WEBVTT

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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.

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And I can tell you, right now we

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have the resources and we have

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the support to get it done.

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And on the terms of Governor

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Evers, I have zero interest in

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upholding the status quo.

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I have zero interest in being

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the establishment candidate.

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That is the difference right

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here on the stage.

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Because I am pushing the envelope

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to make sure that we are as bold

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as we can possibly be in the

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Donald Trump era.

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Because that's what people have

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been calling for.

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And that's what I want to do.

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I want to do that.

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I want to do that.

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I want to do that.

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I want to do that.

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I want to do that.

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I want to do that.

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I want to do that.

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I want to do that.

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I really appreciate you.

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I want to do that.

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That's what people have been

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calling for Democrats to be

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all along.

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We have not truly.

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Mr. Brinnan and Chris Royce

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have been on the single

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play since the start of this

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race, at this point, our

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primary voters wasting their

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vote on a vote for you.

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Mr. Brinnan.

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Here's what I would tell you is

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that I don't think primary

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voters have been paying much

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attention until the last two

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weeks, and all the upheaval

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that you have seen.

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This is what I find when I

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am going out around the state

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by polls that was done here by my alma mater at Marquette

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because about half the people at this point

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haven't made a decision.

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And so that is a lane that's opening up.

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The challenge that I have had from day one

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is not that anybody thinks I'm unqualified for the office.

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I have served as the top appointed governor Evers.

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We created the largest budget surplus in state history.

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We increased the rainy day fund.

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We got millions of dollars out to family farms,

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to small businesses, to renters who needed it during COVID.

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So all of that stuff puts me in good stead.

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The challenge I have had is that people don't know me

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as well as they know some other candidates around the state.

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And so what I have found in recent days

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is that the disruption, the upheaval,

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somebody putting their thumb on the scale,

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it has gotten people much more engaged

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and much more interested in this race.

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And day by day, I am feeling that momentum.

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And I'm feeling people who want somebody who can beat

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Tom Tiffany in the fall and who can hit the ground running

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on day one.

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And I will put my qualifications on those issues

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up against anybody in this race.

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Mr. Brendan, thank you.

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Ms. Royce, you are continuing to poll in a single digit as well.

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At this point, our primary voters

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wasting their vote on a vote for you.

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If you want the best public schools in the nation

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for your children, if you want to open up the state's

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health care plan so that everyone can buy in

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and we could lower costs for all Wisconsinites,

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if you want a candidate who is gonna stand up

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and fight Donald Trump and bring an end

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to this authoritarian regime, then you should vote for me.

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I am the candidate in this race

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that brings the most experience in and around state government

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with 10 years of service in the legislature

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and the only one who served on the state budget committee.

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I've also been an executive in the private

09:04.120 --> 09:07.400
and nonprofit sectors and for over 20 years,

09:07.400 --> 09:10.440
I've been the candidate that has turned progressive ideas

09:10.440 --> 09:13.600
like the kind that all of us have on this stage into law.

09:13.600 --> 09:16.120
That kind of experience is absolutely essential.

09:16.120 --> 09:19.160
And voters need to think about not just who can beat

09:19.160 --> 09:21.200
Tom Tiffany, although that is important,

09:21.200 --> 09:23.440
not just who can deliver a democratic legislature,

09:23.440 --> 09:25.200
although that is vitally important,

09:25.200 --> 09:27.720
but who can actually do the job on day one?

09:27.720 --> 09:30.160
And I am proud to have earned by far the most endorsements

09:30.160 --> 09:31.960
of any candidate in this race,

09:31.960 --> 09:34.720
including the most endorsements in Milwaukee County,

09:34.720 --> 09:37.120
the most largest labor union endorsement

09:37.120 --> 09:39.320
with We Act, the state teachers union

09:39.320 --> 09:41.720
and the endorsement of former Lieutenant Governor Barbara

09:41.720 --> 09:42.560
Lawton.

09:42.560 --> 09:43.400
Thank you all.

09:43.400 --> 09:46.440
Last week, a Madison police officer shot and killed a man.

09:46.440 --> 09:49.520
Tonight, the investigation and the protests continue.

09:49.520 --> 09:52.000
Governor Tony Evers has called for transparency

09:52.000 --> 09:55.440
and accountability and urged for peaceful protests.

09:55.440 --> 09:57.320
Ms. Hong, in the hours following the shooting,

09:57.320 --> 09:59.240
standing alongside protesters, you said,

09:59.240 --> 10:03.040
quote, the state sanctioned violence was an execution.

10:03.040 --> 10:05.720
Would you make those immediate declarations as governor,

10:05.720 --> 10:08.680
even though an investigation had not yet started?

10:08.680 --> 10:11.600
No, the governor has the largest microphone in the state

10:11.600 --> 10:14.120
and there comes deep responsibility with that.

10:14.120 --> 10:18.560
But what we saw in videos and what I had talked to folks

10:18.560 --> 10:20.560
who had witnessed that,

10:20.600 --> 10:24.640
I think what we saw, it was clearly the type of violence

10:24.640 --> 10:27.200
where no one's life should have been taken.

10:27.200 --> 10:30.880
My thoughts are with Corey Ruiz and his family.

10:30.880 --> 10:34.840
And I hope that the accountability and transparency

10:34.840 --> 10:37.720
that both the governor and Evers and I have called for,

10:37.720 --> 10:39.920
the independent investigation,

10:39.920 --> 10:42.040
the investment in body cameras,

10:42.040 --> 10:46.080
we want local governments to be able to invest in public safety,

10:46.080 --> 10:47.840
to be serious about public safety.

10:47.840 --> 10:49.560
And I plan to be a partner in that.

10:49.560 --> 10:52.640
You have also called to defund and abolish police before,

10:52.640 --> 10:55.360
while saying your ideal world is one without prisons.

10:55.360 --> 10:56.920
Would you sign a bill or budget

10:56.920 --> 10:58.960
that cuts funding for police departments?

10:58.960 --> 11:00.400
No.

11:00.400 --> 11:01.800
No, why not?

11:03.680 --> 11:06.160
The governor cannot defund police

11:06.160 --> 11:08.800
and I'm not here to govern by slogan.

11:08.800 --> 11:11.000
I'm here to make sure that I am the governor

11:11.000 --> 11:13.400
that is most serious about public safety.

11:13.400 --> 11:15.520
And that means investing in the things that we know

11:15.520 --> 11:18.440
prevent crime and getting resources to victims

11:18.440 --> 11:20.680
and ensuring that the people who are incarcerated

11:20.680 --> 11:22.640
and the folks who are working in our prisons

11:22.640 --> 11:26.600
are able to live a life of dignity and work with dignity.

11:26.600 --> 11:28.800
I think it's important that we invest in communities,

11:28.800 --> 11:30.080
including our public schools,

11:30.080 --> 11:34.440
out of school programs and mental health resources

11:34.440 --> 11:37.240
and attacking the opioid epidemic.

11:37.240 --> 11:40.640
These are things that are proven to prevent crime.

11:40.640 --> 11:42.640
And this is what will help to make sure

11:42.640 --> 11:45.920
that we have a government that is serious about public safety.

11:45.920 --> 11:48.080
Mr. Barnes, you have previously shown support

11:48.080 --> 11:50.680
for reducing police funding and abolishing ICE.

11:50.680 --> 11:51.840
Following the Madison shooting,

11:51.840 --> 11:54.520
you said you were deeply disturbed and pained.

11:54.520 --> 11:55.800
Would you sign a bill or budget

11:55.800 --> 11:57.480
that cuts funding for police departments?

11:57.480 --> 11:59.400
First of all, we should all be very disturbed

11:59.400 --> 12:02.080
by what we saw in those images, what we saw in the video.

12:02.080 --> 12:06.040
And we should fight as hard as we possibly can

12:06.040 --> 12:08.280
as a state, as a people, as a society

12:08.280 --> 12:10.200
to make sure that never happens again.

12:10.200 --> 12:13.040
And body cameras, of course, are the norm.

12:13.040 --> 12:14.320
It should be the norm.

12:14.320 --> 12:16.200
And I wish that the Madison police department

12:16.200 --> 12:17.360
did have those body cameras.

12:17.360 --> 12:20.160
So, of course, I would not sign a budget that reduced funding

12:20.160 --> 12:22.280
because, obviously, that police department

12:22.280 --> 12:24.360
needs the funding to have body cameras.

12:24.360 --> 12:26.440
Ms. Royce, after the Madison shooting,

12:26.440 --> 12:28.960
you said we do not have to accept this as inevitable.

12:28.960 --> 12:31.560
We can create a more fair, safe world.

12:31.560 --> 12:32.960
Would you sign a bill or budget

12:32.960 --> 12:35.280
that cuts funding for police departments?

12:35.280 --> 12:38.600
No, but I think we need to actually fund local communities

12:38.600 --> 12:40.960
so that we can do evidence-based programs

12:40.960 --> 12:43.440
that actually reduce and prevent crime.

12:43.440 --> 12:46.080
At the end of the day, I'm a mom and step-momma five.

12:46.080 --> 12:49.560
I want my kids and every kid to be safe in our communities.

12:49.560 --> 12:52.600
And I want law enforcement officers to be safe in our communities.

12:52.600 --> 12:55.080
That means that we have to invest in proven strategies

12:55.080 --> 12:58.200
that actually do that, unlike what Republicans, like Tom Tiffany,

12:58.200 --> 13:00.840
have done, which has cut funding to local governments

13:00.840 --> 13:03.960
and take away local control so that communities don't have

13:03.960 --> 13:06.480
the resources to be able to actually solve

13:06.480 --> 13:08.320
these problems effectively.

13:08.320 --> 13:10.800
I am really proud, as the only attorney on this stage,

13:10.800 --> 13:14.160
to be someone that has fought for and passed criminal justice

13:14.160 --> 13:17.040
reforms to make us more safe and more just.

13:17.040 --> 13:20.240
I have taken on racial disparities in areas from health

13:20.240 --> 13:21.800
to criminal justice.

13:21.800 --> 13:25.480
And I believe that Wisconsin can be a place where everyone

13:25.480 --> 13:28.040
has the freedom to thrive, but not if we aren't

13:28.040 --> 13:30.120
willing to tackle these really tough issues.

13:30.120 --> 13:31.960
Mr. Brendan, after the shooting in Madison,

13:31.960 --> 13:35.040
you are also calling for a full DOJ investigation.

13:35.040 --> 13:37.680
Would you sign a bill or a budget that cuts funding

13:37.680 --> 13:38.400
for police departments?

13:38.400 --> 13:39.240
Of course I wouldn't.

13:39.240 --> 13:41.080
And I think, as others have said here,

13:41.080 --> 13:43.440
there has been a generation of disinvestment

13:43.440 --> 13:46.040
and a broken system between the state,

13:46.040 --> 13:48.400
the broken partnership between state and local governments.

13:48.400 --> 13:51.320
So we need to make sure that we're robustly funding that.

13:51.320 --> 13:54.080
It has been demonstrated, this 115-year-old contract

13:54.080 --> 13:56.040
that we have had between state and local government

13:56.040 --> 13:58.360
worked pretty well for the first 80 years.

13:58.360 --> 14:00.280
And then the Republicans just turned off

14:00.280 --> 14:02.080
the spigot and stopped funding local governments.

14:02.080 --> 14:03.760
So we need to make sure we do that.

14:03.760 --> 14:06.440
On the larger issue of criminal justice reform,

14:06.440 --> 14:08.880
we need to look a little bit to our neighbors to the West.

14:08.880 --> 14:12.800
In Minnesota, they spend about $215 per capita

14:12.800 --> 14:14.720
on criminal justice in that state.

14:14.720 --> 14:16.200
They're about the same size.

14:16.200 --> 14:17.760
They have about the same crime rate.

14:17.760 --> 14:20.160
We have about three times as many people incarcerated.

14:20.160 --> 14:24.160
In Wisconsin, we spend about $315 per capita on that.

