>> THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS A PBS WISCONSIN ORIGINAL
PRODUCTION. >> YOU'RE WATCHING HE "HERE AND
NOW" 2024 ELECTION COVERAGE. >> SO WOULDN'T THAT RIGHT THERE
SAY OUR ELECTIONS ARE NOT SECURE?
>> NO. THAT HAS --
>> ELECTION DENIERS CONTINUE TO PRESS OFFICIALS ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED IN 2020, AND K THROUGH 12 SCHOOL BUDGETS.
>> TONIGHT ON "HERE AND NOW," GOVERNOR TONY EVERS JOINS US AS
WE LOOK BACK AT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
FUNDING SHORTFALLS AND HOW THE PRICE OF A BAG OF GROCERIES
COULD SWAY THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
IT'S "HERE AND NOW" FOR MARCH 29.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
WISCONSIN.
>> WISCONSIN VOTERS GO TO THE POLLS NEXT TUESDAY, APRIL 2nd.
THIS SPRING ELECTION INCLUDES A PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE VOTE,
WHICH MAY GIVE A SENSE OF WHICH WAY OUR PIVOTAL BATTLEGROUND
STATE COULD TIP. MEANWHILE, IN POLICY AND
POLITICS AT THE STATE LEVEL, GOVERNOR TONY EVERS WITH WHAT HE
SIGNED INTO LAW AND WHAT HE VETOED AND WHY.
HE JOINS US NOW. GOVERNOR, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR
DOING SO. >> THANKS, FREDERICA.
>> SO YOU HAVE TAKEN ACTION ON A RAFT OF LEGISLATIVE BILLS IN THE
PAST SEVERAL DAYS. WHAT, FOR YOU, ARE THE MOST
IMPORTANT BILLS THAT YOU'VE SIGNED INTO LAW THIS SESSION?
>> IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN A PRETTY GOOD BIPARTISAN SESSION.
I KNOW THE -- WHEN PEOPLE HEAR IT FROM THE OUTSIDE, WE'RE
FIGHTING ALL THE TIME, BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS WE HAVE
FAIR MAPS. THAT WAS A BIPARTISAN WIN.
SHARED REVENUES WAS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
BREWER STADIUM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, JUST TO NAME A FEW, AND
ALL OF THEM WERE BIPARTISAN AND VERY MEANINGFUL AND IMPORTANT
BILLS, SO I WAS REALLY, REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
WE PROVIDE SOME MORE MONEY FOR OUR SCHOOLS.
CLEARLY, WE HAD DECADES WORTH OF KIND OF STARVING OUR SCHOOLS, SO
IT WASN'T ENOUGH, BUT IT CERTAINLY WAS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE
AND LOTS OF RESOURCES FOR HEALTH FOR KIDS.
THAT'S REALLY CRITICAL. >> YOU SPOKE TO THE BIPARTISAN
NATURE OF THESE BILLS, NOW SIGNED INTO LAW, BUT DO YOU LOOK
FORWARD TO A CHANGING POLITICAL LANDSCAPE BECAUSE OF NEW MAPS?
SHOULD IT LEAD TO EVEN LESS FEUDING AND MORE COMPROMISE?
>> IT SHOULD, AND THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
FAIR MAPS DOES NOT MEAN DEMOCRATICALLY GERRYMANDERED
MAPS. IT JUST MEANS THE RATIONALE HERE
IS THAT WISCONSIN IS A PURPLE STATE AND RACES SHOULD BE CLOSE
AND HARD-FOUGHT AND GIVE PEOPLE THE CHANCE TO INTERACT WITH
CANDIDATES FROM BOTH PARTIES. AND SO I THINK IT'S BEST FOR
DEMOCRACY, AND SO I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
I THINK THERE WILL BE MORE DEMOCRATS IN THE LEGISLATURE
THAN BEFORE, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE CLOSE.
