955
00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:31,960
It is a very irresponsible way to fund education,

956
00:30:31,960 --> 00:30:34,120
to fund our future, to prioritize our children.

957
00:30:34,120 --> 00:30:36,360
When I talked about Robin Voss not being

958
00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:37,880
a good negotiating partner,

959
00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:39,960
when I talked about the priorities in Wisconsin,

960
00:30:39,960 --> 00:30:42,400
missing the mark, this is how we end up with the surplus,

961
00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:44,000
because our schools don't have the funding

962
00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:45,360
and the resources that they need.

963
00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:47,480
So what we need to immediately do

964
00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:50,600
is get to the state's constitutional commitment,

965
00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:51,680
the two-thirds funding.

966
00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:54,360
We have to make sure our schools are fully funded.

967
00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:55,800
When our schools are fully funded,

968
00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:58,040
that burden doesn't fall on the property tax rolls.

969
00:30:58,040 --> 00:30:59,840
And then gradually, over time,

970
00:30:59,840 --> 00:31:02,280
we'll be able to decrease property taxes.

971
00:31:02,280 --> 00:31:04,480
We are there right now at two-thirds roughly?

972
00:31:04,480 --> 00:31:05,320
We are not.

973
00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:06,140
We're not there yet.

974
00:31:06,140 --> 00:31:06,980
We're not there yet.

975
00:31:06,980 --> 00:31:07,820
We're not there yet.

976
00:31:07,820 --> 00:31:10,440
Mr. Britton, how do you make an across-the-board

977
00:31:10,440 --> 00:31:11,520
property tax increase happen?

978
00:31:11,520 --> 00:31:13,440
It was mentioned a little bit by Mandela,

979
00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:16,440
but this spring, when we all celebrated Chris Taylor's win,

980
00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:19,800
that same night, 72 school districts

981
00:31:19,840 --> 00:31:22,360
went to referendum, 60 of them for operations,

982
00:31:22,360 --> 00:31:23,400
just to keep the lights on,

983
00:31:23,400 --> 00:31:24,640
not to build a new middle school,

984
00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:26,160
not to build a new science classroom.

985
00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:28,320
That is as big a condemnation

986
00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:29,560
as we can get in Wisconsin.

987
00:31:29,560 --> 00:31:32,200
And so I would immediately scrap that funding formula,

988
00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:33,880
which is under lawsuit right now,

989
00:31:33,880 --> 00:31:35,440
but it's probably gonna take three years

990
00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:37,000
for that to work its way through the courts.

991
00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:39,240
Our kids don't have three more years to wait.

992
00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:41,760
I would create a child-centric formula

993
00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:44,520
where every kid has value regardless of where you live.

994
00:31:44,520 --> 00:31:45,960
You add on for special needs.

995
00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:48,040
You add on for urban rural poverty.

996
00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:49,920
You add on for English language learners.

997
00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:52,280
Like, that's how most other states have done this.

998
00:31:52,280 --> 00:31:55,120
And if you do that and you recommit to that two thirds

999
00:31:55,120 --> 00:31:57,720
from the state, immediately that brings down

1000
00:31:57,720 --> 00:31:59,120
property taxes for people.

1001
00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:01,920
And it gives kids and teachers and parents

1002
00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:03,400
what they need in the classroom.

1003
00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:04,640
This is where we have failed.

1004
00:32:04,640 --> 00:32:07,200
That student, the school funding formula

1005
00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:10,160
has been around since 1993, didn't work then,

1006
00:32:10,160 --> 00:32:11,200
and it doesn't work now.

1007
00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:13,120
So that's the first thing that we've got to do

1008
00:32:13,120 --> 00:32:14,280
that would meet the needs of kids,

1009
00:32:14,280 --> 00:32:16,840
but stop hitting property taxpayers against kids.

1010
00:32:16,840 --> 00:32:18,600
Ms. Hong, how do you bring property taxes

1011
00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:19,560
down across the board?

1012
00:32:19,560 --> 00:32:22,880
As I mentioned that we have already introduced legislation

1013
00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:25,160
that would add a tax to the millionaire

1014
00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:27,640
and increase the millionaire tax bracket

1015
00:32:27,640 --> 00:32:29,400
as well as a billionaire tax.

1016
00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:32,320
You know, this would help us fund special education

1017
00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:35,320
while lowering property taxes by up to 44%.

1018
00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:38,440
It is essential that we return to two thirds funding

1019
00:32:38,440 --> 00:32:40,880
and make sure that we are bringing a responsible

1020
00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:42,200
end to the voucher program.

1021
00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:44,960
This is a program that currently,

1022
00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:47,720
the state is spending over $1.2 billion.

1023
00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:50,840
And I think that it is not just public school funding

1024
00:32:50,840 --> 00:32:53,040
that is raising property taxes.

1025
00:32:53,040 --> 00:32:55,400
Robin Vossen, the Republican led legislature

1026
00:32:55,400 --> 00:32:57,760
has been decreasing shared revenue

1027
00:32:57,760 --> 00:33:00,360
and it is a deep inadequate funding

1028
00:33:00,360 --> 00:33:01,720
for our local governments.

1029
00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:04,120
And they too have had to go to referenda

1030
00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:06,160
and many are increasing property taxes.

1031
00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:09,280
So increasing the levies and giving our local governments

1032
00:33:09,280 --> 00:33:11,760
the ability to raise more revenue.

1033
00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:13,920
I think that this is how we're gonna make sure

1034
00:33:13,920 --> 00:33:17,240
that communities can invest in the things that

1035
00:33:17,240 --> 00:33:19,680
and the programs that they absolutely deserve.

1036
00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:21,240
And we're gonna get to education and vouchers here

1037
00:33:21,240 --> 00:33:22,200
in just a second, Ms. Roy.

1038
00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:24,720
So I do wanna ask about property taxes.

1039
00:33:24,720 --> 00:33:27,560
How do you bring property taxes down across the board?

1040
00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:29,480
The most important thing that we can do

1041
00:33:29,480 --> 00:33:31,640
is appropriately fund our local governments

1042
00:33:31,640 --> 00:33:34,200
and our public schools at the state level.

1043
00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:36,200
That means getting to the two thirds funding commitment

1044
00:33:36,200 --> 00:33:38,080
that was made but has never been met.

1045
00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:39,480
But it also means fixing the way

1046
00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:40,960
that those dollars are distributed

1047
00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:43,080
because right now it's deeply inequitable.

1048
00:33:43,160 --> 00:33:45,560
My family moved to rural Taylor County.

1049
00:33:45,560 --> 00:33:47,160
That's where I was a little girl.

1050
00:33:47,160 --> 00:33:49,040
And they moved because of the quality

1051
00:33:49,040 --> 00:33:53,280
of the public education system here in Wisconsin, 47 years ago.

1052
00:33:53,280 --> 00:33:55,560
Now, raising my kids in Dane County,

1053
00:33:55,560 --> 00:33:58,320
I can see that we have been short-changing our kids

1054
00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:00,080
and that is not okay with me.

1055
00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:01,920
So we do need more state resources

1056
00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:04,120
to end this divisive cycle of referendums

1057
00:34:04,120 --> 00:34:06,520
that are pitting neighbors against one another,

1058
00:34:06,520 --> 00:34:09,760
grandparents against their grandkids' schools.

1059
00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:11,640
I also am the only candidate in this race

1060
00:34:11,680 --> 00:34:14,920
that actually has a plan, not just a wish,

1061
00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:17,880
but an actual plan to bring that private voucher scheme

1062
00:34:17,880 --> 00:34:20,360
to a responsible end because the actual number

1063
00:34:20,360 --> 00:34:22,920
is closer to $1.8 billion in each budget

1064
00:34:22,920 --> 00:34:25,320
that is going directly out of the coffers

1065
00:34:25,320 --> 00:34:28,080
of our local school districts into these private schemes.

1066
00:34:28,080 --> 00:34:29,160
And they are unaccountable

1067
00:34:29,160 --> 00:34:30,760
and they can discriminate against kids.

