PBS Wisconsin Public Affairs

2022 State of the State Address

Announcer:

The following program is a PBS Wisconsin original production.

Frederica Freyberg:

Welcome to Wisconsin Public Media’s coverage of Governor Tony Evers’ fourth State of the State Address. We’re bringing you live coverage tonight from the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison. In a few moments, Tony Evers, the 46^th governor of Wisconsin, will make his way into the Assembly chambers. He will speak tonight before a joint session of the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate, the State Supreme Court, his cabinet and tribal leaders. Good evening. I’m Frederica Freyberg from PBS Wisconsin.

Shawn Johnson:

I’m Shawn Johnson from Wisconsin Public Radio. Tonight Democratic Governor Tony Evers lays out his plans for 2022. He’ll be speaking to the 105^th session of the Wisconsin Legislature.

Frederica Freyberg:

Wisconsin State Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu will provide this year’s Republican response following the governor’s State of the State Address. And of course this is an election year State of the State Address.

Shawn Johnson:

It’s inescapable. Every four years a governor has to stand up there and either give a farewell or give a re-election speech essentially when they deliver the State of the State Address.

Man:

The Joint Committee shall come to order.

Shawn Johnson:

And you can hear the Assembly coming to order right now.

Man:

The chair recognizes the Assembly Sergeant At Arms.

Assembly Sergeant At Arms:

Mr. President and members, the governor of the great state of Wisconsin, the honorable Tony Evers!

[cheers and applause]

Shawn Johnson:

This might be the only time tonight where both sides are standing to applaud. You know, obviously it’s a contentious atmosphere in the state government between the governor and Republican lawmakers. They pass a lot of stuff that he vetoes. And they don’t pass a lot of stuff he wants.

Frederica Freyberg:

That’s correct. Notable, too, I guess that he is wearing a mask, as are seemingly most Democrats. Others in the chambers are not.

Shawn Johnson:

And this is totally hard to compare to previous years, but you just talk about applause. I feel like the Republican side of the aisle died down on applause there a little earlier than usual just based on memory. There’s Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, who’s running for U.S. Senate. The governor now shaking hands with speaker pro tem, Speaker Robin Vos and the President Chris Kapenga. He’s about ready to give his remarks to the state legislature and the people of Wisconsin.

Tony Evers:

Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.

Chris Kapenga:

At this time I would like to introduce to you the governor of the great state of Wisconsin, the honorable governor Tony Evers!

Tony Evers:

Thank you.

[cheers and applause]

Tony Evers:

Thank you. Thank you so much. Good evening, Wisconsin. Good evening. Honorable Supreme Court justices, Tribal Nation leaders, Major General Knapp, members of the Wisconsin National Guard and active and retired members of our armed forces, cabinet members, Senate President Kapenga, Majority Leader LeMahieu, Minority Leader Bewley, Speaker Vos, and Minority Leader Neubauer, legislators, distinguished guests, and, most importantly, all of the folks tuning in from home. Thank you so much. Welcome and thank you for joining us.

[cheers and applause]

In case you forgot, I’m Tony Evers, and I’m incredibly proud to be your governor, the 46th governor of this great state.

[cheers and applause]

The rest of my kids are watching from home this evening, but my daughter Katie is with us tonight. And my forever junior prom date, Kathy, is also up in the gallery. Well be celebrating our 50th anniversary later this year. Kathleen Frances, I’m just as crazy about you as I was 50 years ago. How about that? Thanks for your support, your wisdom, your patience, and your wit. I love you so much.

[cheers and applause]

50 years. As I deliver my fourth State of the State Address to you tonight, I recognize there are those who wouldve said it was very unlikely I’d ever become governor. I was a scrawny kid with big glasses. I still got them. Who grew up in Plymouth, which is for those of you who don’t know, the cheese capital of the world. Yes. I raised hell and played bass guitar in a rock band in high school. I worked in a cheese factory scraping mold off of cheese. I took my kindergarten classmate to junior prom and ended up spending the rest of my life with her.