AND SO I DO THINK THAT BIPARTISANSHIP WILL BE AMPLIFIED
BY THAT, ABSOLUTELY. >> WHICH DO YOU BELIEVE WERE
YOUR MOST IMPORTANT VETOES? >> WELL, I WOULD SAY THE
IMPORTANT VETOES, THERE'S SEVERAL, BUT THE ONE I'M
THAT JUST NEVER MADE IT TO MEES- THAT WEREN'T -- WE DIDN'T HAVE A
CHANCE TO VETO. ESSENTIALLY THE POSTPARTUM
PIECE, WHERE WE COULD GIVE -- COULD HAVE GAVE WOMEN A FULL
YEAR INSTEAD OF 60 DAYS, MAKING SURE THAT OUR PEOPLE AT THE
POLLS ARE DOING -- YOU KNOW, CAN OPEN ENVELOPES THE DAY BEFORE SO
THAT THEY'RE NOT SO SCURRYING AROUND ON ELECTION DAY.
THERE'S A WHOLE NUMBER OF THINGS THAT FRANKLY DIDN'T HAPPEN, AND
THE ONE THING THAT I'LL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT, FRANKLY,
IS CRITICAL, IS CHILDCARE. CHILDCARE OPERATIONS IN THE
STATE ARE JUST BARELY HANGING IN THERE AND IF WE WANT TO HAVE A
STRONG ECONOMY, WE NEED A STRONG INDUSTRY OF CHILDCARE.
SO THOSE ARE THINGS I DIDN'T VETO; WE JUST NEVER GOT THERE.
>> SO WHAT ARE SOME LINGERING ISSUES?
THE 15 MILLION IN HEALTHCARE KIND OF HELP FOR THE CHIPPEWA
VALLEY AND P.F.A.S. COME TO MIND.
>> YEAH. I HAVE YET TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE
CAN'T RELEASE THAT MONEY FOR FOLKS IN THE NORTHWEST
WISCONSIN. I HEARD DIRECTLY FROM THE FOLKS
UP THERE THAT THEY WANTED -- THE LEGISLATION ITSELF JUST SAID
HERE'S $15 MILLION FOR EMERGENCY ROOM WORK.
THAT'S IMPORTANT, BUT WE NEED TO DELIVER BABIES UP THERE.
WE HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN NORTHWEST WISCONSIN.
SO IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT I DID A PARTIAL VETO ON THAT AND MADE IT
MORE REASONABLE FOR THE PEOPLE UP THERE TO KIND OF GET THROUGH
UNTIL THEY HAVE SOMETHING PERMANENT.
BUT THE JOINT FINANCE COMMITTEE JUST CANNOT SEE FIT TO SEND THEM
THE MONEY. IT'S JUST VERY, VERY
DISAPPOINTING. >> ON SCHOOLS, YOU SPOKE TO
SCHOOL FUNDING EARLIER, BUT VOTERS WILL BE ASKED ON THEIR
BALLOTS ON O TUESDAY'S ELECTION WHETHER TO SPEND $1 BILLION TO
SUPPLEMENT FUNDING IN THEIR SCHOOLS.
VOTE "YES" ON THOSE? >> WELL, CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW,
IT'S DIFFICULT. AS I SAID BEFORE, WE DID A
PRETTY GOOD JOB OF HAVING A HEAD START ON THE ISSUE OF FUNDING,
BUT FUNDING IS DIFFERENT IN EVERY DIFFERENT -- YOU KNOW,
IT'S A VERY COMPLEX SITUATION IN SOME SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY HAVE
REVENUE AT HOME IN THEIR OWN DISTRICT, SO IT'S A COMPLICATED
THING. POSITION, BUT WE HAVE 10 YEARS
OR MORE OF ESSENTIALLY STARVING OUR SCHOOLS AND WHAT WE ARE ABLE
TO DO WAS -- THAT FINALLY GOT THROUGH WAS ABOUT 50% OF WHAT
THE ORIGINAL BUDGET WAS, AND SO I'M NOT SURPRISED THAT THERE'S
MORE SCHOOLS GOING THROUGH REFERENDUM, THEY NEED IT.
I HOPE THAT PEOPLE WILL BE SUPPORTIVE, BUT I ALSO
UNDERSTAND THAT ANY TIME WE HAVE A REFERENDUM, YOU'RE GOING TO BE
INCREASING THE TAX HA -- THE LOL TAXES.