14:24.160 --> 14:28.520
As a long-term target, spending that $600 million difference

14:28.520 --> 14:31.040
that they spend on other things in Minnesota,

14:31.040 --> 14:34.800
spending those on early childhood, on K-12 education,

14:34.800 --> 14:36.680
on other programs in Wisconsin.

14:36.680 --> 14:39.000
That would be the kind of investment over the long term

14:39.000 --> 14:40.680
that would put us in better stead

14:40.680 --> 14:43.000
and keep us from having fewer of these incidents

14:43.000 --> 14:44.640
because they should outrage all of us.

14:44.640 --> 14:47.560
But there are ways that we can make a difference on those

14:47.560 --> 14:49.320
by spending our money differently.

14:49.320 --> 14:50.280
Mr. Brennan, thank you.

14:50.280 --> 14:52.520
Mr. Crowley, without first seeing any video,

14:52.520 --> 14:54.440
you said that you were horrified by the reports

14:54.440 --> 14:56.120
of the shooting and immediately pointed

14:56.120 --> 14:58.840
to other police shootings in Kenosha and Minneapolis.

14:58.840 --> 15:00.560
Did you rush to judgment with your comments

15:00.560 --> 15:02.320
and would you sign a bill or budget

15:02.320 --> 15:04.080
that cuts funding for police departments?

15:04.080 --> 15:06.120
No, I did not rush to judgment with my comments.

15:06.120 --> 15:08.000
My thoughts and prayers are not just with Corey

15:08.000 --> 15:09.120
and his family and friends,

15:09.160 --> 15:10.800
but with the entire Madison community

15:10.800 --> 15:12.040
and everybody who's been affected

15:12.040 --> 15:13.680
and re-traumatized by this.

15:13.680 --> 15:16.000
Again, we have seen these types of incidents happening

15:16.000 --> 15:17.880
here locally with Jacob Blake,

15:17.880 --> 15:19.840
as well as George Floyd in Minnesota.

15:19.840 --> 15:22.600
And so it's extremely important that we have transparency.

15:22.600 --> 15:24.120
We cannot defund the police.

15:24.120 --> 15:26.040
We should be investing in public safety

15:26.040 --> 15:28.560
and that doesn't mean more money to police officers.

15:28.560 --> 15:31.160
That's like investing in systems

15:31.160 --> 15:33.120
like the community violence interruption.

15:33.120 --> 15:34.600
Milwaukee County, we have been a leader

15:34.600 --> 15:37.040
in actually helping to reduce violent crime here

15:37.040 --> 15:38.440
in Milwaukee County.

15:38.440 --> 15:41.400
Working directly hand in hand with not just police departments

15:41.400 --> 15:43.280
but also community organizations.

15:43.280 --> 15:46.520
And so we have to focus on not just investing upstream

15:46.520 --> 15:48.840
but making sure we wrap around services around families

15:48.840 --> 15:50.920
that don't have to go down a road of criminality

15:50.920 --> 15:51.920
in the first place.

15:53.280 --> 15:56.800
Madison police currently do not have police body cameras.

15:56.800 --> 15:59.760
Raise your hand if as governor you would sign legislation

15:59.760 --> 16:01.640
requiring all police and sheriff's departments

16:01.640 --> 16:04.040
in Wisconsin to have body cameras.

16:05.440 --> 16:06.280
All of you.

16:06.280 --> 16:07.120
All candidates.

16:07.120 --> 16:08.440
Let's move on to the economy.

16:08.440 --> 16:11.240
Tonight Wisconsinites overwhelmingly say inflation

16:11.240 --> 16:13.800
and the cost of living is the most important issue

16:13.800 --> 16:15.320
ahead of this election.

16:15.320 --> 16:18.320
The failed tax relief deal negotiated by governor Tony Evers

16:18.320 --> 16:20.960
and Republican leaders would have delivered rebate checks

16:20.960 --> 16:23.560
to Wisconsinites, directed money to local schools

16:23.560 --> 16:27.680
to lower property taxes, increased special education funding

16:27.680 --> 16:30.520
and eliminated taxes on tips and overtime.

16:30.520 --> 16:32.320
It failed in the state Senate.

16:32.320 --> 16:34.880
I'd like you to raise your hand if as governor

16:34.880 --> 16:38.360
you would have signed that deal into law if it passed.

16:39.720 --> 16:42.680
If it passed, would you have signed it into law?

16:44.360 --> 16:46.200
One, Mr. Crowley.

16:46.200 --> 16:48.400
Ms. Royce you were one of the 15 Democratic senators

16:48.400 --> 16:50.640
who helped kill the deal, why?

16:50.640 --> 16:51.920
Because at the end of the day,

16:51.920 --> 16:54.920
my job is to be a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars

16:54.920 --> 16:58.840
and this would have created a $2.9 billion deficit

16:58.840 --> 17:00.880
down the road which our schools

17:00.880 --> 17:02.800
and our healthcare system and our local governments

17:02.800 --> 17:04.280
cannot afford.

17:04.280 --> 17:07.000
It also would have spent the surplus

17:07.000 --> 17:08.680
before it had even materialized.

17:08.680 --> 17:11.200
Look at what is happening with the economy.

17:11.200 --> 17:14.680
When we are spending money that we do not yet have

17:14.680 --> 17:18.120
and spending it in ways that do not actually help us

17:18.120 --> 17:20.320
solve the long-term problem of getting more money

17:20.320 --> 17:23.200
into our public schools, giving property tax relief

17:23.200 --> 17:25.520
to property taxpayers and making sure

17:25.520 --> 17:28.080
that we have a more fair just tax system,

17:28.080 --> 17:30.240
all we are doing is throwing that money away

17:30.240 --> 17:32.480
on a political gimmick that was frankly cooked up

17:32.480 --> 17:35.280
by Robin Voss as he sees the blue wave coming

17:35.280 --> 17:37.280
and wanted to do anything that he could

17:37.280 --> 17:39.760
to either protect his members from losing their seats

17:39.760 --> 17:42.880
and run away from their terrible record on public education

17:42.880 --> 17:45.440
which Tom Tiffany is partially responsible for.

17:45.440 --> 17:48.760
Quickly that projected deficit factored in zero economic growth.

17:48.760 --> 17:50.720
Would you consider zero economic growth?

17:50.720 --> 17:52.400
Would that be part of a Royce administration

17:52.400 --> 17:54.200
if you cite that deficit?

17:54.200 --> 17:57.240
I'm looking at having a president who is hell-bent

17:57.240 --> 17:59.080
on making things as expensive

17:59.080 --> 18:01.480
and challenging for families across the state

18:01.480 --> 18:03.680
and a congressman running for governor

18:03.680 --> 18:06.800
who has done nothing but rubber stamp tramps agenda 100%.

18:06.800 --> 18:08.320
Thank you, Mr. Crawley, you're the only one

18:08.320 --> 18:09.560
who raised your hand to sign the deal.

18:09.560 --> 18:10.960
Why would you have signed it into law?

18:10.960 --> 18:12.000
Well, I would have signed it into law

18:12.000 --> 18:13.720
because we would have gotten a bipartisan deal

18:13.720 --> 18:14.560
that actually done.

18:14.560 --> 18:17.000
I think folks understand here in the state of Wisconsin,

18:17.000 --> 18:18.520
when you have divided government,

18:18.520 --> 18:20.320
it can be a bit chaotic.

18:20.320 --> 18:22.360
Were there things in this bill that I did not like?

18:22.360 --> 18:23.200
Absolutely.

18:23.200 --> 18:26.080
I love the fact that we were going to give relief

18:26.080 --> 18:28.000
and to our schools and property tax relief

18:28.000 --> 18:30.120
and there are other things in this bill that I didn't like.

18:30.160 --> 18:31.000
At the end of the day,

18:31.000 --> 18:32.440
we know that there are many Wisconsin families

18:32.440 --> 18:33.320
who are desperate.

18:33.320 --> 18:35.960
We should be focusing on how we lift them up

18:35.960 --> 18:37.280
and not playing politics.

18:37.280 --> 18:38.520
And so I would have signed that bill

18:38.520 --> 18:42.080
because that means it would have passed with bipartisanship.

18:42.080 --> 18:44.400
Congressman Tom Tiffany is campaigning on the fact

18:44.400 --> 18:46.720
that he would return the entire surplus, he says,

18:46.720 --> 18:48.120
to taxpayers.

18:48.120 --> 18:50.520
Ms. Hong, would you return the surplus to taxpayers

18:50.520 --> 18:53.240
or how would you spend the projected $2.5 billion?

18:53.240 --> 18:54.960
Those are the taxpayers' dollars,

18:54.960 --> 18:56.800
but investment is what we need.

18:56.800 --> 18:59.160
Thinking about our shared future, our kids,

18:59.160 --> 19:02.360
it is an investment when we invest in public schools

19:02.360 --> 19:04.800
and ensuring that we are cutting property taxes

19:04.800 --> 19:06.280
but doing right for our kids.

19:06.280 --> 19:09.600
Our campaign is about permanent affordability

19:09.600 --> 19:12.200
and putting all of those surplus dollars

19:12.200 --> 19:14.840
back into the taxpayers' money.

19:14.840 --> 19:17.480
I think that it would be irresponsible.

19:17.480 --> 19:20.400
And the reason why that surplus deal was so problematic

19:20.400 --> 19:22.560
is that those who are on fixed income

19:22.560 --> 19:24.520
would not have received that check.

19:24.520 --> 19:27.400
Folks who are lower income would have received less.

19:27.400 --> 19:30.400
I think it's important to think about some of the working

19:30.400 --> 19:33.880
class families across our state that deserve real relief,

19:33.880 --> 19:37.040
durable relief, and that deal was not it.

19:37.040 --> 19:39.440
We should mention you did vote against that in the assembly.

19:39.440 --> 19:41.840
Quickly, what would you spend the surplus on?

19:41.840 --> 19:43.960
Public education and health care.

19:43.960 --> 19:46.760
Mr. Brennan, would you return it to the taxpayers

19:46.760 --> 19:48.280
or would you spend it and how would you spend it?

19:48.280 --> 19:50.240
Well, I think Tom Tiffany and the Republicans

19:50.240 --> 19:52.080
have already shown their hands about how they'd return it

19:52.080 --> 19:53.120
to the taxpayers.

19:53.120 --> 19:56.280
There are three sections in the studio audience here tonight.

19:56.280 --> 19:58.640
If the poor people and the people on fixed income

19:58.640 --> 20:00.480
and Social Security were sitting over here,

20:00.480 --> 20:01.720
they would get nothing.

20:01.720 --> 20:04.800
The rest of us who are doing OK would get the $300 and $600.

20:04.800 --> 20:07.400
And by the way, if you want a stimulating effect

20:07.400 --> 20:08.680
by putting money into the economy,

20:08.680 --> 20:10.680
you put it in the hands of people who are going to spend it.

20:10.680 --> 20:12.200
And so that was part of the deal.

20:12.200 --> 20:14.200
The thing that I would have exercised in all of this

20:14.200 --> 20:16.960
is caution, because we live in a Trump economy.

20:16.960 --> 20:19.120
I put together, as the Secretary of Administration,

20:19.120 --> 20:20.800
two budgets for Governor Evers.

20:20.800 --> 20:24.400
And we need to make sure that we are doing everything possible

20:24.400 --> 20:26.320
to be cautious in this time of Trump.

20:26.320 --> 20:28.920
The way that I would spend it, one, it would be cautious.

20:28.920 --> 20:30.240
But the first thing that I would spend,

20:30.240 --> 20:33.840
the first $100 million, which I will do in January,

20:33.840 --> 20:36.480
will go into childcare and early childhood education.

20:36.480 --> 20:38.200
It is a system that is broken.

20:38.200 --> 20:40.320
A billion dollars of productivity

20:40.320 --> 20:43.600
sits on the sidelines every year, especially from women,

20:43.600 --> 20:46.560
mainly from women who can't find affordable, accessible,

20:46.560 --> 20:48.080
or high quality childcare.

20:48.080 --> 20:50.080
It is a K-12 and workforce issue.