1068
00:34:30,760 --> 00:34:33,320
And none of us as taxpayers should find that acceptable.

1069
00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:35,560
Mr. Crowley, how do you bring property taxes down across the board?

1070
00:34:35,560 --> 00:34:37,280
Property taxes are extremely high here in the state

1071
00:34:37,280 --> 00:34:38,120
of Wisconsin.

1072
00:34:38,120 --> 00:34:40,320
It's not just affecting the senior who's on a fixed income.

1073
00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:42,040
It's also affecting that young person

1074
00:34:42,040 --> 00:34:42,880
who may want to buy a home

1075
00:34:42,880 --> 00:34:44,960
and everybody's getting squeezed in every direction.

1076
00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:46,480
And it's not just affecting homeowners.

1077
00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:48,120
It's also affecting renters as well

1078
00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:49,840
because when property tax go up,

1079
00:34:49,840 --> 00:34:52,080
landlords quite frankly pass those down

1080
00:34:52,080 --> 00:34:53,600
to those renters as well.

1081
00:34:53,600 --> 00:34:55,320
And so we have to tackle property taxes

1082
00:34:55,320 --> 00:34:57,560
by one investing in our education system,

1083
00:34:57,560 --> 00:34:59,360
increasing the reimbursement rates as well

1084
00:34:59,360 --> 00:35:01,880
for special education because our school districts

1085
00:35:01,880 --> 00:35:04,480
shouldn't have to choose between mandated services

1086
00:35:04,480 --> 00:35:06,280
and whether or not they're going to have teachers.

1087
00:35:06,280 --> 00:35:09,880
But as the only elected official who runs county government

1088
00:35:09,880 --> 00:35:12,000
representing 19 different municipalities

1089
00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:13,440
close to a million people,

1090
00:35:13,440 --> 00:35:15,560
we have a lot of state mandated services.

1091
00:35:15,560 --> 00:35:17,640
And with those state mandated services,

1092
00:35:17,640 --> 00:35:19,840
those resources don't come down the pipeline.

1093
00:35:19,840 --> 00:35:22,240
And so it's extremely important that we work at the state

1094
00:35:22,240 --> 00:35:25,520
to make sure that local governments

1095
00:35:25,520 --> 00:35:27,400
are getting enough resources to invest

1096
00:35:27,400 --> 00:35:28,640
in things like public safety

1097
00:35:28,640 --> 00:35:30,720
because the state of Wisconsin is near the bottom

1098
00:35:30,720 --> 00:35:33,520
or dead last when it comes down to investments and such.

1099
00:35:33,520 --> 00:35:35,000
We brought a voucher.

1100
00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:36,240
So let's talk about vouchers.

1101
00:35:36,240 --> 00:35:38,440
Right now about 30,000 Milwaukee children

1102
00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:41,440
attend private schools using taxpayer funded vouchers.

1103
00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:43,920
Milwaukee was the first school choice program in the nation

1104
00:35:43,920 --> 00:35:47,240
to help families who felt failed by the public school system

1105
00:35:47,240 --> 00:35:48,920
and still do so today.

1106
00:35:48,920 --> 00:35:51,400
The program has since expanded statewide

1107
00:35:51,400 --> 00:35:53,000
as we've heard some of you are calling

1108
00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:54,800
to end the voucher program.

1109
00:35:54,800 --> 00:35:56,680
Mr. Crowley, do you support eliminating

1110
00:35:56,680 --> 00:35:59,360
or reducing vouchers in the city of Milwaukee?

1111
00:35:59,360 --> 00:36:01,840
Look, I am a proud MPS graduate.

1112
00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:03,000
Went to Milwaukee Public Schools

1113
00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:04,640
all through my daughter's school to public schools.

1114
00:36:04,640 --> 00:36:07,680
So I believe in the power of our public education.

1115
00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:10,480
I think to say that we're going to fully eliminate

1116
00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:13,600
the voucher system overnight really doesn't take into account

1117
00:36:13,600 --> 00:36:16,200
the impact towards our family, towards our teachers

1118
00:36:16,200 --> 00:36:18,600
and quite frankly, toward the public school system.

1119
00:36:18,600 --> 00:36:20,880
You know, we've talked about how we went to referendum

1120
00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:22,800
to make sure our public schools have what they need.

1121
00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:24,160
And if we're going to referendum

1122
00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:26,800
for the current capacity of students that they have now,

1123
00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:28,960
how will we be able to bring on those students

1124
00:36:28,960 --> 00:36:32,040
and make sure that we have great public schools moving forward?

1125
00:36:32,040 --> 00:36:33,280
And so I don't think the question is

1126
00:36:33,280 --> 00:36:35,040
whether or not we should have vouchers.

1127
00:36:35,040 --> 00:36:37,080
The question should be how do we continue

1128
00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:38,320
to invest in our public schools

1129
00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:39,880
to make sure that they are the school of choice?

1130
00:36:39,880 --> 00:36:41,520
So would you sign a bill that eliminated

1131
00:36:41,520 --> 00:36:43,560
or reduced vouchers in Milwaukee?

1132
00:36:43,560 --> 00:36:45,000
To eliminate or reduce vouchers?

1133
00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:46,680
No, but I don't believe in expanding vouchers

1134
00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:47,640
in the state of Wisconsin.

1135
00:36:47,640 --> 00:36:50,160
Mr. Barnes, you're proposing a multi-year sunset

1136
00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:51,760
of the program as you've described it.

1137
00:36:51,760 --> 00:36:53,280
What does that look like specifically

1138
00:36:53,280 --> 00:36:54,320
in the city of Milwaukee?

1139
00:36:54,320 --> 00:36:55,720
Well, let's first talk about the reason

1140
00:36:55,720 --> 00:36:58,120
why parents feel failed by public schools.

1141
00:36:58,120 --> 00:37:00,480
This all goes back to the lack of funding.

1142
00:37:00,480 --> 00:37:02,360
This goes back to the state not meeting

1143
00:37:02,360 --> 00:37:04,440
its two thirds funding requirement.

1144
00:37:04,440 --> 00:37:06,680
And schools have been starved of resources.

1145
00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:09,480
So it will only be natural for parents to feel that way.

1146
00:37:09,480 --> 00:37:12,440
I am also a proud Milwaukee public school graduate,

1147
00:37:12,440 --> 00:37:14,480
but I know having gone to a school

1148
00:37:14,480 --> 00:37:16,400
that was starved of resources,

1149
00:37:16,400 --> 00:37:18,880
what that impact meant on a lot of my classmates.

1150
00:37:18,880 --> 00:37:20,840
And I was very fortunate to know

1151
00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:22,160
where I was gonna go home at night.

1152
00:37:22,160 --> 00:37:23,840
I was very fortunate to not have to worry

1153
00:37:23,840 --> 00:37:26,320
about where my next meal came from.

1154
00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:27,480
But that's not the reality

1155
00:37:27,480 --> 00:37:29,000
that far too many of our students face.

1156
00:37:29,000 --> 00:37:31,080
And when we're talking about education,

1157
00:37:31,080 --> 00:37:33,840
we truly have to talk about the societal factors

1158
00:37:33,840 --> 00:37:36,880
that impact how our students do or do not learn.

1159
00:37:36,880 --> 00:37:39,640
If we have these exorbitant rates of child poverty,

1160
00:37:39,640 --> 00:37:41,120
it is gonna impact the way that they learn.

1161
00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:43,360
And as I have talked about vouchers,

1162
00:37:43,360 --> 00:37:46,360
the main line is accountability

1163
00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:48,360
because we have seen horror stories

1164
00:37:48,360 --> 00:37:52,120
where voucher operators closed doors overnight.

1165
00:37:52,120 --> 00:37:55,000
These operators moved to Florida on the public dime.

1166
00:37:55,000 --> 00:37:58,480
And so we have to first get the bad actors out of the system.

1167
00:37:58,480 --> 00:38:01,280
Now, I believe public dollars belong in public schools.