BUT PEOPLE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, BUT IN THE
PAST, I'M ASSUMING IT'S THE SAME CASE HERE, IS THERE WILL BE
PLENTY OF WINNERS AND A HANDFUL OF LOSERS AND UNFORTUNATELY
THOSE LOSERS WILL LIKELY HAVE TO MAKE SOME REALLY DIFFICULT
DECISIONS, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO THE NUMBER OF
TEACHERS THEY HAVE. >> WHAT ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL
AMOUNTS THAT SEEK TO PROHIBIT OUTSIDE GRANTS AND ELECTION
ADMINISTRATION OR OUTSIDE EXPERTS STEMMING FROM 2020
CONCERNS? WERE LEGISLATIVE BILLS?
>> BECAUSE THEY ARE UNNECESSARY AND, FRANKLY, WE'RE GOING TO
MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO VOTE. IT'S A CORE THING FOR ME AND I
THINK MOST WISCONSINITES. WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO
VOTE INSTEAD OF DISCOURAGE THEM, AND SO I FELT BOTH OF THOSE WERE
HEADED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION AND SO I VETOED THEM.
NOW, I FIND IT AMAZING THAT, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T OVERRIDE MY
VETO, SOMEHOW THE LEGISLATURE CAN PUT IT ON THE BALLOT AND
MAKE IT PART OF THE CONSTITUTION.
THESE THINGS AREN'T CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES, BUT SO I
WILL BE VOTING AGAINST THOSE BECAUSE I VETOED THEM TO BEGIN
WITH. I THOUGHT BOTH OF THEM WOULD
MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE AND WE SHOULD BE
MAKING IT -- MAKING IT A FRIENDLY OPPORTUNITY.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO VOTE. WEPT MORE PEOPLE TO VOTE.
SIMPLE AS THAT. AND BOTH OF THESE ARE NOT HEADED
IN THAT DIRECTION. >> ALL RIGHT.
WE LEAVE IT THERE. GOVERNOR TONY EVERS, THANK YOU
VERY MUCH. >> THANKS, FREDERICA.
HAVE A GOOD DAY. >> AS WE MENTIONED, NEXT
TUESDAY, MANY VOTERS ACROSS THE STATE WILL DECIDE ON THE FUTURE
OF THEIR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT. 62 DISTRICTS ARE ASKING VOTERS
TO APPROVE AN OPERATING REFERENDUM WHICH ALLOWS
DISTRICTS TO RAISE THEIR TAX LEVY IN ORDER TO FUND DAY-TO-DAY
OPERATIONS. MILWAUKEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHERE
THEY'RE ASKING VOTERS TO APPROVE $252 MILLION OVER FOUR YEARS,
BUT THE NEEDS VARY ACCORDING TO SIZE.
SEEKING JUST $500,000 A YEAR. WHAT'S CONSISTENT IS THAT, OVER
THE PAST FEW YEARS, THE NUMBER OF DISTRICTS GOING TO REFERENDUM
HAS INCREASED AND THERE'S NO SIGN OF THE TREND SLOWING DOWN.
"HERE AND NOW" SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER, ZAC SCHULTZ, EXPLAINS
WHY SO MANY DISTRICTS ARE FACING THIS FISCAL CLIFF.
>> INSIDE FORT ATKINSON SCHOOLS, THINGS LOOK NORMAL.
KIDS ARE READING, LEARNING MATH, PLAYING INSTRUMENTS.
BUT THINGS COULD LOOK DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT NEXT FALL
IF THE VOTERS DON'T APPROVE THE OPERATING REFERENDUM ON THE
BALLOT APRIL 2nd. >> THIS ISN'T A REFERENDUM THAT
WE CAN LIVE WITHOUT. >> Reporter: ROB ABBOTT IS THE
FORT ATKINSON ADMINISTRATOR AND THIS IS HIS THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR
TRYING TO PASS A REFERENDUM. >> TWO YEARS AGO WAS THE FIRST
TIME THAT THE COMMUNITY REJECTED THE OPERATIONAL REFERENDUM.
AND IN THAT EFFORT, WE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE NEEDS WEREN'T
GOING TO CHANGE AND THAT WE WOULD NEED TO COME BACK AGAIN,
WHICH WE DID LAST APRIL. >> FORT ATKINSON HAS A LONG
RECORD OF SUPPORTING OPERATING REFERENDUM FOR THE SCHOOLS.
