DIVIDED GOVERNMENT AT THE STATE
CAPITOL IN MORE THAN A DECADE
AND THAT DIVISION SEEMED TO SHOW
UP IN JUST ABOUT EVERY WAY
POSSIBLE.
JOINING US NOW IS GOVERNOR TONY
EVERS.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME HERE TODAY.
>> HI, ZAC.
>> WE'LL GET TO LAST YEAR AND
NEXT YEAR IN A SECOND.
BUT WITH THE U.S. MILITARY
STRIKES AND THE POSSIBILITY OF
IRANIAN OR TERRORIST RESPONSE
AROUND THE WORLD AND HERE IN
WISCONSIN, HAVE YOU PROVIDED ANY
GUIDANCE TO WISCONSIN NATIONAL
GUARD?
>> WELL, CERTAINLY THE NATIONAL
GUARD IS ALWAYS PREPARED.
THEY TRAIN ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WE'RE READY TO BE CALLED UP ON
MINUTE'S NOTICE, SO I FEEL VERY,
VERY CONFIDENT THAT THEY'LL BE
READY TO TAKE ON ANY CHALLENGES
PUT BEFORE THEM.
>> LOOKING BACK TO 2019, SHOULD
WE JUDGE THINGS BASED ON THE
TIME YOU AND LEGISLATIVE
REPUBLICANS DISAGREED OR THE
TIMES YOU WERE ABLE TO WORK
TOGETHER?
>> I'D SEE EITHER WAY TO LOOK
BACK IS A GOOD WAY TO DO IT
BECAUSE WE ACCOMPLISHED THINGS
EVEN WITHOUT US WORKING
TOGETHER.
AND THE BUDGET ACTUALLY A
GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT.
>> I MEAN, ASSEMBLY SPEAKER
ROBIN VOS SAID IN HIS END OF THE
YEAR MESSAGE THEY PASSED A
CONSERVATIVE BUDGET.
DID YOU SIGN A CONSERVATIVE
BUDGET?
>> I SIGNED A BUDGET THAT WE SET
A HIGH BAR FOR THEM AND MADE
SURE WE HAD MORE RESOURCES FOR
OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR ROADS AND
ACTUALLY IMPROVED HEALTH CARE IN
THE STATE OF WISCONSIN.
SO WE SET A VERY HIGH BAR.
THE REPUBLICANS DIDN'T GET QUITE
THAT FAR.
BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT A
CONSERVATIVE BUDGET, LIBERAL
BUDGET IS A GOOD WAY TO FRAME
IT.
DID WE PROVIDE RESOURCES AND
WORK THAT TAKES OUR STATE
FORWARD?
YES.
AND I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT.
>> THE SIGN OF THE RELATIONSHIP
TOOK PLACE.
HOW HAS THAT IMPACTED YOU AS
GOVERNOR?
>> IT CERTAINLY SET THE WRONG
STAGE TO GET US OFF TO A GOOD
START.
IF THAT WAS THE GOAL, THAT
FAILED MISERABLY.
IF THESE LAME DUCK BILLS WERE SO
DARN IMPORTANT, THEY COULD HAVE
DONE IT IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE
WALKER ADMINISTRATION AND
DECIDED TO DO IT AS HE WAS
WALKING OUT THE DOOR.
SO I THINK THAT'S A BAD WAY TO
START A RELATIONSHIP.
BUT WE CONTINUE TO WORK HARD TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE GET AS MUCH
COMMON GROUND AS WE CAN.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT WAS NOT
A GOOD START.
>> WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO GET
ACCOMPLISHED YET THIS YEAR?
>> CERTAINLY WE HAVE SEVERAL --
THERE'S SEVERAL BILLS THAT HAVE
PASSED ONE HOUSE OR THE OTHER
THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN HAVING
SIGNED.
BUT OVERALL, WE STILL HAVE TO
FOCUS ON SOME REALLY IMPORTANT
THINGS, LIKE THE AGRICULTURAL
CRISIS IN THE STATE, THINGS THAT
WEREN'T ADDRESSED APPROPRIATELY
IN THE LAST SESSION.
WE'RE HOPEFUL IT WILL BE ACTIVE.
THERE'S NO REASON WHY SEVERAL
MONTHS OUT FROM AN ELECTION THAT
SUDDENLY PEOPLE DISAPPEAR FROM
MADISON.
THEY NEED TO BE HERE WORKING.
>> IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS,
HOMEOWNERS HAVE BEEN GETTING
PROPERTY TAX BILLS, WHICH A LOT
OF THEM HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE.
YOUR PREDECESSOR, SCOTT WALKER,
HAD A VERY HIGH FOCUS AND
PRIORITY ON KEEPING PROPERTY TAX
BILLS LOW OR STAGNANT.
DO YOU THINK PEOPLE WILL BLAME
YOU OR YOUR ADMINISTRATION FOR
THE INCREASES THEY'RE SEEING
AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF NO RISE?