1168
00:38:01,280 --> 00:38:03,760
And if you receive a dime of public money

1169
00:38:03,760 --> 00:38:05,400
as a private school operator,

1170
00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:08,920
you should have to operate by a uniform set of standards.

1171
00:38:08,920 --> 00:38:10,320
That means public governance,

1172
00:38:10,320 --> 00:38:12,840
that means public accountability, public scrutiny.

1173
00:38:12,840 --> 00:38:14,640
And if you cannot meet those standards,

1174
00:38:14,640 --> 00:38:16,120
you should be taken out of the system.

1175
00:38:16,120 --> 00:38:16,960
I can tell you.

1176
00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:18,280
But do vouchers go down

1177
00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:19,960
or are they eliminated in the city Milwaukee?

1178
00:38:19,960 --> 00:38:22,280
Well, I think that the income caps being lifted

1179
00:38:22,280 --> 00:38:25,080
is a travesty because that is what makes it a scheme.

1180
00:38:25,080 --> 00:38:26,960
This no longer becomes a program

1181
00:38:26,960 --> 00:38:29,100
for lower income parents to put their children

1182
00:38:29,100 --> 00:38:29,940
or private school.

1183
00:38:29,940 --> 00:38:31,240
So there could be less vouchers in Milwaukee.

1184
00:38:31,240 --> 00:38:32,600
It becomes a handout.

1185
00:38:32,600 --> 00:38:35,560
And we can no longer, there's no justification

1186
00:38:35,560 --> 00:38:37,840
for expansion of vouchers or lifting the caps

1187
00:38:37,840 --> 00:38:40,120
if we have not fully funded public schools.

1188
00:38:40,120 --> 00:38:43,060
So yes, I was on a bill that reduced them

1189
00:38:43,060 --> 00:38:48,060
because we have seen so much chaos with this system.

1190
00:38:48,060 --> 00:38:50,400
We have seen, and look, a lot of students,

1191
00:38:50,400 --> 00:38:53,760
and this is not an overnight thing by any means,

1192
00:38:53,760 --> 00:38:55,080
but we do have to get serious

1193
00:38:55,080 --> 00:38:56,720
about the delivery of education.

1194
00:38:56,720 --> 00:38:57,920
Specifically here in Milwaukee,

1195
00:38:57,920 --> 00:38:59,800
but we also have to get serious

1196
00:38:59,800 --> 00:39:01,080
about the societal issues

1197
00:39:01,120 --> 00:39:02,680
that continue to plague our systems.

1198
00:39:02,680 --> 00:39:03,920
We always have the conversation

1199
00:39:03,920 --> 00:39:05,840
about education, but never about poverty.

1200
00:39:05,840 --> 00:39:06,840
Thank you, Mr. Barnes.

1201
00:39:06,840 --> 00:39:08,720
Ms. Royce, at what point in your plan

1202
00:39:08,720 --> 00:39:11,480
do vouchers go away for tens of millions

1203
00:39:12,480 --> 00:39:14,040
of children in Milwaukee,

1204
00:39:14,040 --> 00:39:16,600
tens of thousands of children in Milwaukee?

1205
00:39:16,600 --> 00:39:18,680
No student in Milwaukee already seen

1206
00:39:18,680 --> 00:39:20,720
who is currently enrolled in a voucher program

1207
00:39:20,720 --> 00:39:22,580
and is happy there will be displaced

1208
00:39:22,580 --> 00:39:24,400
and they will be allowed to continue their education

1209
00:39:24,400 --> 00:39:26,960
until they graduate as will their siblings.

1210
00:39:26,960 --> 00:39:30,320
However, all programs that take public money

1211
00:39:30,320 --> 00:39:31,920
need to be subject to the same rules

1212
00:39:31,920 --> 00:39:33,760
and regulations that public schools are.

1213
00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:36,320
Right now, you can do corporal punishment

1214
00:39:36,320 --> 00:39:37,320
in a voucher school.

1215
00:39:37,320 --> 00:39:38,760
You don't have to have licensed teachers

1216
00:39:38,760 --> 00:39:40,680
that undergo background checks.

1217
00:39:40,680 --> 00:39:42,400
You can discriminate against teachers

1218
00:39:42,400 --> 00:39:44,960
and against students, including cherry-picking students

1219
00:39:44,960 --> 00:39:47,880
and saying, no, we don't want a student with a disability.

1220
00:39:47,880 --> 00:39:50,640
I think that's totally unacceptable as a taxpayer

1221
00:39:50,640 --> 00:39:52,040
and certainly as a parent.

1222
00:39:52,040 --> 00:39:55,400
Every single child deserves a high quality public education.

1223
00:39:55,400 --> 00:39:57,800
And what we have with the statewide expansion

1224
00:39:57,840 --> 00:40:00,760
is essentially a program that has subsidized

1225
00:40:00,760 --> 00:40:03,120
the private choices of wealthy parents,

1226
00:40:03,120 --> 00:40:06,520
the vast majority of students in the statewide expansion.

1227
00:40:06,520 --> 00:40:09,240
We're already in private school at their parents expense

1228
00:40:09,240 --> 00:40:11,520
before taxpayers started picking up the tab.

1229
00:40:11,520 --> 00:40:14,240
I believe that public dollars belong in public schools.

1230
00:40:14,240 --> 00:40:16,400
And if you take even one dollar of public money,

1231
00:40:16,400 --> 00:40:18,280
you need to be subject to accountability.

1232
00:40:18,280 --> 00:40:20,520
And yes, over time I am gonna bring

1233
00:40:20,520 --> 00:40:22,160
the private voucher scheme to an end

1234
00:40:22,160 --> 00:40:25,040
as we increase the quality and the capacity

1235
00:40:25,040 --> 00:40:26,200
of our public schools.

1236
00:40:26,200 --> 00:40:28,680
Because the most important thing to me as a parent

1237
00:40:28,680 --> 00:40:31,360
and what I hope my legacy will be as governor

1238
00:40:31,360 --> 00:40:34,200
is to restore Wisconsin in our rightful place

1239
00:40:34,200 --> 00:40:36,760
as the best public education state in the nation.

1240
00:40:36,760 --> 00:40:38,560
So a three-year-old child, for example,

1241
00:40:38,560 --> 00:40:40,480
in the city of Milwaukee would not qualify

1242
00:40:40,480 --> 00:40:42,440
for a voucher under your plan?

1243
00:40:42,440 --> 00:40:45,040
Correct, unless they were enrolled in a 3K program

1244
00:40:45,040 --> 00:40:46,840
or if their sibling was already in one.

1245
00:40:46,840 --> 00:40:47,680
Thank you.

1246
00:40:47,680 --> 00:40:49,720
And Mr. Brennan, do you support ending or dialing back

1247
00:40:49,720 --> 00:40:51,080
the state's voucher program

1248
00:40:51,080 --> 00:40:53,120
and specifically what does that look like for Milwaukee?

1249
00:40:53,120 --> 00:40:57,000
Yeah, and I do support some putting back the cap on

1250
00:40:57,000 --> 00:40:58,800
for the statewide program, which has come off.

1251
00:40:58,800 --> 00:41:00,680
I think that we've already talked about

1252
00:41:00,680 --> 00:41:01,560
some of the accountability.

1253
00:41:01,560 --> 00:41:03,120
There's a transparency issue.

1254
00:41:03,120 --> 00:41:04,720
We should pass a state law that says

1255
00:41:04,720 --> 00:41:07,480
on your property tax bill, you can see how much the city,

1256
00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:08,760
the county, the public schools

1257
00:41:08,760 --> 00:41:10,600
and how much vouchers are costing.

1258
00:41:10,600 --> 00:41:12,240
Like all of those things are important.

1259
00:41:12,240 --> 00:41:13,400
I'm a proud parent.

1260
00:41:13,400 --> 00:41:16,400
My kids went to Milwaukee Public Schools for about 22 years.

1261
00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:18,560
But let me add a dose of reality here.

1262
00:41:18,560 --> 00:41:20,960
There is not going to be a bill that passes

1263
00:41:21,000 --> 00:41:23,840
in the legislature that is put on the governor's desk

1264
00:41:23,840 --> 00:41:25,440
right now to end vouchers in Milwaukee.