>> SO LAST SPRING, WE FAILED THE OPERATIONAL REFERENDUM SOMEWHAT
SIGNIFICANTLY AND IT WAS REALLY PERHAPS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE
REALLY GAVE PAUSE TO THINGS HAVE REALLY CHANGED.
>> THE DISTRICT CUT $3.3 MILLION FROM THEIR BUDGET, INCLUDING 45
STAFF POSITIONS. NOW THEY'RE ASKING FOR $6.5
MILLION A YEAR FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS TO AVOID MORE CUTS.
ABBOTT SAID JUST ABOUT EVERY DISTRICT GOING TO REFERENDUM IS
IN THE SAME SITUATION. >> THIS SPRING OR CERTAINLY WITH
THE NEXT NOVEMBER ELECTION CYCLE, THAT DISTRICTS WHO AREN'T
SUCCESSFUL ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT SIGNIFICANT
REDUCTIONS. >> BUT HOW DID IT GET TO THIS
POINT? THE SHORT-TERM ANSWER BRINGS US
BACK TO THE SPRING OF 2021, WHEN THE STATE HAD RECEIVED $1.5
BILLION IN FEDERAL COVID RELIEF AID EARMARKED FOR SCHOOLS.
THOSE COVID FUNDS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE USED TO HELP KIDS CATCH UP
FROM PANDEMIC LEARNING LOSS AND DEAL WITH INCREASED MENTAL
HEALTH ISSUES. BUT REPUBLICANS IN CONTROL OF
THE STATE LEGISLATURE PASSED A STATE BUDGET WITH A ZERO-DOLLAR
INCREASE IN PER PUPIL AID FOR STUDENTS FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS,
COUNTING FEDERAL DOLLARS AS STATE FUNDING.
>> THIS BUDGET, MORE THAN ANY OTHER ONE THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN
MY LIFETIME, GIVES HUGE INCREASES TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HUGE. EVEN BE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY
SPEND. >> RIGHT BEFORE THE VOTE,
HEATHER DuBOIS MADE THIS PUBLIC'S.
>> THE BUDGET THAT HAS BEEN PUT FORWARD TO OUR STATE LEGISLATURE
THAT THEY WILL VOTE ON ONE WEEK FROM TODAY IN THE ASSEMBLY IS A
PROMISE TO MAKE EXISTING GAPS WIDER AND TO MAKE EXISTING
DISPARITIES WORSE. >> THEY COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE
RIGHT ABOUT THAT. >> TODAY, SHE SAYS THE STATE HAS
UNDERFUNDED SCHOOLS FOR 15 YEARS, DRAWING A STRAIGHT LINE
FROM THE STATE BUDGET TO LOCAL REFERENDA.
>> OH, THAT'S AN "A" TO "B" LINE.
GET. THE REASON THAT DISTRICTS ARE
FORCED TO GO TO OPERATING REFERENDA RIGHT NOW IS BECAUSE
THEY ARE ENDURING THESE DECADE-LONG CUTS.
>> SINCE THE START OF APRIL 2021, 152 SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN
WISCONSIN HAVE GONE TO THE VOTERS ASKING THEM TO PASS AN
OPERATING REFERENDUM. SOME OF THEM MULTIPLE TIMES.
123 DISTRICTS, SHOWN HERE IN GREEN, HAVE PASSED AN OPERATING
REFERENDUM. DOWN BY THEIR VOTERS, SOME OF
THEM MULTIPLE TIMES. 62 DISTRICTS HAVE OPERATING
REFERENDA ON THE BALLOT ON APRIL 2nd.
ONE OF THOSE IS THE RICHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT.
>> IT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME AT ALL THAT MANY, MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS
ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO REFERENDUM JUST TO MAINTAIN THE
SERVICES THAT THEY'VE BEEN PROVIDING FOR OUR STUDENTS.
>> STEVE BOARD IS THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR.
HE SAYS RICHLAND USED SOME OF THEIR COVID DOLLARS FOR THEIR
INTENDED PURPOSE. THEY HIRED TEACHERS TO HELP WITH
LEARNING LOSS. NOW THEY NEED THE COMMUNITY TO
APPROVE AN OPERATIONAL REFERENDUM IF THEY WANT TO KEEP
THEM. OUR STUDENTS, AND IN DOING SO,
WE WERE ROLLING THE DICE A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T
KNOW IF THOSE POSITIONS WOULD CONTINUE, AND OBVIOUSLY THEY
WOULDN'T WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF A REFERENDUM.