>> WELL, SHOULDN'T, BECAUSE
THE REASON THE BILLS WENT UP TO
SOME EXTENT, A GOOD PORTION OF
THAT IS IMPORTANT THE PART OF THAT IS THE LAST
EIGHT YEARS, REPUBLICANS PASSED
REFERENDUMS AND THOSE ARE COMING
DUE.
IT BECAME A STATE TAX INSTEAD OF
A LOCAL TAX BECAUSE THE LOCALS
HAD TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO
SCHOOLS BECAUSE THE REPUBLICANS
DIDN'T.
SO WE MADE AN EFFORT TO MAKE
SURE THERE WAS MORE RESOURCES.
IT WASN'T A SURPRISE TO ME THAT
THERE WAS A SLIGHT INCREASE,
4.5%.
THAT PRIMARILY CAME FROM
REFERENDUMS THAT WERE PASSED.
>> REPUBLICANS ARE TALKING ABOUT
PASSING A PROPERTY TAX CUT THIS
SPRING.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN SEEING
THAT?
>> WELL, THEY'RE LOOKING AT
USING MONEY THEY DON'T KNOW IS
THERE.
SO THAT'S A PROBLEM.
I GUESS FROM THAT POINT OF VIEW
I'M A FISCAL CONSERVATIVE.
ONCE WE GET TO A POINT WHERE WE
KNOW THERE MIGHT BE SOME MONEY
AVAILABLE FOR THAT PURPOSE, WE
NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHETHER
WE SHOULD PUT THAT IN A RAINY
DAY FUND.
>> SENATOR MAJORITY LEADER SCOTT
FITZGERALD IS ALSO RUNNING FOR
CONGRESS.
DOES A RACE WHILE IN OFFICE
IMPACT WHAT POLITICIANS MIGHT
DO?
>> OF COURSE.
YOU TRY TO GET AS MANY VOTES AS
YOU CAN SO YOU CAN MOVE ON TO
GREENER PASTURES.
THAT IN AND OF ITSELF ISN'T A
GOOD REASON TO SPEND MONEY WE
KNOW WE DON'T HAVE.
>> YOU'VE ALREADY SEEN THE
LEGISLATURE SHUT DOWN ONE
SPECIAL SESSION YOU'VE CALLED ON
GUN CONTROL BUT YOU HAVEN'T
RULED OUT DOING IT AGAIN.
WHAT WOULD THAT ACCOMPLISH?
>> 70% OF THE PEOPLE SAY THESE
ARE COMMON SENSE ISSUES SO I'M
HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN MAKE SOME
HEADWAY HERE.
BUT I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE ARE
OR AREN'T GOING TO HAVE A
SPECIAL SESSION ON GUN SAFETY.
BUT IT'S STILL AN ISSUE IN THE
STATE OF WISCONSIN.
PEOPLE FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT IT
ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
FOR ME, I FIND IT AMAZING THAT
WE JUST DON'T HAVE A VOTE.
CALL THEM IN.
HAVE A VOTE.
IT WILL TAKE HALF A DAY AT THE
MOST AND WE'LL SEE WHERE PEOPLE
STAND AND THEN PEOPLE CAN RUN
FOR REELECTION BASED ON THAT
STANCE.
FOR ME, THAT'S THE MOST FAIR WAY
OF DOING IT.
BUT THE CONTROL OF THE
LEADERSHIP DOESN'T ALLOW US TO
DO THAT.
>> IN THAT CASE A SPECIAL
SESSION ON GUN CONTROL WOULD BE
APPLYING PRESSURE TO SOMEBODY
BEFORE THEY ARE ABOUT TO FACE
THE BALLOT.
>> THAT'S HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS.
IF INDIVIDUAL LEGISLATORS CAN'T
STAND UP AND SAY THIS IS WHAT I
BELIEVE, WHETHER IT'S GUN SAFETY
OR ANY OTHER THING, WHY BE
THERE.
YOU NEED TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE
THAT ELECTED YOU TO OFFICE AND
IF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR
STANCE IS, HOW DO THEY MAKE THAT
DECISION.
>> WOULD YOU CONSIDER A SPECIAL
SESSION ON MED AID EXPANSION?
>> I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT.
SEVERAL THINGS COULD PASS IF
PEOPLE WERE ALLOWED TO VOTE.
THAT'S AN ISSUE.
>> YOU DECLARED THE YEAR OF 2019
TO BE THE YEAR OF CLEAN DRINKING
WATER IN WISCONSIN.
DO YOU THINK THE LEGISLATURE HAS
TAKEN PFAS AND GROUNDWATER
CONTAMINATION SERIOUSLY?
>> CERTAINLY IT'S NOT DONE.
WE'VE MADE GOOD HEADWAY, BUT
THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ONGOING
THING.
THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HERE BEFORE
WE WERE, OUR NATIVE TRIBES, HAVE
MADE THIS AN ISSUE FOR HUNDREDS
OF YEARS.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE MORE THAN ONE
YEAR.