20:50.080 --> 20:52.360
That's the first place I'd spend $100 million.

20:52.360 --> 20:55.000
Then I would restart the Knowles Nelson Stewardship Fund

20:55.000 --> 20:56.200
with another $100 million.

20:56.200 --> 20:59.040
It's like, those are the types of things that we can do

20:59.040 --> 21:00.560
that's bipartisan effort.

21:00.560 --> 21:03.240
Those are bipartisan things that have been successful.

21:03.240 --> 21:06.320
The Knowles Nelson Stewardship Fund, 90% of us

21:06.320 --> 21:08.840
live within a mile of a project that's been enhanced

21:08.840 --> 21:10.160
by that over the last 40 years.

21:10.160 --> 21:11.840
It's as bipartisan as it gets.

21:11.840 --> 21:14.880
And it now, as of July 1, doesn't exist anymore.

21:14.880 --> 21:16.960
Those are the types of things that we should be investing in.

21:16.960 --> 21:17.800
Thank you.

21:17.800 --> 21:19.760
Mr. Barnes, would you send it back to taxpayers

21:19.760 --> 21:21.240
or spend it and how would you spend it?

21:21.240 --> 21:22.920
Well, let's first talk about how we got here.

21:22.920 --> 21:24.480
Now, the reason there is a surplus

21:24.480 --> 21:26.200
is because Republicans in the legislature

21:26.200 --> 21:27.840
have failed the people of Wisconsin.

21:27.840 --> 21:29.720
Our school districts are going to referendum

21:29.720 --> 21:32.320
every single year just to keep the lights on.

21:32.320 --> 21:34.440
And we also see gaps in health care

21:34.440 --> 21:38.680
because we are one of 10 states that has yet to expand

21:38.680 --> 21:41.200
our Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act.

21:41.200 --> 21:42.560
We are in a world of trouble.

21:42.560 --> 21:45.880
And Robin Voss has never been a good negotiating partner.

21:45.880 --> 21:47.520
So no, I certainly wouldn't have signed the deal.

21:47.520 --> 21:50.000
But the way we give more money back to people,

21:50.000 --> 21:52.400
the way we actually return money to folks

21:52.400 --> 21:54.680
is by taxing the wealthy, taxing the billionaires,

21:54.680 --> 21:57.280
taxing these corporations that have been getting over on us,

21:57.280 --> 21:59.080
making money hand over fist

21:59.080 --> 22:02.120
while communities continue to starve for resources.

22:02.120 --> 22:05.120
This is how we can most effectively return money back

22:05.120 --> 22:05.960
to folks.

22:05.960 --> 22:07.360
And on the issue of affordability,

22:07.360 --> 22:10.000
the best way to get the affordability gap

22:10.000 --> 22:12.480
is to put more money in the pockets of hardworking people.

22:12.480 --> 22:14.600
Our minimum wage is still $7.25.

22:14.600 --> 22:16.720
Since costs have gone up, wages have not.

22:16.720 --> 22:18.680
But returning that money to the people,

22:18.680 --> 22:21.280
that means making the right investments in public education,

22:21.280 --> 22:22.840
making the investments in health care,

22:22.840 --> 22:26.520
taxing the wealthy and implementing a working class tax cut

22:26.520 --> 22:28.840
for folks who work hard every single day

22:28.840 --> 22:30.560
and don't get the benefits the corporations get.

22:30.560 --> 22:32.600
So quickly, what are you doing with the surplus?

22:32.600 --> 22:33.680
Well, with the surplus, like I said,

22:33.680 --> 22:36.240
it just reinvesting back into education.

22:36.240 --> 22:40.440
And also now, and also because of Trump's big ugly bill,

22:40.440 --> 22:41.960
there's gonna be some stresses

22:41.960 --> 22:44.240
when it comes to expanding badger care,

22:44.240 --> 22:45.680
which I still support.

22:45.680 --> 22:47.160
It is the right thing to do for us.

22:47.160 --> 22:48.400
So many folks are steering down.

22:48.400 --> 22:50.360
Medical debt, medical bankruptcy.

22:50.360 --> 22:51.680
We're gonna move money into health care.

22:51.680 --> 22:52.960
We're gonna move on to taxes.

22:52.960 --> 22:55.160
We did bring up taxes, so let's move on to taxes.

22:55.160 --> 22:56.760
You all in some degree have used phrases

22:56.760 --> 22:59.240
like making the wealthy pay their fair share

22:59.240 --> 23:01.320
and discussed raising taxes on the rich

23:01.320 --> 23:02.960
to fund your priorities.

23:02.960 --> 23:05.520
Wisconsin already has the second highest top income tax

23:05.520 --> 23:08.360
rate in the Midwest at 7.65%.

23:08.360 --> 23:11.560
So we wanna know what all of you define as rich.

23:11.560 --> 23:13.080
So Mr. Barnes, under your plan,

23:13.080 --> 23:14.920
what is the specific income level

23:14.920 --> 23:16.400
where taxes would go up

23:16.400 --> 23:19.280
and what percentage would that top tax bracket pay?

23:19.280 --> 23:21.560
Yeah, so I think that incomes over a million dollars

23:21.560 --> 23:23.120
should be taxed a little bit higher.

23:23.120 --> 23:24.480
Even if it's temporary,

23:24.480 --> 23:27.320
the fact is we are in a real crisis right now.

23:27.320 --> 23:32.080
And our necessities have not been seeing the resources,

23:32.080 --> 23:33.440
have not been seeing the funding.

23:33.440 --> 23:35.320
Again, there's no reason these school districts

23:35.320 --> 23:37.320
should be going to referendum every single year

23:37.320 --> 23:38.880
just to fund basic services.

23:38.880 --> 23:43.560
And if we increase that tax rate by less than 1%, 0.9%,

23:44.560 --> 23:46.920
we do a great deal to be able to provide

23:46.920 --> 23:48.840
much more funding to our school districts

23:48.840 --> 23:51.240
and also help close the share revenue.

23:51.240 --> 23:52.160
Is that what you're proposing?

23:52.160 --> 23:54.200
0.8 or 0.9%.

23:54.200 --> 23:55.120
Well, I'm saying this is all of,

23:55.120 --> 23:56.160
I'm happy to negotiate.

23:56.160 --> 23:57.880
This is what we need to negotiate,

23:57.880 --> 23:59.960
but this is the arena where I'm in right now.

23:59.960 --> 24:02.480
Ms. Hong, the income level that you would raise taxes

24:02.480 --> 24:04.360
and how much?

24:04.360 --> 24:07.400
Those who are making the millionth and one dollar,

24:07.400 --> 24:09.720
I think that the billion as well

24:09.720 --> 24:12.680
to increase that to 0.9%.

24:12.680 --> 24:15.320
It is incredibly disappointing

24:15.320 --> 24:17.160
that some of our lowest income earners

24:17.160 --> 24:18.840
are paying a higher tax rate

24:18.840 --> 24:21.080
than some of our highest income earners.

24:21.080 --> 24:24.240
We need to return to a progressive income tax rate.

24:24.240 --> 24:27.080
It is how we build sustainable revenue

24:27.080 --> 24:29.640
and ensure that we're able to actually increase

24:29.640 --> 24:31.280
our tax base across the state

24:31.280 --> 24:33.880
as more working class people are gonna be attracted

24:33.880 --> 24:36.960
to coming to Wisconsin to live, work, and play here.

24:36.960 --> 24:39.720
I think that the legislation that I introduced

24:39.720 --> 24:41.360
that would tax the billionaire

24:41.360 --> 24:44.400
and add a millionaire tax bracket

24:44.400 --> 24:47.520
would lower property taxes by up to 44%.

24:47.520 --> 24:50.480
And we could put that funding into special education funding,

24:50.480 --> 24:53.840
which we have neglected to actually honor the budget amount

24:53.840 --> 24:57.000
and we must bring that back up to 90% reimbursement.

24:57.000 --> 24:58.920
And the percentage for those millionaires?

24:58.920 --> 25:01.240
I would increase that by about 1%.

25:01.240 --> 25:03.840
Well, you would increase that to about, so about 8.65.

25:03.840 --> 25:04.680
Correct.

25:04.680 --> 25:06.600
Mr. Crowley, your income level

25:06.600 --> 25:08.200
and how much would you tax them?

25:08.200 --> 25:09.040
Well, let's be very clear.

25:09.040 --> 25:11.000
There's just not the income tax,

25:11.000 --> 25:12.280
but there's also the property taxes

25:12.280 --> 25:14.280
that are also extremely high in the state of Wisconsin.

25:14.280 --> 25:15.280
We'll talk about that next.

25:15.280 --> 25:17.080
Okay, well, when we talk about income taxes,

25:17.080 --> 25:18.480
what we really need to be focusing on is

25:18.480 --> 25:21.160
how do we actually fix this system moving forward?

25:21.160 --> 25:23.600
What we need to do is take a holistic view

25:23.600 --> 25:26.120
of our taxes here in the state of Wisconsin.

25:26.120 --> 25:28.400
The last time that we took a holistic view

25:28.400 --> 25:32.440
of how we spend our money and bringing revenues was in 1986

25:32.440 --> 25:34.720
when Governor Tommy Thompson was actually governor.

25:34.720 --> 25:36.640
And so we need to bring academics.

25:36.640 --> 25:38.160
We need to bring labor.

25:38.160 --> 25:39.560
We need to bring business owners

25:39.560 --> 25:41.040
and community members to the table.

25:41.040 --> 25:42.800
And let's actually have a real discussion

25:42.800 --> 25:44.520
about the entire system.

25:44.520 --> 25:46.120
I don't think that we should be just focusing

25:46.120 --> 25:48.680
on how we can increase taxes,

25:48.680 --> 25:51.800
just particular for a certain income on earners

25:51.800 --> 25:53.760
when we haven't looked at the entire system.

25:53.760 --> 25:56.480
When it comes down to those who are making hand over fist,

25:56.480 --> 25:59.000
we absolutely need to tax the ultra wealthy,

25:59.000 --> 26:00.160
but we need to be smart about

26:00.160 --> 26:01.520
how we're doing things long-term.

26:01.520 --> 26:03.840
Do you have an income level or a percentage for that?

26:03.840 --> 26:05.280
Well, I think we always gotta look at those

26:05.360 --> 26:08.200
who are making more than a million dollars a war.

26:08.200 --> 26:09.040
Absolutely.

26:09.040 --> 26:10.760
And do you know how high you'd like to tax them?

26:10.760 --> 26:11.840
No, I think that we have to look

26:11.840 --> 26:14.000
at the entire system holistically.

26:14.000 --> 26:16.600
Ms. Royce, your income level and percentage,

26:16.600 --> 26:19.040
you would tax them looking to raise taxes.

26:19.040 --> 26:21.480
I agree with my colleagues that anyone who's earning

26:21.480 --> 26:22.720
over a million dollars a year

26:22.720 --> 26:24.880
should pay a slightly higher tax rate.

26:24.880 --> 26:27.280
But we also need to look at the corporate tax giveaways

26:27.280 --> 26:29.400
that have run rampant over the last 15 years

26:29.400 --> 26:30.800
of Republican rule.

26:30.800 --> 26:33.640
We have rolled out the red carpet for Foxconn,

26:33.680 --> 26:36.480
the AI data center tax breaks are estimated

26:36.480 --> 26:38.960
to cost us two billion dollars.

26:38.960 --> 26:42.480
All that at a time when we are spending zero dollars

26:42.480 --> 26:44.360
on early childhood education,

26:44.360 --> 26:47.080
when our public schools have been starved to resources,

26:47.080 --> 26:48.800
jacking up people's property taxes

26:48.800 --> 26:52.080
just to help our kids keep teachers in the classroom.

26:52.080 --> 26:54.840
So as a small business owner, it offends me

26:54.840 --> 26:57.120
that the largest businesses in the state

26:57.120 --> 26:59.080
are not only not paying their fair share of taxes,

26:59.080 --> 27:01.680
but they're often getting public resources.

