>> TUESDAY MARKED THE START OF
THE NEW TWO-YEAR LEGISLATIVE
SESSION, AND KICKED OFF WITH THE
INAUGURATION OF TONY EVERS AND
THE OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL
OFFICERS.
[APPLAUSE]
>> I'M TONY EVERS, AND YES I AM
JAZZED AS HELL TO BE SWORN IN
AGAIN AS THE 46TH GOVERNOR OF
THE GREAT STATE OF WISCONSIN.
[APPLAUSE]
>> DEMOCRAT TONY EVERS TOOK THE
OATH OF OFFICE, LOOKING TO SET A
NEW TONE FOR HIS SECOND TERM AS
GOVERNOR.
HE FRAMED HIS WIN IN NOVEMBER AS
A VICTORY FOR DEMOCRACY, NOT
JUST DEMOCRATS.
>> WISCONSIN REJECTED A RHETORIC
BORN OUT OF APATHY AND ANIMOSITY
TOWARDS OUR NEIGHBOR, AND
WISCONSIN REJECTED A RETURN TO
THE BITTER POLITICS OF
RESENTMENT.
>> HE USED HIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS
TO LAY OUT HOW VOTERS EXPECT A
RETURN TO BIPARTISANSHIP AND
COMPROMISE, WITH A DEMOCRATIC
POINT OF VIEW.
>> PEOPLE VOTED BECAUSE THEY
BELIEVE, AS I DO, THAT WHEN WE
DELIVER TAX RELIEF, IT SHOULD BE
TARGETED TO THE MIDDLE CLASS TO
GIVE WORKING FAMILIES A LITTLE
BREATHING ROOM IN THEIR FAMILY
BUDGET, NOT TO GIVE BIG BREAKS
TO MILLIONAIRES AND
BILLIONAIRES.
>> AFTER THE CEREMONY IN THE
ROTUNDA, MEMBERS OF THE
LEGISLATURE WERE SWORN IN.
WITH REPUBLICANS IN COMMANDING
CONTROL OF BOTH CHAMBERS.
>> SO HELP ME GOD.
>> ASSEMBLY SPEAKER ROBIN VOS
ALSO SPOKE ABOUT COMPROMISE.
>> SO IF YOU COME FROM THE FAR
LEFT OR THE FAR RIGHT, PLEASE
ALWAYS REMEMBER IN THIS
INSTITUTION, THE MIDDLE 90% OF
THE BODY IS WHERE THINGS GET
DONE, NOT ON THE FRINGE.
>> HE, TOO, SPOKE ABOUT TAX
REFORM, FROM A REPUBLICAN POINT
OF VIEW.
>> WHEN I LOOK AT OUR TAX
CLIMATE, I SEE THAT ALL AROUND
US ARE FLAT TAXES.
IN IOWA, MICHIGAN, ILLINOIS.
>> GOVERNOR EVERS PREVIEWED THE
NEXT TWO YEARS WHEN HE SAID THE
INAUGURAL CALLED FOR A PARTY,
BUT THE REAL WORK WAS YET TO
COME.
>> WISCONSIN, WE LOVE YOU.
LET'S POLKA TONIGHT, AND GET TO
WORK TOMORROW.
>> IF TUESDAY NIGHT WAS ABOUT
DANCING THE POLKA, IT HAS BEEN
ABOUT TOURING THE STATE SINCE
THEN.
WE ARE JOINED NOW BY GOVERNOR
TONY EVERS.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.
>> HI, ZAC.
>> GOVERNOR, YOU'VE CRISSCROSSED
WISCONSIN THE LAST COUPLE OF
DAYS.
WHAT DO THOSE VISITS CONNECT TO
THE WORK OF DEALING WITH THE
LEGISLATURE?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, YESTERDAY,
FOR EXAMPLE, I WAS IN TWO SCHOOL
DISTRICTS, AND THE WORK THAT
THEY'RE DOING ABSOLUTEL HAS A
LOT TO DO WITH, YOU KNOW,
FUNDING OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND
OTHER LEGISLATIVE THINGS.
SO WE LEARNED A LOT, EVEN -- YOU
KNOW, THINGS THAT SEEMINGLY ARE
SMALL BUT WE TALKED WITH A LOT
OF STUDENTS ABOUT THEIR YOUTH
APPRENTICESHIPS AND HOW THAT
WORKS.