[applause]

I didnt plan my career just so I could be standing up here tonight. I didnt spend years pining to run for this office. And I’d much rather spend time listening to others than talking about myself, which, I’ve found out, isnt something I have in common with most politicians. I guess, in so many ways, maybe it was unlikely. But you might not know just how close I was to ending up on a much different career path. So, tonight, for the first time, I want to begin by telling a story I havent shared before. I grew up in a house of healthcare workers. My mom was a nurse, and my dad was a doctor who took care of tuberculosis patients at a sanitorium in Sheboygan County. And I’d grown up always wanting to be like them. I wanted to help people just like they did. So in 1974, I was doing just that and trying to follow in their footsteps. I was in my first year of medical school in Austria when Kathy and I found out that we were expecting our first kid. Well, as you can imagine, spending years going to medical school wasnt exactly ideal for raising a newborn. So I needed to figure out a better way to help support the family, and I needed to do it pretty quickly. So, Kathy and I packed our things, headed back to good old Plymouth. We found an apartment, and I applied for and got a job at the Kohler company. Well, there I was the night before I was supposed to start my job at Kohler. My mom, whod collected mail for us while we were away, said, Oh, by the way, I’ve got a stack of mail here for you, and she handed me a stack of a years worth of mail. Well, in that stack of mail was a letter. It was a letter from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. And I opened that letter that night. It said Congratulations because I’d been accepted into the masters program in education. That moment changed my life. That letter changed my life. It changed my entire trajectory. Because of that letter, I went on to become a science teacher. Because of that letter, I went on to become a principal and state superintendent. And there is no doubt that it is because of that letter that I’m standing here today as your governor.

[cheers and applause]

And I tell you that story tonight, in part, to state the obvious: things dont always go the way we plan. In fact, for these past few years, thats been sort of the one constant that we’ve had. If wed had our way, we would not have faced the worst pandemic in a century or the worst economic crisis since the Great Recession. If wed had our way, we wouldve expanded BadgerCare and access to affordable healthcare for tens of thousands of Wisconsinites. We wouldve met two-thirds funding for the first time in two decades and we wouldve done it by fully funding our public schools. We wouldve passed meaningful legislation to address PFAS and lead and justice reform. If wed had our way, 11,637 Wisconsinites would still be here with us today. They’d be at our dinner tables, theyd be in our classrooms, our hospitals, our churches, our farms, and our factories, and theyd still be here celebrating more birthdays, more holidays, and more milestones with us. But I also tell you this story because this work has always been a responsibility and an obligation I’ve met without regret or reservation: to do what’s needed to be done, to do what I must with what I was given, and to always try to do what is right. Not because it was perfect. Seldom is. Not because it was always easy. But because, however different things could have ended up for me, I have never doubted that I’m right where I needed to be because I welcome the duty of doing the right thing when it matters most.

[cheers and applause]

Tonight, I am proud to be able to report that the state of our state is stronger and better than it was a year ago, or two years ago, or even three years ago.

[cheers and applause]

Weve worked hard to ensure our workers had jobs to return to after this pandemic. Through federal pandemic aid to our state, weve invested $1 billion into supporting our small businesses, our farmers, tourism, lodging, and entertainment industries. To date, weve supported more than 100,000 small businesses, and nearly 3,000 of those small businesses have opened up new storefronts on main streets across our state.

[cheers and applause]

Throughout the pandemic, we were also able to keep all 375 transportation projects during the 2020 construction season on track. And because we did, we secured $105 million reallocated from other states to invest back into our infrastructure.

[applause]

Thank you to those other states. Weve also improved more than 1,700 miles of highways and more than 1,250 bridgesand if you laid out all those highways weve fixed end to end, you could just about drive from Platteville to Denver and back.

[cheers and applause]

I’ve also directed $100 million to support Wisconsin farmers through our farm support program. In one round alone, we were able to help more than 20,000 farmers, and in more than half of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, our support to farmers through this program exceeded $1 million.

[cheers and applause]

Ive also directed more than $100 million through federal pandemic aid to expand access to reliable, affordable, high-speed internet across our state. These funds alonewhich included the largest single round of broadband funding in state’s historyare projected to give new or improved broadband access to more than 110,000 Wisconsinites in more than 50,000 homes as well as almost 2,200 businesses.

[cheers and applause]

During my time as governor, we will have invested almost 15 times more into expanding high-speed internet than the prior four years combined. All told, our investments since 2019 are providing more than 300,000 homes and businesses with high-quality, high-speed broadband.

[cheers and applause]

These efforts have been critical for our economic recovery, and weve worked hard to get support out the door as quickly as we can possibly do it. An analysis from November showed Wisconsin ranked second in the Midwest for getting our federal aid allocated. And I’m proud to report that as a share of the federal aid our state has received, Wisconsin ranked second in the country for aid weve directed to economic development, and we ranked first in the country in aid weve allocated to businesses.