1265
00:41:25,440 --> 00:41:26,280
You know why?

1266
00:41:26,280 --> 00:41:28,160
Because there are representatives in Milwaukee

1267
00:41:28,160 --> 00:41:29,800
who represent the city of Milwaukee

1268
00:41:29,800 --> 00:41:32,960
for whom more than half of the people who live there

1269
00:41:32,960 --> 00:41:34,720
are sending their kids to private schools.

1270
00:41:34,720 --> 00:41:36,680
Like we have to live in the real world.

1271
00:41:36,680 --> 00:41:39,000
This is an issue that is dividing Democrats

1272
00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:41,480
because in Milwaukee, what parents deserve

1273
00:41:41,480 --> 00:41:42,520
is a great option.

1274
00:41:42,520 --> 00:41:44,480
And I want to make sure our public schools

1275
00:41:44,480 --> 00:41:45,920
are better than any bar none.

1276
00:41:45,920 --> 00:41:48,680
We have the largest achievement gap in the country

1277
00:41:48,680 --> 00:41:50,200
right here in my hometown.

1278
00:41:50,200 --> 00:41:51,600
That's not acceptable.

1279
00:41:51,600 --> 00:41:53,560
So the results aren't what we want.

1280
00:41:53,560 --> 00:41:55,160
We need to hold everybody accountable.

1281
00:41:55,160 --> 00:41:56,880
You know who doesn't like accountability?

1282
00:41:56,880 --> 00:41:57,960
Lousy schools.

1283
00:41:57,960 --> 00:41:59,360
No matter what kind of school they are.

1284
00:41:59,360 --> 00:42:02,040
So we need to make sure we are holding ourselves accountable.

1285
00:42:02,040 --> 00:42:05,800
But we need to also make sure that we are living

1286
00:42:05,800 --> 00:42:06,800
in the real world here.

1287
00:42:06,800 --> 00:42:10,320
Because I wouldn't put legislators in a position

1288
00:42:10,320 --> 00:42:13,160
where they're going to have to tell parents

1289
00:42:13,160 --> 00:42:14,800
that they can't say that this is the school of the country.

1290
00:42:14,800 --> 00:42:15,640
But let's say a bill not to your desk.

1291
00:42:15,640 --> 00:42:17,120
Would you sign a bill that reduced vouchers

1292
00:42:17,120 --> 00:42:17,960
in the city of Milwaukee?

1293
00:42:17,960 --> 00:42:19,040
I wouldn't right now.

1294
00:42:19,040 --> 00:42:20,720
Because I think we need to make sure

1295
00:42:20,720 --> 00:42:23,560
that we are doing right by everybody in the city of Milwaukee.

1296
00:42:23,560 --> 00:42:24,520
There are changes to be made.

1297
00:42:24,520 --> 00:42:27,000
The largest recipient of vouchers in the state,

1298
00:42:27,000 --> 00:42:29,520
$44 million to a virtual school.

1299
00:42:29,520 --> 00:42:30,360
Thank you, Mr. Ryan.

1300
00:42:30,360 --> 00:42:31,360
Those are the types of things we can change.

1301
00:42:31,360 --> 00:42:34,200
Ms. Hall, you are calling for a responsible transition

1302
00:42:34,200 --> 00:42:36,680
away from the quote, unfair voucher program.

1303
00:42:36,680 --> 00:42:39,920
Does that include fully eliminating vouchers in Milwaukee?

1304
00:42:39,920 --> 00:42:43,080
No, I'm a very proud daughter of immigrants,

1305
00:42:43,080 --> 00:42:45,280
a single mom where my son is going

1306
00:42:45,280 --> 00:42:46,960
to the same public school district

1307
00:42:47,120 --> 00:42:49,640
that I came through in my hometown of Madison.

1308
00:42:49,640 --> 00:42:51,920
I believe that public dollars not only belong

1309
00:42:51,920 --> 00:42:54,160
in public schools, but one of the reasons

1310
00:42:54,160 --> 00:42:56,960
that privatization has grown across the country

1311
00:42:56,960 --> 00:43:00,520
is that it's public institutions of education

1312
00:43:00,520 --> 00:43:03,400
that are one of our last remaining democratic institutions.

1313
00:43:03,400 --> 00:43:05,360
And if we don't have strong public schools,

1314
00:43:05,360 --> 00:43:07,400
we can't have a strong democracy.

1315
00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:11,440
Our plan would ensure property tax transparency.

1316
00:43:11,440 --> 00:43:15,240
I was in Luxembourg, Wisconsin at the Dairy Breakfast

1317
00:43:15,280 --> 00:43:17,400
talking to a gentleman who had no idea

1318
00:43:17,400 --> 00:43:18,760
about the voucher program.

1319
00:43:18,760 --> 00:43:21,280
And when he found out that the statewide program

1320
00:43:21,280 --> 00:43:23,600
is where some of the public dollars

1321
00:43:23,600 --> 00:43:26,080
were going into private schools, he was shocked.

1322
00:43:26,080 --> 00:43:27,720
Ending that statewide program

1323
00:43:27,720 --> 00:43:31,120
and implementing property tax transparency

1324
00:43:31,120 --> 00:43:33,680
and then moving to Milwaukee and Racine

1325
00:43:33,680 --> 00:43:37,040
and looking at accountability and transparency measures

1326
00:43:37,040 --> 00:43:39,760
that is uniform across what public schools

1327
00:43:39,760 --> 00:43:42,240
are having to be audited for

1328
00:43:42,240 --> 00:43:43,960
and the different regulations

1329
00:43:43,960 --> 00:43:46,120
that public schools are responsible for.

1330
00:43:46,120 --> 00:43:48,640
And I will say, I introduced the Healthy School Meals

1331
00:43:48,640 --> 00:43:51,200
for All Legislation and that is a bill

1332
00:43:51,200 --> 00:43:54,000
that would include all students in K through 12.

1333
00:43:54,000 --> 00:43:56,640
It includes vouchers and it includes private schools,

1334
00:43:56,640 --> 00:43:58,360
schools for the visually impaired.

1335
00:43:58,360 --> 00:44:00,760
And this is a type of bill that not only helps

1336
00:44:00,760 --> 00:44:02,600
to reduce costs for families,

1337
00:44:02,600 --> 00:44:04,880
but would help all students across the state.

1338
00:44:04,880 --> 00:44:06,600
So it's just to the point of fully eliminating vouchers

1339
00:44:06,600 --> 00:44:08,440
in Milwaukee, your plan?

1340
00:44:09,360 --> 00:44:12,700
It has to be a responsible program and process

1341
00:44:12,740 --> 00:44:14,900
where we work directly with the families

1342
00:44:14,900 --> 00:44:18,180
and the different schools where the voucher program,

1343
00:44:18,180 --> 00:44:21,260
depending on how expansive it is in the school,

1344
00:44:21,260 --> 00:44:24,340
but it would need to come to an end and I can see,

1345
00:44:24,340 --> 00:44:26,620
I don't want to put a firm number on it,

1346
00:44:26,620 --> 00:44:28,700
but I do believe that again,

1347
00:44:28,700 --> 00:44:30,260
public dollars coming in public schools,

1348
00:44:30,260 --> 00:44:34,140
understanding that we have built this system

1349
00:44:34,140 --> 00:44:35,740
where it's deeply inequitable

1350
00:44:35,740 --> 00:44:37,100
and I think that it's important

1351
00:44:37,100 --> 00:44:39,060
that we put in the responsibilities

1352
00:44:39,060 --> 00:44:40,380
of working with our partners

1353
00:44:40,380 --> 00:44:41,980
to end their program in Milwaukee.

1354
00:44:41,980 --> 00:44:44,300
Eventually a full end in the city of Milwaukee.

1355
00:44:44,300 --> 00:44:47,860
I believe that that is what bringing a responsible

1356
00:44:47,860 --> 00:44:49,700
end to the voucher program is, Matt.

1357
00:44:49,700 --> 00:44:50,540
Thank you.