EVERYTHING I DO, AND I'M GOING
OUT AND ABOUT, THE STATE HAS
SOMETHING TO DO WITH
LEGISLATION.
>> WE SPOKE WITH SPEAKER VOS
LAST MONTH AND HE SAID THAT MORE
MONEY IS NOT THE SOLUTION TO
SOLVING SOME OF THE KNOWLEDGE
GAPS THAT OCCURRED DURING COVID.
DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE?
>> WELL, MONEY DOES PLAY A ROLE,
CLEARLY.
I MEAN, WE HAVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS
GOING TO REFERENDA EVERY SINGLE
ELECTION, AND TWO THINGS HAPPEN
THERE.
ONE IS THAT MOST OF THEM PASS,
AND THAT RAISES PROPERTY TAXES
SO THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A
LEGISLATIVE ISSUE.
AND SECOND OF ALL, THERE'S 20 TO
30% THAT DON'T PASS EVERY TIME,
AND SO WHAT THAT DOES IS CREATES
A SU SYSTEM OF HAVES AND HAVE-N.
THAT IS A LEGISLATIVE ISSUE.
SO YES, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT WE LOOK AT EVERY OPTION TO
HAVE KIDS LEARN IN A BETTER WAY,
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, ONE
OF THOSE THINGS IS RESOURCES.
>> NOW BOTH ON ELECTION NIGHT
AND DURING YOUR INAUGURAL
ADDRESS, YOU CONNECTED YOUR
VICTORY WITH A VOTE TO SAVE
DEMOCRACY.
IS YOUR WIN ENOUGH TO DO THAT,
OR DO WE NEED MORE LEGISLATION
TO AVOID WHAT YOU CALLED, QUOTE,
A TRAJECTORY BENT TOWARD
PERMANENTLY UNDERMINING THE
INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE
FUNDAMENTAL TO WHO WE ARE AS A
PEOPLE?
>> WELL, OUR ELECTION AND THE
WAY IT WAS RUN AND OBVIOUSLY
EVERYTHING WENT FINE, YOU KNOW,
WE HAVE A REPUBLICAN THAT'S HEAD
OF THE WISCONSIN ELECTIONS
COMMISSION, THEY CERTIFIED THE
ELECTION.
SO I THINK THINGS WENT WELL.
NOW, DO I THINK THERE'S SOME
THINGS THAT COULD BE BETTER?
FRANKLY, I WOULD BE -- I'D LIKE
TO HAVE AUTOMATIC VOTER
REGISTRATION SO THAT PEOPLE ARE
REGISTERED.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY HAVE TO
VOTE.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO
GIVE THOSE LOCAL CLERKS THE
ABILITY TO PROCESS SOME OF THOSE
EARLY VOTING THINGS BEFOREHAND
SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO IT
AT 4:00 IN THE MORNING.
BUT THE SYSTEM IS STRONG, AND
BASICALLY, YES, DO I THINK THAT
THAT ELECTION AND THE WAY IT WAS
RUN HELPED PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW
IMPORTANT DEMOCRACY IS?
AND FRANKLY, HOW IT'S ALWAYS
BEEN STRONG.
I MEAN, IN WISCONSIN, SO MUCH OF
THE HARD WORK, 90% OR MORE,
HAPPENS LOCALLY.
AND HAPPENS BY REPUBLICANS,
DEMOCRATS, INDEPENDENTS, YOU
KNOW, THE CLERKS, THE LOCAL
CLERKS.
THOSE ARE THE FOLKS THAT DO ALL
THE HARD WORK.
IT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENS IN
MADISON.
AND SO WE NEED TO REAFFIRM OUR
SUPPORT FOR THAT AND CONTINUE TO
MOVE FORWARD.
>> NOW, YOU'VE HAD MEETINGS WITH
ASSEMBLY SPEAKER ROBIN VOS AND
SENATE MAJORITY LEADER DEVIN
LEMAHIEU LAST MONTH, THE FIRST
TIME IN A LONG TIME FOR THOSE.
DO YOU EXPECT THAT TO BE A
REGULAR THING GOING FORWARD?
>> YEAH, I DO.
I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE
EVERY WEDNESDAY AT NOON OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT YEAH,
I'VE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH
MEETING WITH THEM.
OBVIOUSLY DURING THE PANDEMIC,
THAT MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT.