[cheers and applause]

And Wisconsinites are working hard. In January of 2019, our unemployment rate was 3.1 %. Today, our unemployment rate has not only returned to pre-pandemic unemployment levels, its better, at 2.8 %.

[cheers and applause]

We now have the lowest unemployment rate and the fewest number of people unemployed ever, ever in our state’s history.

[cheers and applause]

But with so many Wisconsinites already working, I know employers struggle with the same challenges theyve faced for a decade trying to find new workers to fill jobs. Weve gotten to work trying to find innovative, long-term solutions to the workforce challenges we face. Weve also recognized that different parts of the state have different needs, whether its making childcare more affordable and accessible, training more high-skilled workers, or more apprenticeship opportunities for high schoolers. So, weve invested nearly $60 million into 12 regionally-based programs to meet the unique needs of different communities. And, after workers lost their jobs during the pandemic, we invested $20 million to help thousands of workers get new skills and training to find new jobs.

[cheers and applause]

Weve also been working hard to keep more money in Wisconsinites’ pockets. Last year, we provided $480 million in tax relief for Wisconsin businesses and families affected by the pandemic. Republicans and Democrats also found common ground, and I was glad to deliver on my promise to cut taxes for middle-class families by 15 % by signing one of the largest tax cuts in state history.

[cheers and applause]

Just sayin’. Just say, just sayin’. Through all of the tax cuts I’ve signed into law, 86 % of Wisconsin taxpayers will see a 15 % income tax cut.

[cheers and applause]

At the same time, while the economy has reopened and demand has surged, some corporations have taken advantagetheyve squeezed consumers for every extra penny, raising everyday costs for folks in Wisconsin and across our country. A report released last week showed national inflation is the highest its been in four decades. And now, small businesses and working Wisconsinites and families are concerned about the rising costs of gas and the raising cost in grocery store aisles. And businesses face challenges getting supplies and resources. So, I directed new changes that took effect in the new year to ensure Wisconsinites had extra money each month to help make ends meet. With these changes, coupled with the tax cuts I’ve signed into law, if you and your spouse each make $50,000, youll see over $1,200 more for your household in your paychecks this year.

[cheers and applause]

But I also know we must do more. And its our responsibility to do more. We had unprecedented revenue projections last year, and we closed out our fiscal year in 2021 with the highest-ever positive GAAP balance in state’s history at more than $1.1 billion. Last month, after receiving the great news about our low unemployment rate, we received even more good news. A new report showed Wisconsin is projected to have a $3.8 billion surplusthats billion with a “b”in our states checking account at the end of the biennium. And thats not even including the more than $1.7 billion sitting in our rainy day fund, which is the highest its ever been in Wisconsin state history.

[cheers and applause]

So, I announced my plan to use our surplus to help address rising costs and gas prices, to reduce barriers to work, and to invest in education at every level.

[applause]

Wed start by sending every Wisconsin resident a $150 surplus refund.

[cheers and applause]

So, under my plan, if youre a family of four, you would receive $600 to help provide a little more wiggle room and hopefully a little less stress about making ends meet.

[cheers and applause]

My plan also works to reduce barriers to work so we can help fill job openings across our state. Having access to quality, affordable childcare and caregiving continue to be a barrier for folks who want to join the workforce. Wed invest more than $130 million into providing tax relief through the child and caregiver tax credits. Our tax credit for childcare would provide tax relief to an estimated 107,000 Wisconsinites whod receive about $274 per filer, and through our caregiver tax credit, most caregivers will receive up to $500.

[cheers and applause]

And, finally, as I said last July, the budget that was sent to my desk failed to meaningfully invest in our public schools, possibly jeopardizing more than $2 billion in federal aid for our kids. So wed also invest $750 million into improving our schools and outcomes for students to ensure everyone has access to a high-quality public education.

[cheers and applause]

And that includes more than $100 million to hold the line on property taxes across our state.

[cheers and applause]

And, folks, the great news is we can do all of this and still not spend our entire projected surplusunder my plan, well still have more than $2 billion with a “b” left over.