1358
00:44:50,540 --> 00:44:51,500
Let's talk about data centers

1359
00:44:51,500 --> 00:44:52,900
and Marquette's latest poll,

1360
00:44:52,900 --> 00:44:55,940
76% of Wisconsinites say they believe the costs

1361
00:44:55,940 --> 00:44:57,660
outweigh the benefits and that includes

1362
00:44:57,660 --> 00:45:00,540
a majority of Democrats, independents and Republicans.

1363
00:45:00,540 --> 00:45:02,300
You've all outlined varying plans

1364
00:45:02,300 --> 00:45:04,500
on how you would approach the boom in data centers

1365
00:45:04,500 --> 00:45:07,420
from new regulations to construction moratoriums.

1366
00:45:07,420 --> 00:45:09,260
State lawmakers recently attempted to pass

1367
00:45:09,260 --> 00:45:10,620
a series of regulations,

1368
00:45:10,660 --> 00:45:13,140
but they failed to pass the full legislature.

1369
00:45:13,140 --> 00:45:14,420
If lawmakers can't agree

1370
00:45:14,420 --> 00:45:16,300
and if you believe in local control,

1371
00:45:16,300 --> 00:45:19,300
what really can you do as governor, Mr. Crowley?

1372
00:45:19,300 --> 00:45:21,100
Well, one, we need to,

1373
00:45:21,100 --> 00:45:23,460
it's unfortunate that the legislature actually left session

1374
00:45:23,460 --> 00:45:25,740
without actually putting any guardrails in place.

1375
00:45:25,740 --> 00:45:27,140
And so as governor, we need to make sure

1376
00:45:27,140 --> 00:45:28,740
that we're protecting ourselves

1377
00:45:28,740 --> 00:45:30,420
from the data centers that are currently here.

1378
00:45:30,420 --> 00:45:32,300
I do have the same concerns

1379
00:45:32,300 --> 00:45:34,260
that many folks have across the state,

1380
00:45:34,260 --> 00:45:35,500
but I think a moratorium,

1381
00:45:35,500 --> 00:45:37,380
a short-term moratorium doesn't address

1382
00:45:37,380 --> 00:45:39,940
the long-term concerns that we have.

1383
00:45:39,940 --> 00:45:41,620
And so as governor, we will make sure

1384
00:45:41,620 --> 00:45:43,140
that we hold these data centers accountable,

1385
00:45:43,140 --> 00:45:45,140
that they pay for the energy use,

1386
00:45:45,140 --> 00:45:46,780
they pay for the grid upgrades,

1387
00:45:46,780 --> 00:45:48,500
and they bring the Beyonce approach,

1388
00:45:48,500 --> 00:45:50,100
bringing your own new clean energy.

1389
00:45:50,100 --> 00:45:51,740
We need to use data centers to be as close

1390
00:45:51,740 --> 00:45:55,300
to 100% renewable energy as much as possible.

1391
00:45:55,300 --> 00:45:57,420
But they can go anywhere in this country,

1392
00:45:57,420 --> 00:46:00,140
but we have to understand that our clean air, our clean water,

1393
00:46:00,140 --> 00:46:02,300
it doesn't stop at the borders of Wisconsin.

1394
00:46:02,300 --> 00:46:03,540
And so as county executive,

1395
00:46:03,540 --> 00:46:05,860
we have put in place a climate action plan

1396
00:46:05,860 --> 00:46:07,220
to reduce our carbon emissions,

1397
00:46:07,220 --> 00:46:08,860
and we're 50% of the way there.

1398
00:46:08,860 --> 00:46:10,460
And we need to make sure that we're having

1399
00:46:10,460 --> 00:46:12,100
that same level of accountability here

1400
00:46:12,100 --> 00:46:13,420
in the state of Wisconsin.

1401
00:46:13,420 --> 00:46:14,740
But if they are going to be here,

1402
00:46:14,740 --> 00:46:16,740
let's make sure we're utilizing union labor,

1403
00:46:16,740 --> 00:46:19,620
let's see project labor agreements, prevailing wage,

1404
00:46:19,620 --> 00:46:22,580
and community benefit agreements across the entire state,

1405
00:46:22,580 --> 00:46:24,620
because we're all going to be affected,

1406
00:46:24,620 --> 00:46:27,820
and I believe they should be subsidizing our energy use

1407
00:46:27,820 --> 00:46:28,940
if they're going to be here.

1408
00:46:28,940 --> 00:46:31,540
You said they could go anywhere, do you want them here?

1409
00:46:31,540 --> 00:46:32,380
I can hear you.

1410
00:46:32,380 --> 00:46:33,580
You said they could go anywhere,

1411
00:46:33,580 --> 00:46:35,220
do you want them here in Wisconsin?

1412
00:46:35,220 --> 00:46:37,100
Well, we need to make sure that we have a framework

1413
00:46:37,100 --> 00:46:39,180
in place to protect ourselves moving forward,

1414
00:46:39,180 --> 00:46:41,020
because right now we don't have anything right now

1415
00:46:41,020 --> 00:46:42,260
with what's already here.

1416
00:46:42,260 --> 00:46:45,340
Ms. Hong, if lawmakers, they can't agree

1417
00:46:45,340 --> 00:46:47,540
on any regulations, if you believe in local control,

1418
00:46:47,540 --> 00:46:49,260
what can you really do as governor?

1419
00:46:49,260 --> 00:46:51,300
You know, I introduced the legislation

1420
00:46:51,300 --> 00:46:53,380
that puts a moratorium on the construction

1421
00:46:53,380 --> 00:46:54,740
of new AI data centers,

1422
00:46:54,740 --> 00:46:58,420
and I would call a special session into play

1423
00:46:58,420 --> 00:47:01,460
so that the legislature can take up that legislation

1424
00:47:01,460 --> 00:47:03,660
or the other democratic legislation

1425
00:47:03,660 --> 00:47:06,140
that had been introduced by my colleagues

1426
00:47:06,140 --> 00:47:08,780
and yet Robin Voss ended session early.

1427
00:47:08,780 --> 00:47:11,700
I think it's important that we have enforceable regulation,

1428
00:47:11,700 --> 00:47:14,180
that we bring union workers to the table,

1429
00:47:14,180 --> 00:47:17,500
that this is very similar to what I believe could be seen

1430
00:47:17,500 --> 00:47:19,180
as more collective bargaining to make sure

1431
00:47:19,180 --> 00:47:21,020
that we're protecting union jobs,

1432
00:47:21,020 --> 00:47:23,780
and that, you know, the natural resources,

1433
00:47:23,780 --> 00:47:25,620
we're letting some of the big tech companies know

1434
00:47:25,620 --> 00:47:26,940
that they are not for sale,

1435
00:47:26,940 --> 00:47:30,140
and until we fully fund the Department of Natural Resources,

1436
00:47:30,140 --> 00:47:32,220
and we have the actual regulations

1437
00:47:32,220 --> 00:47:34,620
to hold polluters accountable,

1438
00:47:34,660 --> 00:47:37,780
that we are including in the Public Service Commission,

1439
00:47:37,780 --> 00:47:39,220
you know, different types of phases

1440
00:47:39,220 --> 00:47:40,940
where we have stricter legislation

1441
00:47:40,940 --> 00:47:43,500
and clear definitions of how data centers

1442
00:47:43,500 --> 00:47:44,700
can actually move forward.