SO YES, I THOUGHT BOTH MEETINGS
WENT WELL.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO IT, AND
THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS THAT
WE -- YOU KNOW, THAT I KNOW AND
I THINK THEY KNOW TOO, THERE'S
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR.
>> NOW IN YOUR FIRST TWO
BUDGETS, THE NEGOTIATIONS
APPEARED FROM THE OUTSIDE TO
CONSIST OF REPUBLICANS TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT HOW FAR THEY COULD GO
BEFORE YOU WOULD VETO THE ENTIRE
BILL.
DO YOU EXPECT THIS PROCESS TO
LOOK DIFFERENT?
>> IT WILL BE DIFFERENT IN THAT
THINGS LIKE SHARED REVENUE, HOW
WE'RE GOING TO FUND OUR PUBLIC
SCHOOLS, FIXING THE ROADS AND
BROADBAND, THINGS LIKE THAT,
ABSOLUTELY THERE IS COMMON
GROUND TO BE HELD.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE'LL SEE.
YOU KNOW, WE MAY BE IN POSITIONS
WHERE WE FIGHT ABOUT DIFFERENT
THINGS AND I ANTICIPATE WE WILL.
WHETHER THOSE THINGS WILL BE
ENOUGH FOR ME TO VETO A BILL --
A BUDGET OR NOT, I DON'T KNOW AT
THIS TIME.
>> NOW, WE'RE FINALLY STARTING
TO SEE SOME OF GOVERNOR WALKER'S
APPOINTEES TO SOME OF THOSE
STATE BOARDS STEP DOWN AFTER
OVERSTAYING THEIR TERMS,
SPECIFICALLY ON THE DNR BOARD.
IN THE FUTURE, WOULD YOU EXPECT
TO RUN NAMES PAST SENATE
MAJORITY LEMAHIEU IN ORDER TO
SEE IF HE LIKES THEM OFF THE BAT
OR ARE YOU JUST GOING TO
ANNOUNCE THEM COLD?
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE
ANNOUNCE PEOPLE THAT WE FEEL
WILL BE OKAY WITH SENATOR
LEMAHIEU, AND I APPRECIATE THE
FACT THAT HE SAID EVERYONE THAT
WE HAVE OUT THERE, THEY'RE GOING
TO BE GIVEN AN UP AND DOWN VOTE.
AND THEY'RE ALL GOOD PEOPLE.
I MEAN, THERE'S NO REASON WHY
NOT TO.
AND THE FACT THAT -- THE FACT
THAT PEOPLE WAITED, A HANDFUL
WAITED UNTIL THE END OF THE
CALENDAR YEAR TO GET OUT, I FIND
THAT, YOU KNOW, REFRESHING THAT
THEY'D COME TO THAT CONCLUSION,
BUT THAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED A
LONG TIME AGO.
>> YOU RECENTLY ANNOUNCED YOUR
NEW SELECTION FOR DNR SECRETARY,
ADAM PAYNE, JUST SO HAPPENS HE'S
THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FROM
SENATOR LEMAHIEU'S HOME COUNTY
OF SHEBOYGAN.
WAS THAT A COINCIDENCE OR IS
THAT SOMETHING YOU THINK WILL
HELP SPEED THE CONFIRMATION?
>> WELL, IT WAS A COINCIDENCE.
I'D KNOWN ADAM FOR A LONG TIME,
I'M FROM SHEBOYGAN COUNTY, I
KNOW HE'S DONE A GREAT JOB
THERE, I KNOW THAT HIS
BACKGROUND IS ONE THAT, YOU
KNOW, HIS FATHER WAS I THINK A
PROFESSOR AT STEVENS POINT IN
THE AREA OF -- YOU KNOW, NATURAL
RESOURCES.
SO IT WAS JUST A NATURAL.
IF IT HELPS THAT HE'S FROM
SHEBOYGAN COUNTY AND SO IS
SENATOR LEMAHIEU, THAT'S GREAT.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHY WE CHOSE HIM.
>> SWITCHING TO THE TOPIC OF THE
SUPREME COURT ELECTION THAT'S
COMING UP, IT SEEMS LIKE ANY
NEGOTIATIONS OVER THE OTHER
MAJOR TOPIC OF ABORTION WILL BE
TIED DIRECTLY TO TH THE OUTCOMEF
THAT ELECTION, THERE DOESN'T
SEEM TO BE ANY ROOM FOR
COMPROMISE UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT'S
GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE COURT
ON THAT ISSUE.