27:01.680 --> 27:04.200
These are going to big polluters, big corporations,

27:04.200 --> 27:05.560
out-of-state corporations.

27:05.560 --> 27:07.200
They're not tied to job creation,

27:07.200 --> 27:09.040
and we need to not just tax the wealthy,

27:09.040 --> 27:11.280
but make sure that big corporations pay their fair share too.

27:11.280 --> 27:13.240
Do you have a specific percentage in mind?

27:13.240 --> 27:15.200
I think it's concurrent with what the,

27:15.200 --> 27:16.480
my colleagues have talked about.

27:16.480 --> 27:17.320
Mr. Biden.

27:17.320 --> 27:18.760
I'm going to find that I have general agreement

27:18.760 --> 27:20.600
that people making over a million dollars

27:20.600 --> 27:21.600
should pay a little bit more,

27:21.600 --> 27:23.240
and we could talk about what that is.

27:23.240 --> 27:25.320
But I also think that there are other things,

27:25.320 --> 27:27.680
the manufacturing and agricultural tax credit,

27:27.680 --> 27:29.760
which is generally not paid to farmers,

27:29.760 --> 27:31.320
and which has continued to increase

27:31.320 --> 27:33.520
the tune of about 400 million dollars.

27:33.520 --> 27:35.080
I would like to continue,

27:35.080 --> 27:36.800
we're talking about raising taxes on the rich.

27:36.800 --> 27:39.000
One of the real successes of Tony Evers

27:39.000 --> 27:41.640
is making sure that we have had middle class tax cuts

27:41.640 --> 27:43.800
and ensuring that we can continue to do that.

27:43.800 --> 27:45.600
Now, the other thing about this, however,

27:45.600 --> 27:47.320
is that I like to win,

27:47.320 --> 27:49.600
and we are losing right now to Ohio,

27:49.600 --> 27:51.760
we're losing to Michigan, we're losing to Minnesota,

27:51.760 --> 27:53.400
when it comes to economic development.

27:53.400 --> 27:55.960
And so if we're truly going to get to the Wisconsin

27:55.960 --> 27:58.480
that we need, if we're going to increase our population,

27:58.480 --> 28:00.080
if we're going to increase what we're getting

28:00.080 --> 28:00.920
out of our government,

28:00.920 --> 28:02.680
it's going to come from economic growth.

28:02.680 --> 28:03.920
And I think we need to make sure

28:03.920 --> 28:06.320
that we are aggressive in those things.

28:06.320 --> 28:08.320
You know, you don't need to tell me about Foxconn.

28:08.320 --> 28:10.960
I spent the first year of the Evers administration

28:10.960 --> 28:12.680
trying to figure out how do we get out

28:12.680 --> 28:14.400
of that $3 million obligation.

28:14.400 --> 28:17.080
Ultimately, we brought that down to $80 million,

28:17.080 --> 28:19.320
and we were able to invest and treat them

28:19.320 --> 28:21.320
like virtually every other company,

28:21.320 --> 28:23.480
and then be able to invest in main street businesses.

28:23.480 --> 28:26.360
So this is not just about how do we raise revenue,

28:26.360 --> 28:28.480
it's how do we raise revenue by taxes,

28:28.480 --> 28:30.360
it's how do we raise revenue through growth,

28:30.360 --> 28:32.360
and making sure that we are growing our own

28:32.360 --> 28:35.160
and investing in economic development in our state.

28:35.160 --> 28:36.560
Real quick before we move on,

28:36.560 --> 28:38.120
what if all the millionaires leave the state

28:38.120 --> 28:40.680
and go to a state nearest that has a flat tax rate

28:40.680 --> 28:43.920
or a lower tax rate than all of these plans collapse, correct?

28:43.920 --> 28:47.400
I think that's why this needs to be a holistic strategy.

28:47.400 --> 28:49.120
You know, there's a whole bunch of ways

28:49.120 --> 28:51.000
in which people don't trust government

28:51.000 --> 28:52.240
and don't trust Democrats.

28:52.240 --> 28:54.520
And we better be in a position where we can demonstrate

28:54.520 --> 28:56.560
to them that when we're spending these things,

28:56.560 --> 28:58.160
they're also getting some benefit on it.

28:58.160 --> 29:00.840
So if all we're talking about is raising taxes,

29:00.840 --> 29:02.400
and if this is all gonna be about

29:02.400 --> 29:04.120
how do we make sure that we are, you know,

29:04.120 --> 29:05.800
doing that to people penalizing,

29:05.800 --> 29:07.200
if it's just gonna be penalties,

29:07.200 --> 29:08.600
then we are going to start to lose.

29:08.600 --> 29:10.600
We need to make sure we're growing with everybody.

29:10.600 --> 29:12.880
Ms. Hong, do they leave the state?

29:12.880 --> 29:16.800
You know, discussing that hypothetical is a little bit,

29:18.360 --> 29:19.680
I'm confused about that.

29:19.680 --> 29:22.480
However, let's look at all the other policies

29:22.480 --> 29:23.800
that we have talked about,

29:23.800 --> 29:26.440
that we have been fighting for with our campaign

29:26.440 --> 29:27.560
when there is free childcare,

29:27.560 --> 29:29.440
when there is fully funded public schools,

29:29.440 --> 29:31.880
when we see some of these corporate loopholes

29:31.880 --> 29:33.760
in corporate welfare come to an end,

29:33.760 --> 29:36.440
when we have investment in rural roads,

29:36.440 --> 29:39.320
when there's legalization of cannabis,

29:39.320 --> 29:41.640
I think that we can improve the quality of life

29:41.640 --> 29:44.240
for millionaires and ensure that they too,

29:44.240 --> 29:47.240
will be able to live, work, and thrive here in our state.

29:47.240 --> 29:48.560
Let's talk about property taxes.

29:48.560 --> 29:51.280
This past year, Wisconsinites saw the highest property tax

29:51.280 --> 29:52.720
increase in three decades.

29:52.720 --> 29:56.880
School property tax levies increase on average nearly 8%.

29:56.880 --> 29:58.560
Raise your hand if you as governor

29:58.560 --> 30:02.000
would commit to an across-the-board property tax decrease.

30:05.840 --> 30:08.920
All candidates agreeing to a across-the-board

30:08.920 --> 30:10.120
property tax decrease.

30:10.120 --> 30:11.720
We'll start with you, Mr. Barnes.

30:11.720 --> 30:13.040
How would you make that happen?

30:13.040 --> 30:15.640
Well, first of all, we have to get school funding

30:15.640 --> 30:16.840
off of the property tax rolls.

30:16.840 --> 30:17.680
That's the biggest thing.

30:17.680 --> 30:21.040
The reason we have seen these historic property tax increases

30:21.120 --> 30:23.320
is again, because communities all across the state

30:23.320 --> 30:26.640
of Wisconsin have voted to raise their own property taxes,

30:26.640 --> 30:28.600
just to keep the doors open.

30:28.600 --> 30:31.960
It is a very irresponsible way to fund education,

30:31.960 --> 30:34.120
to fund our future, to prioritize our children.

30:34.120 --> 30:36.360
When I talked about Robin Voss not being

30:36.360 --> 30:37.880
a good negotiating partner,

30:37.880 --> 30:39.960
when I talked about the priorities in Wisconsin,

30:39.960 --> 30:42.400
missing the mark, this is how we end up with the surplus,

30:42.400 --> 30:44.000
because our schools don't have the funding

30:44.000 --> 30:45.360
and the resources that they need.

30:45.360 --> 30:47.480
So what we need to immediately do

30:47.480 --> 30:50.600
is get to the state's constitutional commitment,

30:50.600 --> 30:51.680
the two-thirds funding.

30:51.680 --> 30:54.360
We have to make sure our schools are fully funded.

30:54.360 --> 30:55.800
When our schools are fully funded,

30:55.800 --> 30:58.040
that burden doesn't fall on the property tax rolls.

30:58.040 --> 30:59.840
And then gradually, over time,

30:59.840 --> 31:02.280
we'll be able to decrease property taxes.

31:02.280 --> 31:04.480
We are there right now at two-thirds roughly?

31:04.480 --> 31:05.320
We are not.

31:05.320 --> 31:06.140
We're not there yet.

31:06.140 --> 31:06.980
We're not there yet.

31:06.980 --> 31:07.820
We're not there yet.

31:07.820 --> 31:10.440
Mr. Britton, how do you make an across-the-board

31:10.440 --> 31:11.520
property tax increase happen?

31:11.520 --> 31:13.440
It was mentioned a little bit by Mandela,

31:13.440 --> 31:16.440
but this spring, when we all celebrated Chris Taylor's win,

31:16.440 --> 31:19.800
that same night, 72 school districts

31:19.840 --> 31:22.360
went to referendum, 60 of them for operations,

31:22.360 --> 31:23.400
just to keep the lights on,

31:23.400 --> 31:24.640
not to build a new middle school,

31:24.640 --> 31:26.160
not to build a new science classroom.

31:26.160 --> 31:28.320
That is as big a condemnation

31:28.320 --> 31:29.560
as we can get in Wisconsin.

31:29.560 --> 31:32.200
And so I would immediately scrap that funding formula,

31:32.200 --> 31:33.880
which is under lawsuit right now,

31:33.880 --> 31:35.440
but it's probably gonna take three years

31:35.440 --> 31:37.000
for that to work its way through the courts.

31:37.000 --> 31:39.240
Our kids don't have three more years to wait.

31:39.240 --> 31:41.760
I would create a child-centric formula

31:41.760 --> 31:44.520
where every kid has value regardless of where you live.

31:44.520 --> 31:45.960
You add on for special needs.

31:45.960 --> 31:48.040
You add on for urban rural poverty.

31:48.040 --> 31:49.920
You add on for English language learners.

31:49.920 --> 31:52.280
Like, that's how most other states have done this.

31:52.280 --> 31:55.120
And if you do that and you recommit to that two thirds

31:55.120 --> 31:57.720
from the state, immediately that brings down

31:57.720 --> 31:59.120
property taxes for people.

31:59.120 --> 32:01.920
And it gives kids and teachers and parents

32:01.920 --> 32:03.400
what they need in the classroom.

32:03.400 --> 32:04.640
This is where we have failed.

32:04.640 --> 32:07.200
That student, the school funding formula

32:07.200 --> 32:10.160
has been around since 1993, didn't work then,

32:10.160 --> 32:11.200
and it doesn't work now.

32:11.200 --> 32:13.120
So that's the first thing that we've got to do

32:13.120 --> 32:14.280
that would meet the needs of kids,

32:14.280 --> 32:16.840
but stop hitting property taxpayers against kids.

32:16.840 --> 32:18.600
Ms. Hong, how do you bring property taxes

32:18.600 --> 32:19.560
down across the board?

32:19.560 --> 32:22.880
As I mentioned that we have already introduced legislation

32:22.880 --> 32:25.160
that would add a tax to the millionaire

32:25.160 --> 32:27.640
and increase the millionaire tax bracket

32:27.640 --> 32:29.400
as well as a billionaire tax.

32:29.400 --> 32:32.320
You know, this would help us fund special education

32:32.320 --> 32:35.320
while lowering property taxes by up to 44%.

32:35.320 --> 32:38.440
It is essential that we return to two thirds funding

32:38.440 --> 32:40.880
and make sure that we are bringing a responsible

32:40.880 --> 32:42.200
end to the voucher program.

32:42.200 --> 32:44.960
This is a program that currently,

32:45.000 --> 32:47.720
the state is spending over $1.2 billion.

32:47.720 --> 32:50.840
And I think that it is not just public school funding

32:50.840 --> 32:53.040
that is raising property taxes.

32:53.040 --> 32:55.400
Robin Vossen, the Republican led legislature

32:55.400 --> 32:57.760
has been decreasing shared revenue

32:57.760 --> 33:00.360
and it is a deep inadequate funding

33:00.360 --> 33:01.720
for our local governments.

33:01.720 --> 33:04.120
And they too have had to go to referenda

33:04.120 --> 33:06.160
and many are increasing property taxes.