BUT I AM NOT CONVINCED THAT WE
ARE IN A GOOD PLACE ON THIS.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
BALANCE BUSINESS INTERESTS AND
THE ABOUTS OF
THE INTERESTS OF THE WATER.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, NOBODY
WANTS TO DRINK CRAPPY WATER.
WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.
I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT'S
HAPPENED YET.
>> YOU'VE USED EXECUTIVE ORDERS
EXTENSIVELY YOUR FIRST YEAR IN
OFFICE.
IS THAT A WAY TO GET AROUND THE
LEGISLATURE?
>> TO GET SOME THINGS
ACCOMPLISHED I DON'T NEED
LEGISLATION TO DO.
AT THE END.
DAY I THINK THE PEOPLE OF
WISCONSIN EXPECT US TO WORK
TOGETHER.
>> FOXCONN JUST ANNOUNCED THAT
THEIR FACILITY IS WEATHER-TIGHT
AND WHILE THEY'RE GOING TO
CONTINUE CONSTRUCTION ON THE
INSIDE, THEY COULD BE
OPERATIONAL BY THE END OF THE
YEAR.
DO THEY NEED TO RENEGOTIATE THE
CONTRACT WITH THE STATE BEFORE
THEY SHOULD START OPERATIONS
THERE?
>> WELL, THEY CAN CONTINUE ON,
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS I
CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT THE
PEOPLE OF WISCONSIN EXPECT US,
THE POLITICIANS, TO BE
TRANSPARENT AND HAVE THEM BE --
FOXCONN BE ACCOUNTABLE.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO DO THAT IF THE
DEAL THAT WAS CUT IS BASED ON
SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T EXIST
NOW.
IT'S JUST COMMON SENSE.
WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
I BELIEVE THAT AT THE END OF THE
DAY WE WILL BE ABLE TO SOLVE
THIS.
BUT IT TAKES PEOPLE TO COME
TOGETHER AND SEEK COMMON GROUND.
>> IN YOUR CAMPAIGN FOR GOVERNOR
YOU TALKED ABOUT CUTTING
WISCONSIN'S PRISON POP POPULATION
AND TO CLOSE LINCOLN HILLS.
HOW CLOSE ARE WE?
>> WE STILL HAVE THINGS IN JOINT
FINANCE WE'RE WAITING FOR
APPROVAL ON.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO CLOSE THAT IF
WE DON'T HAVE A PLACE FOR THOSE
KIDS TO GO.
I THINK WE CAN GET THERE, MAYBE
NOT AS SOON AS WE WANT.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM IS A BIG
ISSUE AND WE NEED SOME
LEGISLATIVE HELP TO MAKE THINGS
HAPPEN.
WE'RE DOING SOME THINGS IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS THAT I
THING ARE MORE FAIR.
WE'RE WORKING WITH PEOPLE THAT
ARE ORGANIZATIONS, LOTS OF
FAITH-BASED GROUPS THAT ARE
HELPING PEOPLE TRANSITION TO OUT
OF CORRECTIONS INTO THE REAL
WORLD.
SO WE'RE MAKING SOME HEADWAY.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE
GOING TO NEED SOME LEGISLATIVE
HELP.
>> WISCONSIN IS EXPECTED TO BE A
FOCAL POINT IN THE PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION THIS YEAR.
DO YOU EXPECT TO MAKE
ENDORSEMENTS IN THE DEMOCRATIC
PRIMARY?
>> NO.
MY GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE
THAT IS LEFT AT THAT TIME ARE
COMING THROUGH WISCONSIN, LET
PEOPLE OF WISCONSIN KNOW WHO
THEY ARE.
>> WE COULD EXPECT TO SEE SOME
INCREASED TURNOUT THIS FALL.
DO YOU EXPECT ANY OF THE
PRESIDENTIAL RACE TO IMPACT
DOWN-BALLOT RACES FOR STATE
SENATE OR ASSEMBLY, THAT COULD
IMPACT YOUR ABILITY TO LEAD NEXT
YEAR?
>> SURE.
THEY'RE ALL CONNECTED.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE
ABILITY TO HAVE A ROBUST
DISCUSSION ABOUT LOTS OF THINGS
IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN AND,
FRANKLY, ONE OF THOSE THINGS
WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT
IS THE ISSUE OF FAIR MAPS AND
MAKING SURE WE DON'T GET TO THE
POINT WHERE GERRYMANDERING FOR
ANOTHER TEN YEARS.
WE NEED FAIR MAPS NOW.
SOME OF THE SOLUTION TO THAT IS
TO MAKE SURE SOME OF THOSE
DOWN-BALLOT ISSUES, THOSE
COMPETITIONS BETWEEN REPUBLICANS
AND DEMOCRATS, HAVE TO HAPPEN IN
A WAY THAT GIVE ME THE VETO
POWER TO MAKE FAIR MAPS HAPPE