1443
00:47:44,700 --> 00:47:47,140
This moratorium is necessary

1444
00:47:47,140 --> 00:47:51,060
so that we can responsibly and put in enforcement mechanisms

1445
00:47:51,060 --> 00:47:52,580
to protect communities,

1446
00:47:52,580 --> 00:47:55,500
and seeing local governments already put moratoriums

1447
00:47:55,500 --> 00:47:58,340
into play, we want people to have local control,

1448
00:47:58,340 --> 00:47:59,460
but we also want to make sure

1449
00:47:59,460 --> 00:48:02,460
that there are the guardrails, the legal resources,

1450
00:48:02,500 --> 00:48:05,300
and that if data centers are going to come here in our state,

1451
00:48:05,300 --> 00:48:08,500
that they pay their own way and actually pay up front,

1452
00:48:08,500 --> 00:48:10,580
and I think it's important to say that, you know,

1453
00:48:10,580 --> 00:48:13,220
the data centers that currently exist in our state,

1454
00:48:13,220 --> 00:48:15,260
you know, there's a sales tax exemption

1455
00:48:15,260 --> 00:48:18,100
with over $2.1 billion that could go back

1456
00:48:18,100 --> 00:48:20,540
into infrastructure for clean, renewable energy,

1457
00:48:20,540 --> 00:48:21,900
green union jobs.

1458
00:48:21,900 --> 00:48:24,820
Thank you, Mr. Brennan, if lawmakers can agree,

1459
00:48:24,820 --> 00:48:26,140
and you believe in local control,

1460
00:48:26,140 --> 00:48:28,380
what can you do to address the boom of data centers?

1461
00:48:28,380 --> 00:48:30,580
Three words to start with, get new lawmakers.

1462
00:48:30,620 --> 00:48:32,940
That's why the stakes are so important this year.

1463
00:48:32,940 --> 00:48:36,580
That's why we need a nominee who's going to win down ballot

1464
00:48:36,580 --> 00:48:38,140
and make sure we can have a majority

1465
00:48:38,140 --> 00:48:40,100
in the state assembly and the state Senate.

1466
00:48:40,100 --> 00:48:42,220
Once we do that, you know, what people think about,

1467
00:48:42,220 --> 00:48:44,340
when they think about data centers, they are angry.

1468
00:48:44,340 --> 00:48:46,260
They're angry because government has failed them.

1469
00:48:46,260 --> 00:48:48,340
The state got into the data center game

1470
00:48:48,340 --> 00:48:50,260
and they put no guardrails on.

1471
00:48:50,260 --> 00:48:52,580
And, you know, I have not called for a moratorium,

1472
00:48:52,580 --> 00:48:54,300
but I have said that I would put a pause

1473
00:48:54,300 --> 00:48:56,020
on the construction of new data centers,

1474
00:48:56,020 --> 00:48:58,460
not for a year, but in the first hundred days,

1475
00:48:58,460 --> 00:48:59,620
we can do four things.

1476
00:48:59,620 --> 00:49:01,940
We can make sure that nobody watching tonight

1477
00:49:01,940 --> 00:49:03,940
pays for the construction, the operation,

1478
00:49:03,940 --> 00:49:06,060
the transmission, the ultimate retirement of these.

1479
00:49:06,060 --> 00:49:07,420
Make sure that there are real teeth

1480
00:49:07,420 --> 00:49:08,900
in the environmental regulations,

1481
00:49:08,900 --> 00:49:10,860
making sure that they're having to do renewables.

1482
00:49:10,860 --> 00:49:13,060
Make sure that there are Wisconsin union workers

1483
00:49:13,060 --> 00:49:14,900
who are building these if they happen here.

1484
00:49:14,900 --> 00:49:17,220
And, number four, make sure that there are never going

1485
00:49:17,220 --> 00:49:19,020
to be the nondisclosure agreements

1486
00:49:19,020 --> 00:49:21,220
that are the reason why people don't trust government,

1487
00:49:21,220 --> 00:49:24,620
why the reason why they're so angry about these things.

1488
00:49:24,620 --> 00:49:26,740
If we can demonstrate in that first hundred days,

1489
00:49:26,740 --> 00:49:28,620
and there's good legislation that's gone

1490
00:49:28,620 --> 00:49:31,660
through 12 drafts and Democrats and Republicans both,

1491
00:49:31,660 --> 00:49:33,940
and stakeholders have had involvement in that,

1492
00:49:33,940 --> 00:49:35,740
if we can do that in the first hundred days,

1493
00:49:35,740 --> 00:49:37,100
it's not going to make everybody happy,

1494
00:49:37,100 --> 00:49:40,060
but it's going to set the bar and take away that uncertainty

1495
00:49:40,060 --> 00:49:43,220
and take away another reason why people distrust government

1496
00:49:43,220 --> 00:49:44,260
and why they're so angry.

1497
00:49:44,260 --> 00:49:46,140
Like, that's what I think what governing is.

1498
00:49:46,140 --> 00:49:47,340
Mr. Orange.

1499
00:49:47,340 --> 00:49:51,820
So as a governor, the response has to be bigger than buzzwords.

1500
00:49:51,820 --> 00:49:55,060
Now, I do think that there should be no new data center

1501
00:49:55,060 --> 00:49:57,420
construction without those guardrails in place.

1502
00:49:57,420 --> 00:50:00,500
If a community rejects a data center proposal,

1503
00:50:00,500 --> 00:50:03,260
then there should be no new data center constructed.

1504
00:50:03,260 --> 00:50:05,260
And with the guardrails, with the framework

1505
00:50:05,260 --> 00:50:07,180
that protects our natural resources,

1506
00:50:07,180 --> 00:50:08,780
that makes sure that water quality,

1507
00:50:08,780 --> 00:50:10,220
air quality is protected,

1508
00:50:10,220 --> 00:50:12,860
that also makes sure that people's utility rates

1509
00:50:12,860 --> 00:50:14,060
aren't increasing.

1510
00:50:14,060 --> 00:50:15,540
If that framework is in place,

1511
00:50:15,540 --> 00:50:17,900
it also needs to be retroactively applied

1512
00:50:17,900 --> 00:50:19,300
to existing data centers.

1513
00:50:19,300 --> 00:50:22,220
And we also have to have a renewable energy mandate

1514
00:50:22,220 --> 00:50:24,100
to make sure that they are contributing energy

1515
00:50:24,100 --> 00:50:25,140
back to the grid.

1516
00:50:25,180 --> 00:50:28,380
And I want to solve to caution, especially because I do,

1517
00:50:28,380 --> 00:50:30,060
again, no new data center construction

1518
00:50:30,060 --> 00:50:31,700
without those guardrails in place.

1519
00:50:31,700 --> 00:50:33,500
But even as the representative mentioned,

1520
00:50:33,500 --> 00:50:35,940
a full in urban Milwaukee was reported

1521
00:50:35,940 --> 00:50:37,860
that a full data center moratorium

1522
00:50:37,860 --> 00:50:39,500
may face legal repercussions.

1523
00:50:39,500 --> 00:50:41,980
Those were the words of the representatives.mind.

1524
00:50:41,980 --> 00:50:44,660
And it is important for us to empower the department

1525
00:50:44,660 --> 00:50:47,660
of natural resources to make sure that they have the funding

1526
00:50:47,660 --> 00:50:50,700
to engage in the ongoing quality monitoring

1527
00:50:50,700 --> 00:50:52,740
of these data centers to ensure that they aren't

1528
00:50:52,740 --> 00:50:55,020
negatively impacting air or water quality.

1529
00:50:55,060 --> 00:50:57,060
Mr. Barnes, thank you, Ms. Royce.

1530
00:50:57,060 --> 00:50:59,140
Something that none of my colleagues have mentioned,

1531
00:50:59,140 --> 00:51:00,780
even though we are all running for governor,

1532
00:51:00,780 --> 00:51:04,420
is using executive power against the existing projects

1533
00:51:04,420 --> 00:51:05,580
that are under construction.

1534
00:51:05,580 --> 00:51:08,220
And we're put under construction over the strenuous

1535
00:51:08,220 --> 00:51:10,100
objections of those communities.

1536
00:51:10,100 --> 00:51:11,740
We have a department of natural resources

1537
00:51:11,740 --> 00:51:15,300
that should be protecting our air and our soil and our water.

1538
00:51:15,300 --> 00:51:16,900
We have a public service commission

1539
00:51:16,900 --> 00:51:19,660
that needs to be much more aggressive about making sure

1540
00:51:19,660 --> 00:51:24,460
that the big guys are not asking us to subsidize them.