>> RICHLAND IS ALSO ASKING FOR A CAPITAL REFERENDUM TO UPDATE
THINGS LIKE AN OLD ROOF AND BROKEN BATH ROOMS.
>> OUR COMMUNITY FEELS THAT OUR, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, NEW HIGH SCHOOL,
WHICH IS BUILT IN 1996, IS NEW, BUT IT'S PUSHING 30 YEARS OLD.
>> SO HOW DID WE GET TO THIS POINT?
WHILE THE SHORT-TERM POINTS TO RECENT STATE BUDGETS, THE
LONG-TERM ANSWER IS OLDER THAN THE RICHLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
THE SCHOOL LEVY LIMITS WERE IMPOSED BY THE STATE IN THE
EARLY '90s TO CONTROL PROPERTY TAXES.
EACH BUDGET THE STATE WOULD INCREASE THE LEVY BY THE AMOUNT
OF INFLATION, BUT IN THE WAKE OF THE 2009 GREAT RECESSION AND
CONTINUING THROUGH THE SCOTT WALKER ERA, THE LEVY INCREASES
WERE UNCOUPLED FROM INFLATION. >> THE SHORTFALL WAS OVER $3,000
PER STUDENT. THAT'S A MONUMENTAL CHANGE.
>> REPRESENTATIVE SCOTT JOHNSON IS A REPUBLICAN IN THE STATE
ASSEMBLY. AND HE USED TO SIT ON THE FORT
ATKINSON SCHOOL BOARD. >> REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN IN
CHARGE OF THE BIENNIAL BUDGETS AND IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT MOST
OF US REPUBLICANS WANT TO FAVOR SCHOOL CHOICE, VOUCHER SCHOOLS,
CHARTER SCHOOLS. >> JOHNSON SAYS TOO MANY OF HIS
COLLEAGUES IN THE LEGISLATURE ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH SCHOOL
FUNDING. >> MANY DO NOT UNDERSTAND IT.
IT'S A CONVOLUTED, CHALLENGING SYSTEM.
HAVE-DRIVEN A SCHOOL BUS, AS HE STILL DOES, AND BEEN ABLE TO SEE
THE KIDS THAT ARE HEADING OFF TO CLASS IN THE MORNING.
>> I WANT TO GIVE THAT CHILD A GOOD MORNING GREETING SO THAT
THEY'VE HEARD SOMETHING POSITIVE.
SIMPLE TRUTH IS SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE TO PASS OPERATING REFERENDA
JUST TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, BECAUSE STATE FUNDING HAS NOT
KEPT UP. >> WE'RE GOING TO BALANCE LOCAL
SCHOOL BUDGETS BY REFERENDUM, AND SO BASICALLY, EVERY SCHOOL
DISTRICT IS FACING THIS CLIFF. EVERY THREE, FOUR YEARS,
DEPENDING UPON HOW LONG THEY RUN THEIR SUNSET REFERENDA.
>> SO WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT SITUATION?
LOCAL PROPERTY TAXPAYERS SIMPLY HAVE TO PAY A LARGER SHARE OF
THE COST AND WE'RE SEEING THAT ALL OVER THE STATE.
>> Reporter: IN MUCH OF THE STATE, THE SAME VOTERS WHO ARE
DECIDING THESE REFERENDA ARE THE ONES WHO ELECTED THE REPUBLICAN
LAWMAKERS WHO UNDERFUNDED THE SCHOOLS IN THE FIRST PLACE.
>> POINTING OUT THE GAP BETWEEN WHAT VOTERS WANT, WHAT THEY'RE
VOTING FOR AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, AND WHAT THEY'RE GETTING FROM
REPUBLICAN LEADERS IN MADISON I THINK IS A REALLY IMPORTANT
MISSING LINK HERE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T REALLY CONNECTING.
>> Reporter: BUT DON'T EXPECT THE SCHOOLS TO POINT THAT OUT.