33:06.160 --> 33:09.280
So increasing the levies and giving our local governments

33:09.280 --> 33:11.760
the ability to raise more revenue.

33:11.760 --> 33:13.920
I think that this is how we're gonna make sure

33:13.920 --> 33:17.240
that communities can invest in the things that

33:17.240 --> 33:19.680
and the programs that they absolutely deserve.

33:19.680 --> 33:21.240
And we're gonna get to education and vouchers here

33:21.240 --> 33:22.200
in just a second, Ms. Roy.

33:22.200 --> 33:24.720
So I do wanna ask about property taxes.

33:24.720 --> 33:27.560
How do you bring property taxes down across the board?

33:27.560 --> 33:29.480
The most important thing that we can do

33:29.480 --> 33:31.640
is appropriately fund our local governments

33:31.640 --> 33:34.200
and our public schools at the state level.

33:34.200 --> 33:36.200
That means getting to the two thirds funding commitment

33:36.200 --> 33:38.080
that was made but has never been met.

33:38.080 --> 33:39.480
But it also means fixing the way

33:39.480 --> 33:40.960
that those dollars are distributed

33:40.960 --> 33:43.080
because right now it's deeply inequitable.

33:43.160 --> 33:45.560
My family moved to rural Taylor County.

33:45.560 --> 33:47.160
That's where I was a little girl.

33:47.160 --> 33:49.040
And they moved because of the quality

33:49.040 --> 33:53.280
of the public education system here in Wisconsin, 47 years ago.

33:53.280 --> 33:55.560
Now, raising my kids in Dane County,

33:55.560 --> 33:58.320
I can see that we have been short-changing our kids

33:58.320 --> 34:00.080
and that is not okay with me.

34:00.080 --> 34:01.920
So we do need more state resources

34:01.920 --> 34:04.120
to end this divisive cycle of referendums

34:04.120 --> 34:06.520
that are pitting neighbors against one another,

34:06.520 --> 34:09.760
grandparents against their grandkids' schools.

34:09.760 --> 34:11.640
I also am the only candidate in this race

34:11.680 --> 34:14.920
that actually has a plan, not just a wish,

34:14.920 --> 34:17.880
but an actual plan to bring that private voucher scheme

34:17.880 --> 34:20.360
to a responsible end because the actual number

34:20.360 --> 34:22.920
is closer to $1.8 billion in each budget

34:22.920 --> 34:25.320
that is going directly out of the coffers

34:25.320 --> 34:28.080
of our local school districts into these private schemes.

34:28.080 --> 34:29.160
And they are unaccountable

34:29.160 --> 34:30.760
and they can discriminate against kids.

34:30.760 --> 34:33.320
And none of us as taxpayers should find that acceptable.

34:33.320 --> 34:35.560
Mr. Crowley, how do you bring property taxes down across the board?

34:35.560 --> 34:37.280
Property taxes are extremely high here in the state

34:37.280 --> 34:38.120
of Wisconsin.

34:38.120 --> 34:40.320
It's not just affecting the senior who's on a fixed income.

34:40.320 --> 34:42.040
It's also affecting that young person

34:42.040 --> 34:42.880
who may want to buy a home

34:42.880 --> 34:44.960
and everybody's getting squeezed in every direction.

34:44.960 --> 34:46.480
And it's not just affecting homeowners.

34:46.480 --> 34:48.120
It's also affecting renters as well

34:48.120 --> 34:49.840
because when property tax go up,

34:49.840 --> 34:52.080
landlords quite frankly pass those down

34:52.080 --> 34:53.600
to those renters as well.

34:53.600 --> 34:55.320
And so we have to tackle property taxes

34:55.320 --> 34:57.560
by one investing in our education system,

34:57.560 --> 34:59.360
increasing the reimbursement rates as well

34:59.360 --> 35:01.880
for special education because our school districts

35:01.880 --> 35:04.480
shouldn't have to choose between mandated services

35:04.480 --> 35:06.280
and whether or not they're going to have teachers.

35:06.280 --> 35:09.880
But as the only elected official who runs county government

35:09.880 --> 35:12.000
representing 19 different municipalities

35:12.000 --> 35:13.440
close to a million people,

35:13.440 --> 35:15.560
we have a lot of state mandated services.

35:15.560 --> 35:17.640
And with those state mandated services,

35:17.640 --> 35:19.840
those resources don't come down the pipeline.

35:19.840 --> 35:22.240
And so it's extremely important that we work at the state

35:22.240 --> 35:25.520
to make sure that local governments

35:25.520 --> 35:27.400
are getting enough resources to invest

35:27.400 --> 35:28.640
in things like public safety

35:28.640 --> 35:30.720
because the state of Wisconsin is near the bottom

35:30.720 --> 35:33.520
or dead last when it comes down to investments and such.

35:33.520 --> 35:35.000
We brought a voucher.

35:35.000 --> 35:36.240
So let's talk about vouchers.

35:36.240 --> 35:38.440
Right now about 30,000 Milwaukee children

35:38.480 --> 35:41.440
attend private schools using taxpayer funded vouchers.

35:41.440 --> 35:43.920
Milwaukee was the first school choice program in the nation

35:43.920 --> 35:47.240
to help families who felt failed by the public school system

35:47.240 --> 35:48.920
and still do so today.

35:48.920 --> 35:51.400
The program has since expanded statewide

35:51.400 --> 35:53.000
as we've heard some of you are calling

35:53.000 --> 35:54.800
to end the voucher program.

35:54.800 --> 35:56.680
Mr. Crowley, do you support eliminating

35:56.680 --> 35:59.360
or reducing vouchers in the city of Milwaukee?

35:59.360 --> 36:01.840
Look, I am a proud MPS graduate.

36:01.840 --> 36:03.000
Went to Milwaukee Public Schools

36:03.000 --> 36:04.640
all through my daughter's school to public schools.

36:04.640 --> 36:07.680
So I believe in the power of our public education.

36:07.680 --> 36:10.480
I think to say that we're going to fully eliminate

36:10.480 --> 36:13.600
the voucher system overnight really doesn't take into account

36:13.600 --> 36:16.200
the impact towards our family, towards our teachers

36:16.200 --> 36:18.600
and quite frankly, toward the public school system.

36:18.600 --> 36:20.880
You know, we've talked about how we went to referendum

36:20.880 --> 36:22.800
to make sure our public schools have what they need.

36:22.800 --> 36:24.160
And if we're going to referendum

36:24.160 --> 36:26.800
for the current capacity of students that they have now,

36:26.800 --> 36:28.960
how will we be able to bring on those students

36:28.960 --> 36:32.040
and make sure that we have great public schools moving forward?

36:32.040 --> 36:33.280
And so I don't think the question is

36:33.280 --> 36:35.040
whether or not we should have vouchers.

36:35.040 --> 36:37.080
The question should be how do we continue

36:37.080 --> 36:38.320
to invest in our public schools

36:38.320 --> 36:39.880
to make sure that they are the school of choice?

36:39.880 --> 36:41.520
So would you sign a bill that eliminated

36:41.520 --> 36:43.560
or reduced vouchers in Milwaukee?

36:43.560 --> 36:45.000
To eliminate or reduce vouchers?

36:45.000 --> 36:46.680
No, but I don't believe in expanding vouchers

36:46.680 --> 36:47.640
in the state of Wisconsin.

36:47.640 --> 36:50.160
Mr. Barnes, you're proposing a multi-year sunset

36:50.160 --> 36:51.760
of the program as you've described it.

36:51.760 --> 36:53.280
What does that look like specifically

36:53.280 --> 36:54.320
in the city of Milwaukee?

36:54.320 --> 36:55.720
Well, let's first talk about the reason

36:55.720 --> 36:58.120
why parents feel failed by public schools.

36:58.120 --> 37:00.480
This all goes back to the lack of funding.

37:00.480 --> 37:02.360
This goes back to the state not meeting

37:02.360 --> 37:04.440
its two thirds funding requirement.

37:04.440 --> 37:06.680
And schools have been starved of resources.

37:06.680 --> 37:09.480
So it will only be natural for parents to feel that way.

37:09.480 --> 37:12.440
I am also a proud Milwaukee public school graduate,

37:12.440 --> 37:14.480
but I know having gone to a school

37:14.480 --> 37:16.400
that was starved of resources,

37:16.400 --> 37:18.880
what that impact meant on a lot of my classmates.

37:18.880 --> 37:20.840
And I was very fortunate to know

37:20.840 --> 37:22.160
where I was gonna go home at night.

37:22.160 --> 37:23.840
I was very fortunate to not have to worry

37:23.840 --> 37:26.320
about where my next meal came from.

37:26.320 --> 37:27.480
But that's not the reality

37:27.480 --> 37:29.000
that far too many of our students face.

37:29.000 --> 37:31.080
And when we're talking about education,

37:31.080 --> 37:33.840
we truly have to talk about the societal factors

37:33.840 --> 37:36.880
that impact how our students do or do not learn.

37:36.880 --> 37:39.640
If we have these exorbitant rates of child poverty,

37:39.640 --> 37:41.120
it is gonna impact the way that they learn.

37:41.120 --> 37:43.360
And as I have talked about vouchers,

37:43.360 --> 37:46.360
the main line is accountability

37:46.360 --> 37:48.360
because we have seen horror stories

37:48.360 --> 37:52.120
where voucher operators closed doors overnight.

37:52.120 --> 37:55.000
These operators moved to Florida on the public dime.

37:55.000 --> 37:58.480
And so we have to first get the bad actors out of the system.

37:58.480 --> 38:01.280
Now, I believe public dollars belong in public schools.

38:01.280 --> 38:03.760
And if you receive a dime of public money

38:03.760 --> 38:05.400
as a private school operator,

38:05.400 --> 38:08.920
you should have to operate by a uniform set of standards.

38:08.920 --> 38:10.320
That means public governance,

38:10.320 --> 38:12.840
that means public accountability, public scrutiny.

38:12.840 --> 38:14.640
And if you cannot meet those standards,

38:14.640 --> 38:16.120
you should be taken out of the system.

38:16.120 --> 38:16.960
I can tell you.

38:16.960 --> 38:18.280
But do vouchers go down

38:18.280 --> 38:19.960
or are they eliminated in the city Milwaukee?

38:19.960 --> 38:22.280
Well, I think that the income caps being lifted

38:22.280 --> 38:25.080
is a travesty because that is what makes it a scheme.

38:25.080 --> 38:26.960
This no longer becomes a program

38:26.960 --> 38:29.100
for lower income parents to put their children

38:29.100 --> 38:29.940
or private school.

38:29.940 --> 38:31.240
So there could be less vouchers in Milwaukee.

38:31.240 --> 38:32.600
It becomes a handout.

38:32.600 --> 38:35.560
And we can no longer, there's no justification

38:35.560 --> 38:37.840
for expansion of vouchers or lifting the caps

38:37.840 --> 38:40.120
if we have not fully funded public schools.

38:40.120 --> 38:43.060
So yes, I was on a bill that reduced them

38:43.060 --> 38:48.060
because we have seen so much chaos with this system.

38:48.060 --> 38:50.400
We have seen, and look, a lot of students,

38:50.400 --> 38:53.760
and this is not an overnight thing by any means,

38:53.760 --> 38:55.080
but we do have to get serious

38:55.080 --> 38:56.720
about the delivery of education.

38:56.720 --> 38:57.920
Specifically here in Milwaukee,

38:57.920 --> 38:59.800
but we also have to get serious

38:59.800 --> 39:01.080
about the societal issues

39:01.120 --> 39:02.680
that continue to plague our systems.

39:02.680 --> 39:03.920
We always have the conversation

39:03.920 --> 39:05.840
about education, but never about poverty.

39:05.840 --> 39:06.840
Thank you, Mr. Barnes.

39:06.840 --> 39:08.720
Ms. Royce, at what point in your plan

39:08.720 --> 39:11.480
do vouchers go away for tens of millions

39:12.480 --> 39:14.040
of children in Milwaukee,

39:14.040 --> 39:16.600
tens of thousands of children in Milwaukee?