1541
00:51:24,460 --> 00:51:26,780
I have put forth the strongest legislation

1542
00:51:26,780 --> 00:51:29,860
and the strongest plan of the candidates in this race

1543
00:51:29,860 --> 00:51:33,460
to actually address and stop the unregulated development

1544
00:51:33,460 --> 00:51:35,500
of data centers because I believe the status quo

1545
00:51:35,500 --> 00:51:37,100
is totally unacceptable.

1546
00:51:37,980 --> 00:51:40,060
The moratorium bill has very little support

1547
00:51:40,060 --> 00:51:42,460
and is unlikely to pass, but the strong regulation bill

1548
00:51:42,460 --> 00:51:44,180
that many of my colleagues have described

1549
00:51:44,180 --> 00:51:46,860
is poised to pass in January.

1550
00:51:46,860 --> 00:51:48,500
But I will not stop there.

1551
00:51:48,500 --> 00:51:50,780
I will also establish a public negotiating team

1552
00:51:50,780 --> 00:51:52,620
so that any community that decides it would like

1553
00:51:52,620 --> 00:51:54,220
to engage with the data center

1554
00:51:54,220 --> 00:51:56,820
has the opportunity to have expert negotiators.

1555
00:51:56,820 --> 00:51:58,100
I will increase shared revenue

1556
00:51:58,100 --> 00:52:00,940
so that communities don't feel desperate like they have to.

1557
00:52:00,940 --> 00:52:03,820
I will also end the subsidies for data centers

1558
00:52:03,820 --> 00:52:05,380
because they should be paying us

1559
00:52:05,380 --> 00:52:06,460
and not the other way around.

1560
00:52:06,460 --> 00:52:09,780
And when a community decides, yes, we've reached agreement,

1561
00:52:09,780 --> 00:52:12,820
I will charge an upfront fee that they will pay to the state

1562
00:52:12,820 --> 00:52:15,140
on the order of hundreds of millions of dollars

1563
00:52:15,140 --> 00:52:18,060
to finance a clean infrastructure public bank.

1564
00:52:18,060 --> 00:52:19,620
I apologize if I cut you off here.

1565
00:52:19,620 --> 00:52:21,180
We are kind of running up against time.

1566
00:52:21,180 --> 00:52:22,780
Everything you've talked about tonight

1567
00:52:22,780 --> 00:52:25,420
relies on a democratically controlled legislature.

1568
00:52:25,420 --> 00:52:27,740
Ms. Hong, what happens if there's a divided government

1569
00:52:27,740 --> 00:52:30,180
or Republicans control the legislature and your governor?

1570
00:52:30,180 --> 00:52:32,860
You know, I have passed bipartisan legislation,

1571
00:52:32,860 --> 00:52:36,380
the one where it would require K-12 schools

1572
00:52:36,380 --> 00:52:38,060
to teach Asian-American history.

1573
00:52:38,060 --> 00:52:40,780
So much of working in government

1574
00:52:40,780 --> 00:52:43,060
has to do with building strong relationships.

1575
00:52:43,060 --> 00:52:44,820
And I have done that with Republicans.

1576
00:52:44,820 --> 00:52:47,340
I am willing to work with anyone at the table

1577
00:52:47,340 --> 00:52:50,780
who wants to actually deliver for working class families

1578
00:52:50,780 --> 00:52:53,500
and improve lives and work on policies

1579
00:52:53,500 --> 00:52:55,500
that are going to be deliverables.

1580
00:52:55,500 --> 00:52:58,340
And I believe that shared revenue, health care,

1581
00:52:58,340 --> 00:53:00,540
and public education are three areas

1582
00:53:00,540 --> 00:53:03,540
and some of my top priorities where Republicans

1583
00:53:03,540 --> 00:53:05,100
have shown some support.

1584
00:53:05,100 --> 00:53:06,940
And I've talked to them about these issues.

1585
00:53:06,940 --> 00:53:09,780
And so I believe that even with the split legislature,

1586
00:53:09,780 --> 00:53:13,020
my focus and my leadership will ensure that we are governing

1587
00:53:13,020 --> 00:53:15,100
to actually deliver for working class families

1588
00:53:15,100 --> 00:53:15,940
across the state.

1589
00:53:15,940 --> 00:53:16,780
Thank you, Mr. Barnes.

1590
00:53:16,780 --> 00:53:18,460
How do you get anything done with Republicans?

1591
00:53:18,460 --> 00:53:20,660
Well, I can tell you, that's why this race is so important.

1592
00:53:20,660 --> 00:53:23,860
That's why rejecting this broken system matters so much.

1593
00:53:23,860 --> 00:53:25,660
That's why rejecting the status quo

1594
00:53:25,660 --> 00:53:28,460
is so important when people go to cast a ballot.

1595
00:53:28,460 --> 00:53:31,820
Look, we'll never be as bold as we need to be as a state

1596
00:53:31,820 --> 00:53:34,220
if we continue down this path that we've been going.

1597
00:53:34,220 --> 00:53:36,140
And it's been mentioned that the county executive

1598
00:53:36,140 --> 00:53:39,220
had his campaign resurrected by special interests

1599
00:53:39,220 --> 00:53:42,140
in a dark room with people with their thumb on a scale.

1600
00:53:42,140 --> 00:53:44,860
This means things will always be the same

1601
00:53:44,860 --> 00:53:46,300
with that sort of leadership.

1602
00:53:46,300 --> 00:53:47,660
We should be asking for more.

1603
00:53:47,660 --> 00:53:48,700
We should be demanding more.

1604
00:53:48,700 --> 00:53:49,500
And if we lead-

1605
00:53:49,500 --> 00:53:50,340
Thank you.

1606
00:53:50,340 --> 00:53:54,180
This whole platform, we implement a mandate.

1607
00:53:54,180 --> 00:53:56,740
We have a mandate to govern in the interest of people

1608
00:53:56,740 --> 00:53:58,660
in a way that we have never done before.

1609
00:53:58,660 --> 00:54:00,340
And that's what this race is about.

1610
00:54:00,340 --> 00:54:01,180
Thank you, Mr. Crowley.

1611
00:54:01,180 --> 00:54:02,460
How do you work with Republicans?

1612
00:54:02,460 --> 00:54:03,300
Get anything done.

1613
00:54:03,300 --> 00:54:04,660
You know, I served in the state legislature,

1614
00:54:04,660 --> 00:54:05,860
like many of my colleagues here,

1615
00:54:05,860 --> 00:54:08,020
but none of them have actually run local government.

1616
00:54:08,020 --> 00:54:09,380
You know, I'm the county executive

1617
00:54:09,380 --> 00:54:10,540
of the largest community.

1618
00:54:10,540 --> 00:54:13,020
And when I was elected in 2020,

1619
00:54:13,020 --> 00:54:15,260
we had to work to get Act 12 passed.

1620
00:54:15,260 --> 00:54:16,100
Thank you.

1621
00:54:16,100 --> 00:54:17,300
We worked with Democrats and Republicans.

1622
00:54:17,300 --> 00:54:19,700
And we've done it in Republican controlled legislatures.

1623
00:54:19,700 --> 00:54:21,900
And I do believe that we'll get a lot more done.

1624
00:54:21,900 --> 00:54:22,740
Thank you.

1625
00:54:22,740 --> 00:54:24,860
Believe it or not, it is now time for closing statements.

1626
00:54:24,860 --> 00:54:27,580
We did choose randomly with the campaigns

1627
00:54:27,580 --> 00:54:29,180
present to determine the order.

1628
00:54:29,180 --> 00:54:31,940
Each candidate will have 30 seconds for a final thought.

1629
00:54:31,940 --> 00:54:33,940
And we will begin with Mr. Brennan.

1630
00:54:33,940 --> 00:54:35,100
Thank you very much.

1631
00:54:35,100 --> 00:54:38,460
While you've seen differences amongst us today,

1632
00:54:38,460 --> 00:54:39,820
we have a common threat.

1633
00:54:39,820 --> 00:54:42,980
It's losing to Tom Tiffany and Donald Trump.

1634
00:54:42,980 --> 00:54:44,500
And the stakes have never been higher.