[cheers and applause]

Ive already heard there are some who want to wait to get this done until the next budget. Thats $3.8 billion that would just be sitting in Madison until then. Well, thats not going to help Wisconsinites buy groceries today. It wont help Wisconsinites pay for gas today. It wont help Wisconsinites pay for childcare, heating their homes, or putting food on their table today. Wisconsinites cannot wait.

[cheers and applause]

Indifference in this building is getting expensive, folks. And let me be frank: the people who will bear the burden of inaction are almost certainly not the people sitting in this chamber tonight. So, dont sit here in a white, marble building with state coffers that are full and tell Wisconsinites who are working hard every day we cant afford to do more. Thats baloney.

[cheers and applause]

Tomorrow, I will sign an executive order calling a special session of this legislature to take up my surplus plan. Lets help address rising costs, lets help make sure folks can afford to join our workforce, and lets do whats best for our kids. This is the peoples money. Lets get it back to them.

[cheers and applause]

Look, Republicans and Democrats in this building dont agree all the time. I understand that. But this isnt one of those times. And heres how I know thatbecause I received a letter last December that read, in part, and this is a quote, There are supply shortages and soaring inflation rates, causing families to have to pay significantly more on items such as food and gasoline. Real people are struggling with these pocketbook issues. Well, Mr. President and Mr. Speaker, that letter was from you. And I think it sounds like we agree on something.

[cheers and applause]

Theres no reason we cant do this, and the rising costs Wisconsinites are seeing every day are every reason that we should. So, lets find common ground, lets pass this plan, and lets get it done. Its just the right thing to do, folks.

[cheers and applause]

And its the right thing to do because Wisconsinites are the reason that our states economy is such a success. From healthcare workers to first responders, educators and childcare workers, local public health officers, our tribal nation partners, grocery store workers, farmers, small business owners, and so many more. But I also want to say tonight that we would not be here as a state without the extraordinary efforts of the Wisconsin National Guard. Period.

[cheers and applause]

Under the longest guard activation in Wisconsin state history, the guards work began almost on day one of the COVID-19 landing in Wisconsin and continues even still today. As fear was spreading across the globe about a new virus, 30 Wisconsinites were stranded aboard a cruise ship for weeks. Our administration, along with Senator Tammy Baldwin, worked to bring them to Wisconsin. And it was the men and women of our National Guard who greeted these Wisconsinites and welcomed them home.

[applause]

The guard has also played a key role in our efforts to distribute more than 80 million pieces of personal protective equipment and sanitizing supplies to schools, healthcare workers, first responders, and local law enforcement. Theyve helped administer tests and support testing sites you likely visited in your community. Additionally, we ranked among the best in the country for getting available COVID-19 vaccine shots in arms, and its in no small part due to the guard. They helped distribute more than 1.2 million of the vaccine doses administered as a state and theyve administered more than 230,000 of those vaccines themselves. Go figure.

[cheers and applause]

Theyve also been on the frontlines of defending our country and our democracy in more ways than one. When Wisconsinites were exercising their right to vote, the Wisconsin National Guard was there, too. Our guard members joined our exceptional clerks, election administrators, and poll workers to help make sure you could cast your ballot and do it safely.

[cheers and applause]

Even now, some guard members are being trained as certified nursing assistants through our partnership with Madison College to help support our overwhelmed healthcare workers and systems. Really good work.

[applause]

Well, tonight, we are joined by Wisconsin’s adjutant general, Major General Paul Knapp, as well as members from our Wisconsin National Guard, who you already know this are up in the gallery tonight. Please join me in recognizing these exceptional folks and their service.

[cheers and applause]

These folks have stepped up to serve our state time and time again during one of the direst periods in our states history. And their service has not come without costemotionally, physically, and mentally. Our effort to invest more than $3 million into expanding the guards wellness program was gutted from my biennial budget. It would have increased access to important mental health and wellness support for more than 9,000 guard members. Well, tonight, I’m announcing I’m going to do it anyway.

[cheers and applause]

Were going to invest $5 million to expand access to the guards comprehensive wellness office and their services to every single member of the Wisconsin National Guard.

[cheers and applause]

This program will provide counseling, resiliency training, and crisis intervention and stress reduction programming, to reduce burnout, take care of mental health needs, and prevent suicide, and treat substance use disorders for our service members. And I’ll tell you right now this program will have ongoing funding in the budget I’ll propose next year. And I call on this legislature tonight to join me by ensuring this program receives long-term, sustainable funding it deserves.