39:16.600 --> 39:18.680
No student in Milwaukee already seen

39:18.680 --> 39:20.720
who is currently enrolled in a voucher program

39:20.720 --> 39:22.580
and is happy there will be displaced

39:22.580 --> 39:24.400
and they will be allowed to continue their education

39:24.400 --> 39:26.960
until they graduate as will their siblings.

39:26.960 --> 39:30.320
However, all programs that take public money

39:30.320 --> 39:31.920
need to be subject to the same rules

39:31.920 --> 39:33.760
and regulations that public schools are.

39:33.760 --> 39:36.320
Right now, you can do corporal punishment

39:36.320 --> 39:37.320
in a voucher school.

39:37.320 --> 39:38.760
You don't have to have licensed teachers

39:38.760 --> 39:40.680
that undergo background checks.

39:40.680 --> 39:42.400
You can discriminate against teachers

39:42.400 --> 39:44.960
and against students, including cherry-picking students

39:44.960 --> 39:47.880
and saying, no, we don't want a student with a disability.

39:47.880 --> 39:50.640
I think that's totally unacceptable as a taxpayer

39:50.640 --> 39:52.040
and certainly as a parent.

39:52.040 --> 39:55.400
Every single child deserves a high quality public education.

39:55.400 --> 39:57.800
And what we have with the statewide expansion

39:57.840 --> 40:00.760
is essentially a program that has subsidized

40:00.760 --> 40:03.120
the private choices of wealthy parents,

40:03.120 --> 40:06.520
the vast majority of students in the statewide expansion.

40:06.520 --> 40:09.240
We're already in private school at their parents expense

40:09.240 --> 40:11.520
before taxpayers started picking up the tab.

40:11.520 --> 40:14.240
I believe that public dollars belong in public schools.

40:14.240 --> 40:16.400
And if you take even one dollar of public money,

40:16.400 --> 40:18.280
you need to be subject to accountability.

40:18.280 --> 40:20.520
And yes, over time I am gonna bring

40:20.520 --> 40:22.160
the private voucher scheme to an end

40:22.160 --> 40:25.040
as we increase the quality and the capacity

40:25.040 --> 40:26.200
of our public schools.

40:26.200 --> 40:28.680
Because the most important thing to me as a parent

40:28.680 --> 40:31.360
and what I hope my legacy will be as governor

40:31.360 --> 40:34.200
is to restore Wisconsin in our rightful place

40:34.200 --> 40:36.760
as the best public education state in the nation.

40:36.760 --> 40:38.560
So a three-year-old child, for example,

40:38.560 --> 40:40.480
in the city of Milwaukee would not qualify

40:40.480 --> 40:42.440
for a voucher under your plan?

40:42.440 --> 40:45.040
Correct, unless they were enrolled in a 3K program

40:45.040 --> 40:46.840
or if their sibling was already in one.

40:46.840 --> 40:47.680
Thank you.

40:47.680 --> 40:49.720
And Mr. Brennan, do you support ending or dialing back

40:49.720 --> 40:51.080
the state's voucher program

40:51.080 --> 40:53.120
and specifically what does that look like for Milwaukee?

40:53.120 --> 40:57.000
Yeah, and I do support some putting back the cap on

40:57.000 --> 40:58.800
for the statewide program, which has come off.

40:58.800 --> 41:00.680
I think that we've already talked about

41:00.680 --> 41:01.560
some of the accountability.

41:01.560 --> 41:03.120
There's a transparency issue.

41:03.120 --> 41:04.720
We should pass a state law that says

41:04.720 --> 41:07.480
on your property tax bill, you can see how much the city,

41:07.480 --> 41:08.760
the county, the public schools

41:08.760 --> 41:10.600
and how much vouchers are costing.

41:10.600 --> 41:12.240
Like all of those things are important.

41:12.240 --> 41:13.400
I'm a proud parent.

41:13.400 --> 41:16.400
My kids went to Milwaukee Public Schools for about 22 years.

41:16.400 --> 41:18.560
But let me add a dose of reality here.

41:18.560 --> 41:20.960
There is not going to be a bill that passes

41:21.000 --> 41:23.840
in the legislature that is put on the governor's desk

41:23.840 --> 41:25.440
right now to end vouchers in Milwaukee.

41:25.440 --> 41:26.280
You know why?

41:26.280 --> 41:28.160
Because there are representatives in Milwaukee

41:28.160 --> 41:29.800
who represent the city of Milwaukee

41:29.800 --> 41:32.960
for whom more than half of the people who live there

41:32.960 --> 41:34.720
are sending their kids to private schools.

41:34.720 --> 41:36.680
Like we have to live in the real world.

41:36.680 --> 41:39.000
This is an issue that is dividing Democrats

41:39.000 --> 41:41.480
because in Milwaukee, what parents deserve

41:41.480 --> 41:42.520
is a great option.

41:42.520 --> 41:44.480
And I want to make sure our public schools

41:44.480 --> 41:45.920
are better than any bar none.

41:45.920 --> 41:48.680
We have the largest achievement gap in the country

41:48.680 --> 41:50.200
right here in my hometown.

41:50.200 --> 41:51.600
That's not acceptable.

41:51.600 --> 41:53.560
So the results aren't what we want.

41:53.560 --> 41:55.160
We need to hold everybody accountable.

41:55.160 --> 41:56.880
You know who doesn't like accountability?

41:56.880 --> 41:57.960
Lousy schools.

41:57.960 --> 41:59.360
No matter what kind of school they are.

41:59.360 --> 42:02.040
So we need to make sure we are holding ourselves accountable.

42:02.040 --> 42:05.800
But we need to also make sure that we are living

42:05.800 --> 42:06.800
in the real world here.

42:06.800 --> 42:10.320
Because I wouldn't put legislators in a position

42:10.320 --> 42:13.160
where they're going to have to tell parents

42:13.160 --> 42:14.800
that they can't say that this is the school of the country.

42:14.800 --> 42:15.640
But let's say a bill not to your desk.

42:15.640 --> 42:17.120
Would you sign a bill that reduced vouchers

42:17.120 --> 42:17.960
in the city of Milwaukee?

42:17.960 --> 42:19.040
I wouldn't right now.

42:19.040 --> 42:20.720
Because I think we need to make sure

42:20.720 --> 42:23.560
that we are doing right by everybody in the city of Milwaukee.

42:23.560 --> 42:24.520
There are changes to be made.

42:24.520 --> 42:27.000
The largest recipient of vouchers in the state,

42:27.000 --> 42:29.520
$44 million to a virtual school.

42:29.520 --> 42:30.360
Thank you, Mr. Ryan.

42:30.360 --> 42:31.360
Those are the types of things we can change.

42:31.360 --> 42:34.200
Ms. Hall, you are calling for a responsible transition

42:34.200 --> 42:36.680
away from the quote, unfair voucher program.

42:36.680 --> 42:39.920
Does that include fully eliminating vouchers in Milwaukee?

42:39.920 --> 42:43.080
No, I'm a very proud daughter of immigrants,

42:43.080 --> 42:45.280
a single mom where my son is going

42:45.280 --> 42:46.960
to the same public school district

42:47.120 --> 42:49.640
that I came through in my hometown of Madison.

42:49.640 --> 42:51.920
I believe that public dollars not only belong

42:51.920 --> 42:54.160
in public schools, but one of the reasons

42:54.160 --> 42:56.960
that privatization has grown across the country

42:56.960 --> 43:00.520
is that it's public institutions of education

43:00.520 --> 43:03.400
that are one of our last remaining democratic institutions.

43:03.400 --> 43:05.360
And if we don't have strong public schools,

43:05.360 --> 43:07.400
we can't have a strong democracy.

43:07.400 --> 43:11.440
Our plan would ensure property tax transparency.

43:11.440 --> 43:15.240
I was in Luxembourg, Wisconsin at the Dairy Breakfast

43:15.280 --> 43:17.400
talking to a gentleman who had no idea

43:17.400 --> 43:18.760
about the voucher program.

43:18.760 --> 43:21.280
And when he found out that the statewide program

43:21.280 --> 43:23.600
is where some of the public dollars

43:23.600 --> 43:26.080
were going into private schools, he was shocked.

43:26.080 --> 43:27.720
Ending that statewide program

43:27.720 --> 43:31.120
and implementing property tax transparency

43:31.120 --> 43:33.680
and then moving to Milwaukee and Racine

43:33.680 --> 43:37.040
and looking at accountability and transparency measures

43:37.040 --> 43:39.760
that is uniform across what public schools

43:39.760 --> 43:42.240
are having to be audited for

43:42.240 --> 43:43.960
and the different regulations

43:43.960 --> 43:46.120
that public schools are responsible for.

43:46.120 --> 43:48.640
And I will say, I introduced the Healthy School Meals

43:48.640 --> 43:51.200
for All Legislation and that is a bill

43:51.200 --> 43:54.000
that would include all students in K through 12.

43:54.000 --> 43:56.640
It includes vouchers and it includes private schools,

43:56.640 --> 43:58.360
schools for the visually impaired.

43:58.360 --> 44:00.760
And this is a type of bill that not only helps

44:00.760 --> 44:02.600
to reduce costs for families,

44:02.600 --> 44:04.880
but would help all students across the state.

44:04.880 --> 44:06.600
So it's just to the point of fully eliminating vouchers

44:06.600 --> 44:08.440
in Milwaukee, your plan?

44:09.360 --> 44:12.700
It has to be a responsible program and process

44:12.740 --> 44:14.900
where we work directly with the families

44:14.900 --> 44:18.180
and the different schools where the voucher program,

44:18.180 --> 44:21.260
depending on how expansive it is in the school,

44:21.260 --> 44:24.340
but it would need to come to an end and I can see,

44:24.340 --> 44:26.620
I don't want to put a firm number on it,

44:26.620 --> 44:28.700
but I do believe that again,

44:28.700 --> 44:30.260
public dollars coming in public schools,

44:30.260 --> 44:34.140
understanding that we have built this system

44:34.140 --> 44:35.740
where it's deeply inequitable

44:35.740 --> 44:37.100
and I think that it's important

44:37.100 --> 44:39.060
that we put in the responsibilities

44:39.060 --> 44:40.380
of working with our partners

44:40.380 --> 44:41.980
to end their program in Milwaukee.

44:41.980 --> 44:44.300
Eventually a full end in the city of Milwaukee.

44:44.300 --> 44:47.860
I believe that that is what bringing a responsible

44:47.860 --> 44:49.700
end to the voucher program is, Matt.

44:49.700 --> 44:50.540
Thank you.

44:50.540 --> 44:51.500
Let's talk about data centers

44:51.500 --> 44:52.900
and Marquette's latest poll,

44:52.900 --> 44:55.940
76% of Wisconsinites say they believe the costs

44:55.940 --> 44:57.660
outweigh the benefits and that includes

44:57.660 --> 45:00.540
a majority of Democrats, independents and Republicans.

45:00.540 --> 45:02.300
You've all outlined varying plans

45:02.300 --> 45:04.500
on how you would approach the boom in data centers

45:04.500 --> 45:07.420
from new regulations to construction moratoriums.

45:07.420 --> 45:09.260
State lawmakers recently attempted to pass

45:09.260 --> 45:10.620
a series of regulations,

45:10.660 --> 45:13.140
but they failed to pass the full legislature.

45:13.140 --> 45:14.420
If lawmakers can't agree

45:14.420 --> 45:16.300
and if you believe in local control,

45:16.300 --> 45:19.300
what really can you do as governor, Mr. Crowley?

45:19.300 --> 45:21.100
Well, one, we need to,

45:21.100 --> 45:23.460
it's unfortunate that the legislature actually left session

45:23.460 --> 45:25.740
without actually putting any guardrails in place.

45:25.740 --> 45:27.140
And so as governor, we need to make sure

45:27.140 --> 45:28.740
that we're protecting ourselves

45:28.740 --> 45:30.420
from the data centers that are currently here.

