AS WELL AS HOW THE FRAUGHT STATE
BUDGET IS SHAPING UP, LET'S TALK
WITH SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER
ZAC SCHULTZ.
SO WHAT STANDS OUT ON THE TIMING
OF THE TONY EVERS' ANNOUNCEMENT
ON RUNNING FOR REELECTION?
>> WELL, HISTORICALLY IT'S A
LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT INCUMBENT
GOVERNORS, SO WE HAVE TO GO BACK
TO SCOTT WALKER, JIM DOYLE OR
TOMMY THOMPSON, THEY LIKE TO
WAIT UNTIL AFTER THAT LAST
BUDGET IS SIGNED BEFORE THEY
TRANSITION INTO THE CAMPAIGN,
JUST TO SEPARATE THE LAST BIG OF
BIG STATE POLICY FROM THE NEXT
ELECTION AND ALSO THERE USED TO
BE A SENSE OF IMPROPRIETY OF
FUND-RAISING WHILE THE BUDGET
WAS GOING ON.
EVERS MOVING THIS UP SENDS A
MESSAGE ABOUT HE MAY NOT THINK
THE BUDGET IS GOING TO BE SIGNED
ANYTIME SOON, BUT GETTING THAT
FUND-RAISING GOING RIGHT NOW.
>> SO ON THE U.S. SENATE RACE
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE FIELD OF
REPUBLICANS LINING UP TO RUN
AGAINST EVERS FOR GOVERNOR IF
RON JOHNSON DOESN'T RUN FOR
SENATE?
>> WELL, YOU'LL DEFINITELY SEE A
MUCH LARGER FIELD IN THE U.S.
SENATE RACE, ONE WOULD THINK,
JUST ON ITS FACE.
THE IDEA OF RUNNING FOR AN OPEN
SEAT IS A LOT EASIER THAN
RUNNING AGAINST TONY EVERS, WHO
WOULD BE A POPULAR INCUMBENT
SEEKING REELECTION.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF THE PEOPLE,
THE NAMES WE'VE SEEN OUT THERE,
SEEM TO HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE
ALREADY IN WASHINGTON OR WITH
MILITARY BACKGROUND OR FOREIGN
POLICY EXPERIENCE.
AND THAT ALL FILLS INTO THE LANE
OF AN U.S. SENATOR AS OPPOSED TO
A GOVERNOR.
>> SO TURNING TO LEGISLATIVE
STATE BUSINESS, THE BIG DEAL
RIGHT NOW, I DON'T HAVE TO TELL
YOU, IS THE TWO-YEAR STATE
BUDGET AND THIS NEWLY PROJECTED
BIG REVENUE SURPLUS, $4.4
BILLION MORE THAN EXPECTED.
BUT THERE ARE DIFFERENT IDEAS
ABOUT WHAT TO DO WITH THAT CASH.
LET'S TAKE A LISTEN.
>> IN A VAST MAJORITY IF NOT ALL
OF THE MONEY SHOULD GO TOWARD
PAYING DOWN PEOPLE'S TAXES
<!8192> THAT WE REDUCE INCOME
TAXES.
>> A TAX CUT, THESE GUYS ARE TOO
FOCUSED ON 2022 AND NOT FOCUSED
ENOUGH ON ACTUALLY IMPROVING
PEOPLE'S LIVES IN OUR STATE.
>> SO WHAT DO DEMS WANT TO DO
WITH IT?
>> I THINK THEY'D LOVE TO SEE
GOVERNOR EVERS' BUDGET REQUEST
FULLY FUNDED.
THAT WOULD BE THEIR MAIN
PRIORITY.
THE REPUBLICANS ON JOINT FINANCE
HAVE TRIMMED DOWN A LOT OF
SPENDING REQUESTS, THE MAIN ONE
BEING EDUCATION FUNDING.
THEY'VE SHORTED THAT BY SUCH A
LARGE AMOUNT THAT THERE IS A
GENUINE RISK THAT SOME OF THE
SCHOOLS DON'T CAPTURE SOME OF
THAT FEDERAL COVID DOLLARS,
REPUBLICANS SAY DON'T WORRY, IT
WILL ALL GET WORKED OUT IN THE
END, BUT DEFINITELY THAT
TRADITIONAL DEBATE OVER TAX
RELIEF VERSUS PUTTING MONEY INTO
EDUCATION OR OTHER PLACES.
>> SO IS HANDING OUT TAX CUTS
SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE LIKE TO DO
DURING AN ELECTION CAMPAIGN?
>> OH, ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S A POLITICIAN'S FAVORITE
THING, IS TO GIVE A BIG TRACKS -- TAX
BREAK.
SCOTT WALKER SOUGHT TO DO THAT
IN HIS LAST BIG BUDGET.
REMEMBER THERE WERE THOSE
ATTEMPTS AT SPENDING SPECIAL
CHECKS HOME.
I THINK TOMMY THOMPSON DID IT
WAY BACK WHEN.
IT'S A POPULAR THING.
I'M SAVING YOU MONEY.
THAT'S NOT A NEW THING BY ANY
STRETCH.
TRADITIONALLY REPUBLICANS ALWAYS
WANT TO LOWER TAXES.
THAT'S PART OF THEIR CORE
MISSION.
>> SO BACK TO VOS AND HINTZ.
THE SIDES FIGHT REGARDLESS OF
WHETHER THE STATE IS IN A BIG
DEFICIT OR SURPLUS.
>> YEAH.
THAT'S THE NATURE OF WHERE
POLITICS IS RIGHT NOW.
THERE ARE SILL FOF SILL SOF CAL
DIFFERENCES BUT THE CONCEPT OF
WINNING IS SO IMPORTANT TO BOTH
SIDES, NOT LETTING THE OTHER
SIDE WIN, THAT BOTH SIDES ARE
DETERMINED TO MAKE IT SEEM LIKE
THEIR PRIORITIES ARE WHAT'S GOOD
FOR THE STATE AND THE OTHER
SIDE'S PRIORITIES ARE ONLY
SELF-INTERESTS.
>> SO LEGISLATIVE BILLS MAKING
THEIR WAY THROUGH RIGHT NOW, SO
MANY ARE EXPECTED TO BE VETOED,
LIKE PARTICULAR VOTING
RESTRICTIONS OR ENDING ENHANCED
UNEMPLOYMENT TO NOT ENFORCING
FEDERAL GUN RESTRICTIONS.
BUT WHAT IS THE POINT OF NOT
EVEN TRYING HERE TO REACH
CONSENSUS?
>> WELL, THE IDEA THAT IF THEY
CAN'T REACH A CONSENSUS, THEY'RE
AT LEAST GOING TO SPEAK TO THEIR
VOTERS, CORE CONSTITUENCIES,
VOTERS.
REPUBLICANS WANT TO SEND A
MESSAGE AND SAY THIS IS WHAT WE
WOULD DO IF WE HAD COMPLETE
CONTROL.
DEMOCRATS DON'T HAVE THAT
ABILITY TO PASS THEIR OWN BILLS,
BUT THEY COULD HAVE THE GOVERNOR
ORDER A SPECIAL SESSION ON
MEDICAID EXPANSION AND SAY THESE
ARE WHAT WE WOULD DO IF WE HAD
COMPLETE CONTROL.
SO SIGNALING VOTERS AND DONORS.
>> ZAC SCHULTZ, WE LEAVE IT
THERE.
A LOT MORE FUN TO COME.