[applause]

But at the end of the day, we also know the effects of this pandemic will exist whether this virus is here or not. Troops came home at a time of increased isolation and uncertainty, including some whove returned and taken their own lives. We need long-term solutions to support our veterans and the challenges they faceboth those that existed before this pandemic and others that worsened because of it. Weve worked hard to proactively address some of the challenges facing our veterans, and the legislature even agreed with me on several provisions in the last budget. In fact, folks on both sides of the aisle even called that budget a really good budget for veterans. I agree. But our work cannot end there. So, in the coming days, I’ll sign an executive order creating a blue-ribbon commission on veteran opportunity to develop new, innovative initiatives to support the more than 300,000 veterans who live in our state.

[cheers and applause]

We can help reduce barriers to higher education, employment, and job training, and streamline issues around getting people into the workforce. We can help make sure we have sustainable, ongoing funding for programs that support these folks by ensuring our veterans’ trust fund remains solvent. And yes, we can help invest in housing security, more mental health supports, and more substance use treatment. And this blue-ribbon commission is going to make recommendations for me to do just that in my next budget.

[applause]

And support for our veterans isnt the only area where we can do more. This pandemic exposed serious concerns about our healthcare infrastructure and capacity, especially in our rural communities and areas of rural Wisconsin. Weve expanded access to telehealth services, protected healthcare for Wisconsinites who have pre-existing conditions, and worked to reduce the costs of prescription drug prices. But we also know that there is a great need for emergency services and responders in our rural communities. In Wisconsin, we rely on nearly 800 emergency medical service providersmore than half are either operated exclusively by volunteers or through a combination of volunteers and paid staff. These folks are doing outstanding work, but many have been doing it for years, and sometimes decades. And sometimes it’s difficult finding new volunteers to step into these important roles. It also hasnt helped that, for a decade, local governments have been asked to do more with less. Since 2011, state aid to communities has gone down even as the costs have gone up. Help from the state was cut by more than nine percent, while public safety costs have increased more than 16 percent. Between these rising costs and lack of available staffing, some have even gone without ambulance services, left with no other option but to hope and rely on neighboring providers. Well, no one should be calling for an ambulance and have to wonder whether help will come. So, tonight, I’m announcing were investing nearly $30 million into supporting emergency medical service providers and services across our state.

[cheers and applause]

$20 million of this investment will be going to folks in our rural areas for whatever help they need the most, whether its increasing staffing support, getting first responders more training, purchasing an ambulance, medical equipment or supplies. Every emergency medical service and every emergency medical response provider will qualify for this funding.

[cheers and applause]

Additionally, as part of this investment, were going to increase reimbursement rates for these providers to help ensure they dont have to cut back on critically important services.

[applause]

This pandemic didnt just expose the need for us to expand access to rural healthcare. It also highlighted that our kids need more mental health support in our schools, and this pandemic has highlighted it. It’s also highlighted that our kids need more mental health support in our schools and this has only been made urgent because of the pandemic.

[applause]

I came into office after years of disinvestment in our kids, and our educators, and our schools. So weve worked to make historic investments in education at every level. Weve increased special education funding for the first time in a decade, made the largest investment in general aid in a decade, and invested more than $900 million into providing local property tax relief.

[cheers and applause]

Now, our schools have returned to being in the top 10 in the countryour K-12 schools rank eighth best in the nation after ranking 17th just five years ago.

[cheers and applause]

The pandemic hit in the spring of 2020. States across this nation closed schools for the rest of the semester, Wisconsin included. Parents are the first and best teachers our kids have. But I also know turning kitchen tables into classrooms wasnt easy. Im very concerned about how this pandemic affected our kids, and I know parents are, too. Thats why weve trusted school districts, parents, and teachers to work together to do whats best for our kids. Weve trusted them to make the best decisions at the local level based on their kids and their classroom needs. Many schools across our state returned in-person learning during the fall of 2020. So, we doubled down on our efforts to get resources and support to our kids and our schools to keep our kids safe, healthy, and in the classroom

[cheers and applause]

Weve distributed almost eight million pieces of PPE and sanitation supplies to schools to help keep our kids and educators safe in our classrooms. I also delivered on my promise to invest $110 million in new, additional funding to every school district in the state. Schools could use those funds to hire educators and staff, provide more after-school programming, or buy art supplies or computerswhatever our kids needed.