45:30.420 --> 45:32.300
I do have the same concerns

45:32.300 --> 45:34.260
that many folks have across the state,

45:34.260 --> 45:35.500
but I think a moratorium,

45:35.500 --> 45:37.380
a short-term moratorium doesn't address

45:37.380 --> 45:39.940
the long-term concerns that we have.

45:39.940 --> 45:41.620
And so as governor, we will make sure

45:41.620 --> 45:43.140
that we hold these data centers accountable,

45:43.140 --> 45:45.140
that they pay for the energy use,

45:45.140 --> 45:46.780
they pay for the grid upgrades,

45:46.780 --> 45:48.500
and they bring the Beyonce approach,

45:48.500 --> 45:50.100
bringing your own new clean energy.

45:50.100 --> 45:51.740
We need to use data centers to be as close

45:51.740 --> 45:55.300
to 100% renewable energy as much as possible.

45:55.300 --> 45:57.420
But they can go anywhere in this country,

45:57.420 --> 46:00.140
but we have to understand that our clean air, our clean water,

46:00.140 --> 46:02.300
it doesn't stop at the borders of Wisconsin.

46:02.300 --> 46:03.540
And so as county executive,

46:03.540 --> 46:05.860
we have put in place a climate action plan

46:05.860 --> 46:07.220
to reduce our carbon emissions,

46:07.220 --> 46:08.860
and we're 50% of the way there.

46:08.860 --> 46:10.460
And we need to make sure that we're having

46:10.460 --> 46:12.100
that same level of accountability here

46:12.100 --> 46:13.420
in the state of Wisconsin.

46:13.420 --> 46:14.740
But if they are going to be here,

46:14.740 --> 46:16.740
let's make sure we're utilizing union labor,

46:16.740 --> 46:19.620
let's see project labor agreements, prevailing wage,

46:19.620 --> 46:22.580
and community benefit agreements across the entire state,

46:22.580 --> 46:24.620
because we're all going to be affected,

46:24.620 --> 46:27.820
and I believe they should be subsidizing our energy use

46:27.820 --> 46:28.940
if they're going to be here.

46:28.940 --> 46:31.540
You said they could go anywhere, do you want them here?

46:31.540 --> 46:32.380
I can hear you.

46:32.380 --> 46:33.580
You said they could go anywhere,

46:33.580 --> 46:35.220
do you want them here in Wisconsin?

46:35.220 --> 46:37.100
Well, we need to make sure that we have a framework

46:37.100 --> 46:39.180
in place to protect ourselves moving forward,

46:39.180 --> 46:41.020
because right now we don't have anything right now

46:41.020 --> 46:42.260
with what's already here.

46:42.260 --> 46:45.340
Ms. Hong, if lawmakers, they can't agree

46:45.340 --> 46:47.540
on any regulations, if you believe in local control,

46:47.540 --> 46:49.260
what can you really do as governor?

46:49.260 --> 46:51.300
You know, I introduced the legislation

46:51.300 --> 46:53.380
that puts a moratorium on the construction

46:53.380 --> 46:54.740
of new AI data centers,

46:54.740 --> 46:58.420
and I would call a special session into play

46:58.420 --> 47:01.460
so that the legislature can take up that legislation

47:01.460 --> 47:03.660
or the other democratic legislation

47:03.660 --> 47:06.140
that had been introduced by my colleagues

47:06.140 --> 47:08.780
and yet Robin Voss ended session early.

47:08.780 --> 47:11.700
I think it's important that we have enforceable regulation,

47:11.700 --> 47:14.180
that we bring union workers to the table,

47:14.180 --> 47:17.500
that this is very similar to what I believe could be seen

47:17.500 --> 47:19.180
as more collective bargaining to make sure

47:19.180 --> 47:21.020
that we're protecting union jobs,

47:21.020 --> 47:23.780
and that, you know, the natural resources,

47:23.780 --> 47:25.620
we're letting some of the big tech companies know

47:25.620 --> 47:26.940
that they are not for sale,

47:26.940 --> 47:30.140
and until we fully fund the Department of Natural Resources,

47:30.140 --> 47:32.220
and we have the actual regulations

47:32.220 --> 47:34.620
to hold polluters accountable,

47:34.660 --> 47:37.780
that we are including in the Public Service Commission,

47:37.780 --> 47:39.220
you know, different types of phases

47:39.220 --> 47:40.940
where we have stricter legislation

47:40.940 --> 47:43.500
and clear definitions of how data centers

47:43.500 --> 47:44.700
can actually move forward.

47:44.700 --> 47:47.140
This moratorium is necessary

47:47.140 --> 47:51.060
so that we can responsibly and put in enforcement mechanisms

47:51.060 --> 47:52.580
to protect communities,

47:52.580 --> 47:55.500
and seeing local governments already put moratoriums

47:55.500 --> 47:58.340
into play, we want people to have local control,

47:58.340 --> 47:59.460
but we also want to make sure

47:59.460 --> 48:02.460
that there are the guardrails, the legal resources,

48:02.500 --> 48:05.300
and that if data centers are going to come here in our state,

48:05.300 --> 48:08.500
that they pay their own way and actually pay up front,

48:08.500 --> 48:10.580
and I think it's important to say that, you know,

48:10.580 --> 48:13.220
the data centers that currently exist in our state,

48:13.220 --> 48:15.260
you know, there's a sales tax exemption

48:15.260 --> 48:18.100
with over $2.1 billion that could go back

48:18.100 --> 48:20.540
into infrastructure for clean, renewable energy,

48:20.540 --> 48:21.900
green union jobs.

48:21.900 --> 48:24.820
Thank you, Mr. Brennan, if lawmakers can agree,

48:24.820 --> 48:26.140
and you believe in local control,

48:26.140 --> 48:28.380
what can you do to address the boom of data centers?

48:28.380 --> 48:30.580
Three words to start with, get new lawmakers.

48:30.620 --> 48:32.940
That's why the stakes are so important this year.

48:32.940 --> 48:36.580
That's why we need a nominee who's going to win down ballot

48:36.580 --> 48:38.140
and make sure we can have a majority

48:38.140 --> 48:40.100
in the state assembly and the state Senate.

48:40.100 --> 48:42.220
Once we do that, you know, what people think about,

48:42.220 --> 48:44.340
when they think about data centers, they are angry.

48:44.340 --> 48:46.260
They're angry because government has failed them.

48:46.260 --> 48:48.340
The state got into the data center game

48:48.340 --> 48:50.260
and they put no guardrails on.

48:50.260 --> 48:52.580
And, you know, I have not called for a moratorium,

48:52.580 --> 48:54.300
but I have said that I would put a pause

48:54.300 --> 48:56.020
on the construction of new data centers,

48:56.020 --> 48:58.460
not for a year, but in the first hundred days,

48:58.460 --> 48:59.620
we can do four things.

48:59.620 --> 49:01.940
We can make sure that nobody watching tonight

49:01.940 --> 49:03.940
pays for the construction, the operation,

49:03.940 --> 49:06.060
the transmission, the ultimate retirement of these.

49:06.060 --> 49:07.420
Make sure that there are real teeth

49:07.420 --> 49:08.900
in the environmental regulations,

49:08.900 --> 49:10.860
making sure that they're having to do renewables.

49:10.860 --> 49:13.060
Make sure that there are Wisconsin union workers

49:13.060 --> 49:14.900
who are building these if they happen here.

49:14.900 --> 49:17.220
And, number four, make sure that there are never going

49:17.220 --> 49:19.020
to be the nondisclosure agreements

49:19.020 --> 49:21.220
that are the reason why people don't trust government,

49:21.220 --> 49:24.620
why the reason why they're so angry about these things.

49:24.620 --> 49:26.740
If we can demonstrate in that first hundred days,

49:26.740 --> 49:28.620
and there's good legislation that's gone

49:28.620 --> 49:31.660
through 12 drafts and Democrats and Republicans both,

49:31.660 --> 49:33.940
and stakeholders have had involvement in that,

49:33.940 --> 49:35.740
if we can do that in the first hundred days,

49:35.740 --> 49:37.100
it's not going to make everybody happy,

49:37.100 --> 49:40.060
but it's going to set the bar and take away that uncertainty

49:40.060 --> 49:43.220
and take away another reason why people distrust government

49:43.220 --> 49:44.260
and why they're so angry.

49:44.260 --> 49:46.140
Like, that's what I think what governing is.

49:46.140 --> 49:47.340
Mr. Orange.

49:47.340 --> 49:51.820
So as a governor, the response has to be bigger than buzzwords.

49:51.820 --> 49:55.060
Now, I do think that there should be no new data center

49:55.060 --> 49:57.420
construction without those guardrails in place.

49:57.420 --> 50:00.500
If a community rejects a data center proposal,

50:00.500 --> 50:03.260
then there should be no new data center constructed.

50:03.260 --> 50:05.260
And with the guardrails, with the framework

50:05.260 --> 50:07.180
that protects our natural resources,

50:07.180 --> 50:08.780
that makes sure that water quality,

50:08.780 --> 50:10.220
air quality is protected,

50:10.220 --> 50:12.860
that also makes sure that people's utility rates

50:12.860 --> 50:14.060
aren't increasing.

50:14.060 --> 50:15.540
If that framework is in place,

50:15.540 --> 50:17.900
it also needs to be retroactively applied

50:17.900 --> 50:19.300
to existing data centers.

50:19.300 --> 50:22.220
And we also have to have a renewable energy mandate

50:22.220 --> 50:24.100
to make sure that they are contributing energy

50:24.100 --> 50:25.140
back to the grid.

50:25.180 --> 50:28.380
And I want to solve to caution, especially because I do,

50:28.380 --> 50:30.060
again, no new data center construction

50:30.060 --> 50:31.700
without those guardrails in place.

50:31.700 --> 50:33.500
But even as the representative mentioned,

50:33.500 --> 50:35.940
a full in urban Milwaukee was reported

50:35.940 --> 50:37.860
that a full data center moratorium

50:37.860 --> 50:39.500
may face legal repercussions.

50:39.500 --> 50:41.980
Those were the words of the representatives.mind.

50:41.980 --> 50:44.660
And it is important for us to empower the department

50:44.660 --> 50:47.660
of natural resources to make sure that they have the funding

50:47.660 --> 50:50.700
to engage in the ongoing quality monitoring

50:50.700 --> 50:52.740
of these data centers to ensure that they aren't

50:52.740 --> 50:55.020
negatively impacting air or water quality.

50:55.060 --> 50:57.060
Mr. Barnes, thank you, Ms. Royce.

50:57.060 --> 50:59.140
Something that none of my colleagues have mentioned,

50:59.140 --> 51:00.780
even though we are all running for governor,

51:00.780 --> 51:04.420
is using executive power against the existing projects

51:04.420 --> 51:05.580
that are under construction.

51:05.580 --> 51:08.220
And we're put under construction over the strenuous

51:08.220 --> 51:10.100
objections of those communities.

51:10.100 --> 51:11.740
We have a department of natural resources

51:11.740 --> 51:15.300
that should be protecting our air and our soil and our water.

51:15.300 --> 51:16.900
We have a public service commission

51:16.900 --> 51:19.660
that needs to be much more aggressive about making sure

51:19.660 --> 51:24.460
that the big guys are not asking us to subsidize them.

51:24.460 --> 51:26.780
I have put forth the strongest legislation

51:26.780 --> 51:29.860
and the strongest plan of the candidates in this race

51:29.860 --> 51:33.460
to actually address and stop the unregulated development

51:33.460 --> 51:35.500
of data centers because I believe the status quo

51:35.500 --> 51:37.100
is totally unacceptable.

51:37.980 --> 51:40.060
The moratorium bill has very little support

51:40.060 --> 51:42.460
and is unlikely to pass, but the strong regulation bill

51:42.460 --> 51:44.180
that many of my colleagues have described

51:44.180 --> 51:46.860
is poised to pass in January.

51:46.860 --> 51:48.500
But I will not stop there.