>> I WOULD SAY SO.
I WOULD IMAGINE WE WILL BE ABLE
TO COME TO SOME CONCLUSION TO
GET US TO THE POINT WHERE WE
WERE BEFORE ROE V. WADE
LEGISLATIVELY, SO THAT'S WHY WE
FILED A LAWSUIT.
I THINK THE LAWSUIT IS GOING TO
BE SUCCESSFUL, AND IT'S LIKELY
TO END UP IN THE WISCONSIN
SUPREME COURT.
>> WOULD YOU BE COMFORTABLE IF
VOTERS APPROACHED THAT SUPREME
COURT ELECTION FROM THE POINT OF
VIEW OF ABORTION RIGHTS?
>> OF COURSE.
YEAH.
IT IS A BIG DEAL IN THE STATE OF
WISCONSIN.
MOST PEOPLE IN THE STATE DO
BELIEVE THAT WOMEN SHOULD HAVE
THAT DECISION-MAKING LEFT UP TO
THEM.
AND SO YES, IF THAT'S THE WAY IT
PLAYS OUT, THAT'S THE WAY IT
PLAYS OUT.
BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT ISSUE.
IT WAS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE IN THE
CAMPAIGN, MY CAMPAIGN, AND I
BELIEVE WOMEN SHOULD HAVE THOSE
RIGHTS.
>> NOW, INCLUDING IN THE TOPIC
OF AWORG ABORTION, THE FDA RECEA
ANNOUNCED THEY WOULD BE
EXPANDING ACCESS TO THE
SO-CALLED ABORTION PILL BUT
THAT'S NOT AVAILABLE IN
WISCONSIN, BOTH DUE TO THE 1849
LAW AND MORE RECENT LEGISLATION.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WILL HAVE
TO GET SORTED OUT WAY DOWN THE
ROAD AS TO WHETHER PEOPLE WILL
BE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT?
>> I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT WILL BE
DEALT WITH BY THE LEGISLATURE,
BUT WE'LL SEE.
I MEAN, CERTAINLY IF THERE'S
THINGS THAT LEGISLATIVELY CAN
HAPPEN THAT ALLOW WOMEN TO
UTILIZE THIS PHARMACEUTICAL, I
THINK WE SHOULD, BUT I'M
GUESSING THAT'S NOT GOING TO
HAPPEN.
SO THAT'S GOING TO BE DOWN THE
ROAD.
>> ONE OTHER ISSUE THAT
REPUBLICANS HAVE BROUGHT UP IS
THE USE OF TIK TOK ON STATE
DEVICES.
WE'VE SEEN OTHER STATES BAN
THEM.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'RE LEANING
TOWARDS?
>> YEAH, I MADE A DECISION TO DO
THAT.
IN FACT, I'LL BE ISSUING AN
EXECUTIVE ORDERLY NEXT WEEK TO
BAN THAT.
>> HOW COME, AND IS THE USE OF
TIK TOK ON STATE DEVICES?
>> NOT VERY.
I MEAN, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE,
IT'S RELATIVELY A SMALL NUMBER,
I'D SAY PROBABLY LESS THAN 30
ALL TOTAL, ALL STATE EMPLOYEES,
SO IT'S NOT A MAJORITY BY ANY
STRETCH.
SO IT'S NOT PERVASIVE, BUT WE
FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT EVEN IN THE SMALL NUMBER OF
PEOPLE THAT USE IT, THAT THEY
SHOULDN'T BE USING IT.
>> DOES THAT FALL UNDER THE
LARGER PURVIEW OF JUST
ELECTRONIC SECURITY?
BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD OTHER
EXPERTS SAY WELL, TIK TOK IS
REALLY NO DIFFERENT THAN A LOT
OF OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA DEVICES
YOU DOWNLOAD ON TO A PHONE.
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
WE ARE IN CONSTANT CONVERSATIONS
WITH FBI AND ALSO WISCONSIN
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND OTHERS
THAT ARE REALLY INTO, YOU KNOW,
THE NITTY GRITTY OF THAT, AND
WE'LL FOLLOW THEIR ADVICE JUST
LIKE WE DID WITH TIK TOK.
>> ALL RIGHT.