>> WE'VE WORKED HARD TO BE AS APOLITICAL AS POSSIBLE, AND IT'S
NOT TO OUR BENEFIT TO ALIGN, YOU KNOW, ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, BUT
CERTAINLY THE DICHOTOMY SOCIETALLY IS NOT PLAYING TO OUR
FAVOR. >> THE RICHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT
COULD NOT BE IN A MORE ADVANTAGEOUS POSITION
POLITICALLY. BOTH TONY KURTZ AND HOWARD
MARKLEIN SIT ON THE JOINT FINANCE COMMITTEE WHICH WRITES
THE STATE BUDGET. >> I ALSO TRY TO HAVE
CONVERSATIONS WITH TONY KURTZ AND HOWARD MARKLEIN IN TERMS OF
THIS IS A REALITY OF WHERE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE AT SO THAT
THEY UNDERSTAND. >> BOTH HOWARD MARKLEIN AND TONY
KURTZ DECLINED TO SPEAK WOULD YOU SAY FOR THIS REPORT.
>> THE FOLKS IN THE STATE HOUSE ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT TO BLAME
FOR THAT. >> DuBOIS SAYS BEYOND SCHOOL
DISTRICTS HAVING TO CONSTANTLY RETURN TO THE VOTERS, THE
PROBLEM COMES WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AT THE MAP AND SEE IN WHICH
DISTRICTS THE REFERENDA ARE FAILING OR WHERE THEY'RE NOT
EVEN ASKING FOR MORE FUNDS. >> IT'S WIDENING THE GAPS ACROSS
OUR DISTRICTS, ACROSS OUR SCHOOLS, AND IT'S REALLY
GUARANTEEING THAT THERE ARE SOME KIDS IN THIS STATE WHO SIMPLY
ARENER GOING TO SEE ENOUGH RESOURCE TO THRIVE UNLESS WE
CHANGE THE DIRECTION THIS SHIP IS STARING STEERING QUICKLY.
>> THERE ARE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WILL BE DOING THE BEAR
MINIMUMS ACROSS THE BOARD AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE THE HIGH RENT
DISTRICTS THAT WILL SPEND ALMOST TWICE AS MUCH AND THEORETICALLY,
WE'LL TRY TO TELL THE PUBLIC THAT THOSE TWO EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES ARE THE SAME, AND I WILL SUGGEST TO YOU THAT
THAT'S MISLEADING. >> REPORTING FROM FORT ATKINSON,
I'M ZAC SCHULTZ FOR "HERE AND NOW."
>> FACING THE HEADWINDS OF THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, THE
NON-PARTISAN GROUP, KEEP OUR REPUBLIC, TEAMS UP WITH
WISCONSIN ELECTIONS COMMISSION TO PROVIDE AN INFORMATIONAL
SESSION TO VOTERS ABOUT HOW ELECTIONS WORK.
THE EVENT, HELD IN WEST BEND, ASPIRED TO BRING GREATER
TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO ELECTION PROCESS IN WISCONSIN
AS WELL AS DISPEL INFORMATION THAT CONTINUES TO SIMMER.
THE FIRST HOUR OF THE EVENT SPOKE TO THE MECHANICS OF HOW
WISCONSIN ELECTIONS ARE RUN. SPEAKERS INCLUDED FORMER
REPUBLICAN SENATOR AND CURRENT STATE DIRECTOR OF KEEP OUR
REPUBLIC, KATHY BERNIER. MEAGAN WOLFE AND LOCAL WEST BEND
OFFICIALS, BUT DESPITE THE EFFORT TO ALLAY CONCERNS ABOUT
STATE ELECTION OPERATIONS, IN SOME INSTANCES, IT SEEMED TO
FUEL THEORIES ABOUT THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND WHAT'S
TO COME IN NOVEMBER 2024. >> BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THEY DID
NOT FIND FRAUD IN GREEN BAY. >> FOR NEARLY TWO HOURS, THE
PANELISTS TOOK QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE WITH A COMMON
THEME. >> YOU DIDN'T CHALLENGE THE
FRAUDULENT-LARS ELECTORS EVEN THOUGH YOU WERE THREE DAYS
BEFORE THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE. THIS WAS ON FRIDAY THE 11th.
SO ARE YOU GOING TO PLEDGE THAT FROM STOPPING THIS YEAR?