51:48.500 --> 51:50.780
I will also establish a public negotiating team

51:50.780 --> 51:52.620
so that any community that decides it would like

51:52.620 --> 51:54.220
to engage with the data center

51:54.220 --> 51:56.820
has the opportunity to have expert negotiators.

51:56.820 --> 51:58.100
I will increase shared revenue

51:58.100 --> 52:00.940
so that communities don't feel desperate like they have to.

52:00.940 --> 52:03.820
I will also end the subsidies for data centers

52:03.820 --> 52:05.380
because they should be paying us

52:05.380 --> 52:06.460
and not the other way around.

52:06.460 --> 52:09.780
And when a community decides, yes, we've reached agreement,

52:09.780 --> 52:12.820
I will charge an upfront fee that they will pay to the state

52:12.820 --> 52:15.140
on the order of hundreds of millions of dollars

52:15.140 --> 52:18.060
to finance a clean infrastructure public bank.

52:18.060 --> 52:19.620
I apologize if I cut you off here.

52:19.620 --> 52:21.180
We are kind of running up against time.

52:21.180 --> 52:22.780
Everything you've talked about tonight

52:22.780 --> 52:25.420
relies on a democratically controlled legislature.

52:25.420 --> 52:27.740
Ms. Hong, what happens if there's a divided government

52:27.740 --> 52:30.180
or Republicans control the legislature and your governor?

52:30.180 --> 52:32.860
You know, I have passed bipartisan legislation,

52:32.860 --> 52:36.380
the one where it would require K-12 schools

52:36.380 --> 52:38.060
to teach Asian-American history.

52:38.060 --> 52:40.780
So much of working in government

52:40.780 --> 52:43.060
has to do with building strong relationships.

52:43.060 --> 52:44.820
And I have done that with Republicans.

52:44.820 --> 52:47.340
I am willing to work with anyone at the table

52:47.340 --> 52:50.780
who wants to actually deliver for working class families

52:50.780 --> 52:53.500
and improve lives and work on policies

52:53.500 --> 52:55.500
that are going to be deliverables.

52:55.500 --> 52:58.340
And I believe that shared revenue, health care,

52:58.340 --> 53:00.540
and public education are three areas

53:00.540 --> 53:03.540
and some of my top priorities where Republicans

53:03.540 --> 53:05.100
have shown some support.

53:05.100 --> 53:06.940
And I've talked to them about these issues.

53:06.940 --> 53:09.780
And so I believe that even with the split legislature,

53:09.780 --> 53:13.020
my focus and my leadership will ensure that we are governing

53:13.020 --> 53:15.100
to actually deliver for working class families

53:15.100 --> 53:15.940
across the state.

53:15.940 --> 53:16.780
Thank you, Mr. Barnes.

53:16.780 --> 53:18.460
How do you get anything done with Republicans?

53:18.460 --> 53:20.660
Well, I can tell you, that's why this race is so important.

53:20.660 --> 53:23.860
That's why rejecting this broken system matters so much.

53:23.860 --> 53:25.660
That's why rejecting the status quo

53:25.660 --> 53:28.460
is so important when people go to cast a ballot.

53:28.460 --> 53:31.820
Look, we'll never be as bold as we need to be as a state

53:31.820 --> 53:34.220
if we continue down this path that we've been going.

53:34.220 --> 53:36.140
And it's been mentioned that the county executive

53:36.140 --> 53:39.220
had his campaign resurrected by special interests

53:39.220 --> 53:42.140
in a dark room with people with their thumb on a scale.

53:42.140 --> 53:44.860
This means things will always be the same

53:44.860 --> 53:46.300
with that sort of leadership.

53:46.300 --> 53:47.660
We should be asking for more.

53:47.660 --> 53:48.700
We should be demanding more.

53:48.700 --> 53:49.500
And if we lead-

53:49.500 --> 53:50.340
Thank you.

53:50.340 --> 53:54.180
This whole platform, we implement a mandate.

53:54.180 --> 53:56.740
We have a mandate to govern in the interest of people

53:56.740 --> 53:58.660
in a way that we have never done before.

53:58.660 --> 54:00.340
And that's what this race is about.

54:00.340 --> 54:01.180
Thank you, Mr. Crowley.

54:01.180 --> 54:02.460
How do you work with Republicans?

54:02.460 --> 54:03.300
Get anything done.

54:03.300 --> 54:04.660
You know, I served in the state legislature,

54:04.660 --> 54:05.860
like many of my colleagues here,

54:05.860 --> 54:08.020
but none of them have actually run local government.

54:08.020 --> 54:09.380
You know, I'm the county executive

54:09.380 --> 54:10.540
of the largest community.

54:10.540 --> 54:13.020
And when I was elected in 2020,

54:13.020 --> 54:15.260
we had to work to get Act 12 passed.

54:15.260 --> 54:16.100
Thank you.

54:16.100 --> 54:17.300
We worked with Democrats and Republicans.

54:17.300 --> 54:19.700
And we've done it in Republican controlled legislatures.

54:19.700 --> 54:21.900
And I do believe that we'll get a lot more done.

54:21.900 --> 54:22.740
Thank you.

54:22.740 --> 54:24.860
Believe it or not, it is now time for closing statements.

54:24.860 --> 54:27.580
We did choose randomly with the campaigns

54:27.580 --> 54:29.180
present to determine the order.

54:29.180 --> 54:31.940
Each candidate will have 30 seconds for a final thought.

54:31.940 --> 54:33.940
And we will begin with Mr. Brennan.

54:33.940 --> 54:35.100
Thank you very much.

54:35.100 --> 54:38.460
While you've seen differences amongst us today,

54:38.460 --> 54:39.820
we have a common threat.

54:39.820 --> 54:42.980
It's losing to Tom Tiffany and Donald Trump.

54:42.980 --> 54:44.500
And the stakes have never been higher.

54:44.500 --> 54:46.380
We can build 100,000 new homes.

54:46.380 --> 54:47.860
We can expand Badgercare.

54:47.940 --> 54:50.260
We can stop having property taxpayers

54:50.260 --> 54:51.820
pitted against kids in Wisconsin.

54:51.820 --> 54:54.500
But we have to win in order to do that.

54:54.500 --> 54:57.980
For 25 years, I have been somebody who has solved problems.

54:57.980 --> 55:00.940
I'll be a governor who's more interested in results

55:00.940 --> 55:01.980
than rhetoric.

55:01.980 --> 55:04.020
I hope that I can get your support

55:04.020 --> 55:06.060
on August 11th and November 3rd.

55:06.060 --> 55:07.620
Thanks for tuning in tonight.

55:07.620 --> 55:08.620
Mr. Crowley.

55:08.620 --> 55:09.620
I want to first and foremost,

55:09.620 --> 55:11.620
thank you, thank our moderators for hosting us.

55:11.620 --> 55:14.500
And I want to thank all of you who are tuning in today.

55:14.500 --> 55:16.620
You know, my story is like Wisconsin story.

55:16.620 --> 55:19.460
I grew up learning the values of hard work, resilience,

55:19.460 --> 55:22.700
and to stand up when somebody tries to knock you down.

55:22.700 --> 55:24.100
But people all across this state

55:24.100 --> 55:25.500
are struggling every single day.

55:25.500 --> 55:26.980
And I know what that feels like.

55:26.980 --> 55:29.260
They need a governor who's going to deliver for them

55:29.260 --> 55:30.420
on day one.

55:30.420 --> 55:32.500
And that's why I have received the endorsements

55:32.500 --> 55:33.940
of folks like Tony Hevers,

55:33.940 --> 55:35.820
Governor Evers, our labor unions,

55:35.820 --> 55:37.180
and folks all across our state.

55:37.180 --> 55:39.700
Because they know I will be delivering the results

55:39.700 --> 55:41.660
that's going to make a great impact.

55:41.660 --> 55:44.020
I look forward to having your vote on August 11th.

55:44.020 --> 55:44.860
Ms. Royce.

55:45.860 --> 55:48.660
All of us on this stage are good people.

55:48.660 --> 55:50.140
For 25 years,

55:50.140 --> 55:52.220
I have been turning the good ideas

55:52.220 --> 55:54.540
that we've shared into state law

55:54.540 --> 55:56.460
in the toughest of political environments.

55:56.460 --> 55:58.380
I've stood up to bullies and billionaires

55:58.380 --> 55:59.500
just like Donald Trump.

55:59.500 --> 56:02.940
And I will never stop fighting to build the Wisconsin

56:02.940 --> 56:04.180
that all of us deserve,

56:04.180 --> 56:07.500
working alongside you as I have throughout my career.

56:07.500 --> 56:09.980
We need all hands on deck in this high stakes moment

56:09.980 --> 56:12.260
to protect our rights and freedoms,

56:12.260 --> 56:13.660
to deliver healthcare for all,

56:13.660 --> 56:16.540
and to make sure that every child has a great public school.

56:16.540 --> 56:18.780
I ask for your vote on August 11th.

56:18.780 --> 56:19.780
Mr. Barnes.

56:19.780 --> 56:20.900
To everybody watching at home,

56:20.900 --> 56:23.260
I want you to know that the establishment

56:23.260 --> 56:24.420
is trying to rig this election.

56:24.420 --> 56:26.580
They want you to choose between their preferred candidate

56:26.580 --> 56:28.900
and also Republican billionaires are lining up

56:28.900 --> 56:30.780
to the tune of three and a half million dollars

56:30.780 --> 56:33.220
to choose a Democratic nominee in this race.

56:33.220 --> 56:34.580
I'm here to say that's BS.

56:34.580 --> 56:35.820
I've been a progressive fighter

56:35.820 --> 56:37.420
who's taken on the tough fights,

56:37.420 --> 56:39.100
but also the only candidate on this stage

56:39.100 --> 56:40.940
who's actually defeating Tom Tiffany

56:40.940 --> 56:42.980
according to the most recent Marquette poll.

56:43.020 --> 56:45.460
We can get things done, but it starts on August 11th.

56:45.460 --> 56:46.780
I'm asking for your support

56:46.780 --> 56:49.140
so that we can go into November with the strength

56:49.140 --> 56:50.660
and that we can go into January

56:50.660 --> 56:53.140
with the mandates of governing the interests of people.

56:53.140 --> 56:53.980
Emma's home.

56:53.980 --> 56:56.220
Thank you so much to the viewers this evening.

56:56.220 --> 56:58.700
I am your fighter, fighting alongside you

56:58.700 --> 56:59.820
and fighting for you.

56:59.820 --> 57:01.580
And this is a movement moment.

57:01.580 --> 57:04.980
Our campaign is a one that has built a bipartisan coalition

57:04.980 --> 57:07.900
where we have reached voters in every part of the same.

57:07.900 --> 57:11.060
Republicans, independents, Democratic socialists

57:11.100 --> 57:12.940
and Democrats, they have come together

57:12.940 --> 57:14.220
and already uniting.

57:14.220 --> 57:16.300
We are already beating Tom Tiffany,

57:16.300 --> 57:18.060
whether it comes to the number of donors,

57:18.060 --> 57:21.180
whether it comes to the number of individual donations.

57:21.180 --> 57:23.540
I think it's time for this moment of unity

57:23.540 --> 57:26.180
and I'm the leader to meet that moment.

57:26.180 --> 57:27.660
That was quick and we did it.

57:27.660 --> 57:28.500
We made it.

57:28.500 --> 57:30.580
Our sincere thank you to the candidates this evening

57:30.580 --> 57:32.060
for being here tonight and thank you

57:32.060 --> 57:33.620
to everyone watching at home.

57:33.620 --> 57:35.540
If you missed any part of tonight's debate,

57:35.540 --> 57:37.420
it will be available on the 12 News app,

57:37.420 --> 57:39.740
YouTube and streaming on very local.

57:39.740 --> 57:42.620
You can look for post-debate analysis Sunday on up front.

57:42.620 --> 57:44.500
Election Day is Tuesday, August 11th,

57:44.500 --> 57:46.660
earlier in-person voting already underway.

57:46.660 --> 57:48.260
Thanks so much for your time tonight.

57:48.260 --> 57:49.260
Have a good night.