1635
00:54:44,500 --> 00:54:46,380
We can build 100,000 new homes.

1636
00:54:46,380 --> 00:54:47,860
We can expand Badgercare.

1637
00:54:47,940 --> 00:54:50,260
We can stop having property taxpayers

1638
00:54:50,260 --> 00:54:51,820
pitted against kids in Wisconsin.

1639
00:54:51,820 --> 00:54:54,500
But we have to win in order to do that.

1640
00:54:54,500 --> 00:54:57,980
For 25 years, I have been somebody who has solved problems.

1641
00:54:57,980 --> 00:55:00,940
I'll be a governor who's more interested in results

1642
00:55:00,940 --> 00:55:01,980
than rhetoric.

1643
00:55:01,980 --> 00:55:04,020
I hope that I can get your support

1644
00:55:04,020 --> 00:55:06,060
on August 11th and November 3rd.

1645
00:55:06,060 --> 00:55:07,620
Thanks for tuning in tonight.

1646
00:55:07,620 --> 00:55:08,620
Mr. Crowley.

1647
00:55:08,620 --> 00:55:09,620
I want to first and foremost,

1648
00:55:09,620 --> 00:55:11,620
thank you, thank our moderators for hosting us.

1649
00:55:11,620 --> 00:55:14,500
And I want to thank all of you who are tuning in today.

1650
00:55:14,500 --> 00:55:16,620
You know, my story is like Wisconsin story.

1651
00:55:16,620 --> 00:55:19,460
I grew up learning the values of hard work, resilience,

1652
00:55:19,460 --> 00:55:22,700
and to stand up when somebody tries to knock you down.

1653
00:55:22,700 --> 00:55:24,100
But people all across this state

1654
00:55:24,100 --> 00:55:25,500
are struggling every single day.

1655
00:55:25,500 --> 00:55:26,980
And I know what that feels like.

1656
00:55:26,980 --> 00:55:29,260
They need a governor who's going to deliver for them

1657
00:55:29,260 --> 00:55:30,420
on day one.

1658
00:55:30,420 --> 00:55:32,500
And that's why I have received the endorsements

1659
00:55:32,500 --> 00:55:33,940
of folks like Tony Hevers,

1660
00:55:33,940 --> 00:55:35,820
Governor Evers, our labor unions,

1661
00:55:35,820 --> 00:55:37,180
and folks all across our state.

1662
00:55:37,180 --> 00:55:39,700
Because they know I will be delivering the results

1663
00:55:39,700 --> 00:55:41,660
that's going to make a great impact.

1664
00:55:41,660 --> 00:55:44,020
I look forward to having your vote on August 11th.

1665
00:55:44,020 --> 00:55:44,860
Ms. Royce.

1666
00:55:45,860 --> 00:55:48,660
All of us on this stage are good people.

1667
00:55:48,660 --> 00:55:50,140
For 25 years,

1668
00:55:50,140 --> 00:55:52,220
I have been turning the good ideas

1669
00:55:52,220 --> 00:55:54,540
that we've shared into state law

1670
00:55:54,540 --> 00:55:56,460
in the toughest of political environments.

1671
00:55:56,460 --> 00:55:58,380
I've stood up to bullies and billionaires

1672
00:55:58,380 --> 00:55:59,500
just like Donald Trump.

1673
00:55:59,500 --> 00:56:02,940
And I will never stop fighting to build the Wisconsin

1674
00:56:02,940 --> 00:56:04,180
that all of us deserve,

1675
00:56:04,180 --> 00:56:07,500
working alongside you as I have throughout my career.

1676
00:56:07,500 --> 00:56:09,980
We need all hands on deck in this high stakes moment

1677
00:56:09,980 --> 00:56:12,260
to protect our rights and freedoms,

1678
00:56:12,260 --> 00:56:13,660
to deliver healthcare for all,

1679
00:56:13,660 --> 00:56:16,540
and to make sure that every child has a great public school.

1680
00:56:16,540 --> 00:56:18,780
I ask for your vote on August 11th.

1681
00:56:18,780 --> 00:56:19,780
Mr. Barnes.

1682
00:56:19,780 --> 00:56:20,900
To everybody watching at home,

1683
00:56:20,900 --> 00:56:23,260
I want you to know that the establishment

1684
00:56:23,260 --> 00:56:24,420
is trying to rig this election.

1685
00:56:24,420 --> 00:56:26,580
They want you to choose between their preferred candidate

1686
00:56:26,580 --> 00:56:28,900
and also Republican billionaires are lining up

1687
00:56:28,900 --> 00:56:30,780
to the tune of three and a half million dollars

1688
00:56:30,780 --> 00:56:33,220
to choose a Democratic nominee in this race.

1689
00:56:33,220 --> 00:56:34,580
I'm here to say that's BS.

1690
00:56:34,580 --> 00:56:35,820
I've been a progressive fighter

1691
00:56:35,820 --> 00:56:37,420
who's taken on the tough fights,

1692
00:56:37,420 --> 00:56:39,100
but also the only candidate on this stage

1693
00:56:39,100 --> 00:56:40,940
who's actually defeating Tom Tiffany

1694
00:56:40,940 --> 00:56:42,980
according to the most recent Marquette poll.

1695
00:56:43,020 --> 00:56:45,460
We can get things done, but it starts on August 11th.

1696
00:56:45,460 --> 00:56:46,780
I'm asking for your support

1697
00:56:46,780 --> 00:56:49,140
so that we can go into November with the strength

1698
00:56:49,140 --> 00:56:50,660
and that we can go into January

1699
00:56:50,660 --> 00:56:53,140
with the mandates of governing the interests of people.

1700
00:56:53,140 --> 00:56:53,980
Emma's home.

1701
00:56:53,980 --> 00:56:56,220
Thank you so much to the viewers this evening.

1702
00:56:56,220 --> 00:56:58,700
I am your fighter, fighting alongside you

1703
00:56:58,700 --> 00:56:59,820
and fighting for you.

1704
00:56:59,820 --> 00:57:01,580
And this is a movement moment.

1705
00:57:01,580 --> 00:57:04,980
Our campaign is a one that has built a bipartisan coalition

1706
00:57:04,980 --> 00:57:07,900
where we have reached voters in every part of the same.

1707
00:57:07,900 --> 00:57:11,060
Republicans, independents, Democratic socialists

1708
00:57:11,100 --> 00:57:12,940
and Democrats, they have come together

1709
00:57:12,940 --> 00:57:14,220
and already uniting.

1710
00:57:14,220 --> 00:57:16,300
We are already beating Tom Tiffany,

1711
00:57:16,300 --> 00:57:18,060
whether it comes to the number of donors,

1712
00:57:18,060 --> 00:57:21,180
whether it comes to the number of individual donations.

1713
00:57:21,180 --> 00:57:23,540
I think it's time for this moment of unity

1714
00:57:23,540 --> 00:57:26,180
and I'm the leader to meet that moment.

1715
00:57:26,180 --> 00:57:27,660
That was quick and we did it.

1716
00:57:27,660 --> 00:57:28,500
We made it.

1717
00:57:28,500 --> 00:57:30,580
Our sincere thank you to the candidates this evening

1718
00:57:30,580 --> 00:57:32,060
for being here tonight and thank you

1719
00:57:32,060 --> 00:57:33,620
to everyone watching at home.

1720
00:57:33,620 --> 00:57:35,540
If you missed any part of tonight's debate,

1721
00:57:35,540 --> 00:57:37,420
it will be available on the 12 News app,

1722
00:57:37,420 --> 00:57:39,740
YouTube and streaming on very local.

1723
00:57:39,740 --> 00:57:42,620
You can look for post-debate analysis Sunday on up front.

1724
00:57:42,620 --> 00:57:44,500
Election Day is Tuesday, August 11th,

1725
00:57:44,500 --> 00:57:46,660
earlier in-person voting already underway.

1726
00:57:46,660 --> 00:57:48,260
Thanks so much for your time tonight.

1727
00:57:48,260 --> 00:57:49,260
Have a good night.