YES OR NO, ARE YOU GOING TO STOP THAT?
REMAINS UNRESOLVED. >> I THOUGHT IT WAS PURPLE.
>> I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT! ANSWER THE QUESTION!
>> WE ARE IN 2024. >> BUT NOT ALL ATTENDEES
APPROACHED THE EVENT DEMANDING ANSWERS ABOUT 2020.
>> WE JUST DON'T YELL AT THE PEOPLE WHO ADMINISTER THE
ELECTIONS, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HOLD THE PEOPLE IN
MADISON ACCOUNTABLE WHEN WE SEND THEM THERE.
IF THEY'RE NOT DOING WHAT WE WANT THEM TO.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE ELECTIONS. >> WE CAME HERE TO LEARN ABOUT
THE PROCESS. SOME PEOPLE ASKING QUESTIONS
WERE ATTACKING THIS. THIS IS THE WRONG PLACE.
THIS IS AN INFORMATIONAL SEMINAR.
IT WASN'T A PLACE TO SAY, HEY, HOW ARE WE GOING TO CHANGE THESE
THINGS. >> KEEP OUR REPUBLIC PLANS TO
HOLD THREE MORE OF THESE EVENTS ACROSS THE STATE.
IN ECONOMIC NEWS AND THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, WHAT IS
THE DISCONNECT BETWEEN LOWERED INFLATION, LOW UNEMPLOYMENT AND
HIGHER WAGES AND CONSUMERS WHO FEEL THE PAIN OF HIGH COSTS AT
THE CHECKOUT AND THEN BLAME THE CURRENT BIDEN ADMINISTRATION,
LONGING FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE TO BE THE HALCYON DAYS OF TRUMP.
WE TRIED TO UNPACK THIS NOW WITH CHIEF ANALYST AT THE CENTER FOR
BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC INSIGHT AT UW STEVENS POINT, KEVIN BAHR.
PROFESSOR, THANK YOU FOR BEING >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME BACK,
FREDERICA. >> SO BY IMPORTANT MEASURES, THE
ECONOMY IS STRONG. WHY AREN'T AVERAGE CONSUMERS
FEELING IT, IF THEY AREN'T? >> HUH.
COMPLEX QUESTION, BUT I THINK THE BIG, PROBABLY, STICKING
POINT FOR SOME PEOPLE IN TERMS OF NOT FEELING THE STRENGTH OF
THE ECONOMY, THE STRENGTH OF THE STOCK MARKET, HAS BASICALLY BEEN
FOOD PRICES. FOOD PRICES ARE UP
SIGNIFICANTLY, IF YOU LOOK OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THEY HAVE
RISEN ABOUT 26% IN THE UNITED STATES AND THAT FOOD PRICE, I
MEAN, IT'S TOUGH BECAUSE WHEN FOOD PRICES GO UP, IT'S NOT LIKE
YOU CAN AVOID BUYING FOOD. IT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY
NEEDS, AND PARTICULARLY FOR LOWER AND MIDDLE INCOME
AMERICANS, THAT TAKES UP A BIGGER PORTION OF YOUR OVERALL
BUDGET, SO IT REALLY HITS LOWER INCOME MIDDLE AMERICANS HARD.
THAT BEING SAID, IT'S BEEN GLOBAL FACTORS THAT HAVE
INCREASED GLOBAL FOOD PRICES AND THAT INCLUDES ANYTHING FROM
PUTIN INVADING THE UKRAINE, WHICH CAUSED WHEAT PRICES TO
RAISE 50%, THE CRANE AND RUSSIA ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 25% OF GLOBAL
WHEAT EXPORTS, AGRICULTURAL FERTILIZER SPIKED.
RUSSIA IS THE NUMBER ONE EXPORTER OF AGRICULTURAL
FERTILIZER. THEN YOU THROW IN LININGS LIKE E
THE AVIAN FLEW, LABOR COSTS ARE UP, IT'S A GLOBAL THING.
>> SO IT'S NOT, AS SOME WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST, QUOTE,
CORPORATE GREED WHERE PROFITS ARE UP OVER40%?
>> WELL, YOU CAN ARGUE THAT THAT PLAYS INTO IT.
I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE FACTORS.
