Here & Now

Gov. Tony Evers on Latest Escalation of COVID Case Numbers

Frederica Freyberg:

That was Health Secretary-designee Andrea Palm. We’re joined now by Governor Tony Evers for the latest on the pandemic’s grip on Wisconsin. Governor Evers, thanks very much for joining us.

Tony Evers:

Thank you, Frederica.

Frederica Freyberg:

What words do you have for the people of Wisconsin as we experience now a record surge in COVID-19 cases?

Tony Evers:

Yeah. The words are we are not in the best place possible, frankly, as it relates to COVID-19. We’re having some surges around the state. And the time is now. The time is now. You know, school districts making plans for this fall. Lots of things that are happening in the state. And whatever we can do to drive down those numbers is going to be — pay off and it’s about real simple stuff. It’s about masks. It’s about making sure that we’re socially distant. Avoid places where you’re going to be crammed into a small place with a whole bunch of people. A lot of them don’t have masks. That’s probably not a real good thing to do. So it’s the simple stuff that we’re really encouraging people to be careful at this point in time. We have to change the direction.

Frederica Freyberg:

How ready are you to try to impose a statewide mask mandate as other states have now done?

Tony Evers:

Well, certainly the Republicans and their allies on the Supreme Court did what they did, and the ability for me to do that is questionable. So we continue to consider that, but at this point in time, you know, the Republicans, at least publicly, have said they have no interest in this. I know just this last week, the Senate leader was talking that under no way that we’d do this. So we’re working to make sure that people get — we get the word out. And certainly the corporate world has stepped up, with lots of retailing places saying, hey, we’re going to do that and we’re encouraging the people that got money from WEDC to do that. So we’re trying to work that angle. But at the end of the day, whether we did an order or not and whether that order would be found to be valid or not, it’s up to individuals to do this. And individuals really need to step up.

Frederica Freyberg:

We know that Madison and Milwaukee and potentially other districts will start the school year virtually. How safe do you think it is to reopen schools and universities?

Tony Evers:

Well, in certain places, I consider them open if they’re offering instruction. And so virtual opening is okay as long as there’s a pathway towards in-person. We have to have that pathway there. And there will be places in the state that — in the K-12 world that it’s going to be just fine. So I know it’s individual decision-making, but at this point in time, I think that our schools and our universities are doing a good job thinking through this.

Frederica Freyberg:

We learned today the Potawatomi casino will permanently lay off more than 1,000 employees. There are worries about the extra unemployment benefits ending and utility shut-offs and evictions. What can you do about any of that?

Tony Evers:

We have to do the right thing. The idea that people that are deserving of unemployment funds are not getting them, that’s just unacceptable. And so we’re working really hard to do that. In addition, we’re working with the PSC and others to make sure that people that are, you know, having their electricity and utilities turned off have options to provide them with that. So absolutely. That is the most important part of this. It’s the human, frankly, carnage in some respects that this virus has laid at our doorstep. We have to respond and respond appropriately.

Frederica Freyberg:

You met over this week with Vice President Mike Pence. What did he tell you about what kind of financial help might be coming to states and when?

Tony Evers:

Well, he indicated that the Trump administration, when they go through the next go-around of CARES funding, would provide — or they’re interested in providing some money for education, to make sure that they have the money to do what they need to open safely. And that’s great. That’s really good news. But, frankly, we also need money for the state and the counties and the municipalities, too. The revenue loss has been significant, and if that money isn’t provided to us, it’s going to hurt school districts, it’s going to hurt municipalities and counties. So it’s really important for them to step up. And I think something will happen, but it’s — you know, it’s part of the Washington politics. Who knows what’s going to happen?

Frederica Freyberg:

Governor Evers, we need to leave it there. Thanks very much for joining us again.

Tony Evers:

Thanks, Frederica. Good to see you.