GLOBAL PROFITS ARE BASICALLY AT RECORD LEVELS.
BACK IN 2022, THEY BACKED UP A LITTLE BIT, BUT THEY'RE STILL
OFF SIGNIFICANTLY, SAY, RELATIVE TO 2019, SO THAT PLAYS INTO IT,
BUT THEN YOU ALSO GET INTO WHAT CAN BE DONE TO LESSEN INDUSTRY
CONCENTRATION IN SOME AREAS OF THE FOOD INDUSTRY, AND THAT'S
KIND OF A LONG-TERM THING. YOUR NOT GOING TO BE SETTLING
THAT OVERNIGHT. >> SO I READ A SAYING THAT
PRICES RISE LIKE A ROCKET AND FALL LIKE A FEATHER.
IS THAT WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE OR HAVE MARKET FORCES KIND OF
CHANGED MORE SIGNIFICANTLY? >> WELL, IT'S SORT OF A
COMBINATION. PRICES TYPICALLY GO UP A LOT
EASIER THAN WHAT THEY COME DOWN. YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, PRICES IN A GIVEN MONTH OVERALL,
DON'T REALLY COME DOWN TOO OFTEN, BUT, AGAIN, WITH KIND OF
THE RECENT, KIND OF THE RECENT RUN UP IN COSTS, PRODUCTION
COSTS ARE UP, TRANSPORTATION COSTS ARE UP, LABOR COSTS ARE
UP. SO IT'S A LOT HARDER TO GET
PRICES TO COME DOWN. SOME PRODUCTS, YES.
THERE'S GOING TO BE PRODUCTION EVACUATION IN SOME PRODUCTS, BUT
THE OVERALL PRICE LEVEL, IT'S TOUGH TO DRIVE DOWN.
>> WHAT IS CONTRIBUTING TO PEOPLE FEELING LIKE THE ECONOMY
IS BAD FOR THEM? >> YOU CAN LOOK AT THE HOUSING
MARKET. HOUSING'S BEEN TOUGH IN A LOT OF
THE INCREASE IN, FOR EXAMPLE, HOUSING PRICES WENT UP ABOUT --
THE INCREASE IN HOUSING PRICES IN THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF THIS
DECADE MATCHED THE INCREASE IN HOUSING PRICES OVER THE ENTIRE
LAST DECADE, AND THAT HAS REALLY BEEN DRIVEN BY THE DROP IN
SUPPLY, WHICH STARTED TO OCCUR IN 2020.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL LISTINGS, AVAILABLE HOUSING,
THAT HAS INCREASED CERTAINLY CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE
COST OF HOUSING AND HOUSING PRICES.
SO BETWEEN COST OF HOUSING AND FOOD PRICES, THOSE ARE THE BIG
STICKING POINTS FOR THE ECONOMY. >> SO HOW MUCH IS POLITICAL
MESSAGING CONTRIBUTING TO CONSUMERS ' ATTITUDES ABOUT THER
OWN ECONOMIC WELL-BEING? >> I THINK POLITICAL MESSAGING
PLAYS A BIG FACTOR. LET ME THROW SOMETHING OUT JUST
SO WE KIND OF HIT BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, IF YOU WILL.
THE GLOBAL PRICE OF OIL TANKED FROM $70 TO ABOUT $25 A BARREL
ON THE FIRST HALF OF 2020. SO OIL COMPANIES CUT THEIR
PRODUCTION, LOWERED THEIR LEVELS OF INVENTORY.
YOU COULDN'T BLAME TRUMP FOR THE REDUCTION IN OIL PRODUCTION.
AND THERE'S GLOBAL FACTORS AT PLAY AS FAR AS FOOD PRICES.
I DON'T THINK BIDEN SHOULD BE BLAMED FOR THAT.
THE ONLY THING YOU COULD SAY CONTRIBUTE TO THAT, WE'VE HAD A
VERY STRONG ECONOMY, STRONG DEMAND, STRONG JOB MARKET.
YOU HAVE PEOPLE WORKING. IF YOU HAD UNIMPLEMENT AT 10%
VERSUS 4%, THAT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE OVERALL
DEMAND. PROFESSOR BAHR, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH. >> FOR MORE ON THIS AND OTHER
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THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT. I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND.
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