[applause]

But thats just one part of the equation for ensuring our kids success. We know this pandemic has affected our kids in more ways than one, including their mental health. And a kid whos in crisis isnt going to be able to pay attention at school, finish their homework, or engage with their friends or teachers. If the folks in this room want to have real conversations about our kids success and achievement, then start by fully funding our schools and making sure our kids can bring their full and best selves to the classroom and to their studies.

[cheers and applause]

If thats not where were starting this conversation, then all youre talking about is our kids barely getting by when we should be making sure kids get ahead. So, tonight, I’m announcing our new Get Kids Ahead initiative to invest $15 million into additional mental health services for our schools.

[cheers and applause]

Every public school district can opt in to receive these fundsno matter how big or how small. With this investment, kids in every corner of our state will have increased access to mental health support through their schools, on top of investments weve made in our budgets. Schools will be able to use these funds to provide direct mental health care, hire and support mental health navigators, provide mental health first aid and trauma-based care training, or provide family assistance programswhatever our kids need.

[cheers and applause]

And students in our higher education institutions need our help, too. Students have had to adapt, keep up with their coursework, and juggle work, family, and keeping themselves and their classmates safe. And its been tough. UW President Tommy Thompson talked about this a lot. Smashed a lot of pumpkins. Based on a national health survey, during the spring of 2021 semester alone, 75 percent of UW students screened positive for moderate or severe psychological distress. And, frankly, this was a trend we saw even before the pandemic. Between 2009 and 2019, the use of counseling services on our UW campuses increased 55 percent. So, were also investing $5 million into our UW system to provide more mental health services through telehealth counseling and additional mental health staff support for our campuses.

[cheers and applause]

And, clearly, our students at our higher education institutions already have enough to worry abouttheyre under a significant amount of pressure and stress as it is, and rising costs at the grocery store and the gas pump affect them, too. They sure shouldnt have to worry about the price tag of their education going any higher. So, tonight, I’m announcing I am providing a $25 million investment in our University of Wisconsin System so that they can use these dollars to fund the tuition freeze through the end of the biennium.

[cheers and applause]

With these additional funds, the UW System and Board of regents can ensure that tuition prices for our in-state students will not go up for the next two years, giving our students and families one less thing to worry about.

[cheers and applause]

Finally, as I conclude my fourth State of the State Address, I want to acknowledge that it is a privilege for us to be here together tonightand on election day, no lessto participate in an enduring but profound function of our democracy, one thats much like the peaceful and respectful transfer of power or like the fundamental right to cast a ballot. Functions that, especially today, we must not take for granted.

[cheers and applause]

As some work to undermine these basic tenets, we must recognize that what makes this state and this country exceptional is not that these profound functions existits that they are derived from our collective ability to will them to continue. We are also reminded of this: democracy is not a prophecy; it is self-actuating. We must choose every day to continue this grand experiment. We must choose every day to accept the duty of our forebears entrusted to us. We must choose every day to affirm the certainty of this legacy for future generations.

[cheers and applause]

In the summer of 1783, as the future of the United States and its independence remained uncertain, George Washington wrote a letter to the governors. It’s called a circular letter to the states. In it he described four things essential not just for the well-being of the United States of America but for the very existence of it. And on that list of four things was this and this is a quote: the prevalence of that pacific and friendly disposition among the people of the United States, which will induce them to forget their local prejudices and policies, to make those mutual concessions which are requisite to the general prosperity and in some instances to sacrifice their individual advantages to the interest of the community.

[applause]

We are reminded tonight of the spirit of our serviceto forget our own prejudices, to make concessions where the greater good demands, and to find common ground wherever and as often as we can. I still believe, as I said three years ago, that there is more that unites us than divides us, chief among them our responsibility to do whats right when it matters most. Weve accomplished so much together. And tomorrow, our work continues. So, lets get to work folks. For Wisconsin, always. May God bless our state. May God bless our democracy. And may God bless these United States of America. Thank you, and On Wisconsin! UW Marching Band, take it away!

[“On Wisconsin”]

Frederica Freyberg:

And so Governor Evers concludes his fourth State of the State Address before a joint session of the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate. Everybody seemed to like the marching band.

Shawn Johnson:

That’s the fun part. I think they should do that with every Assembly and Senate session, a nice way to wrap things up and make people feel good at the end.

Frederica Freyberg:

Bring people together because the governor spoke again about there’s more that unites them than divides them.

Shawn Johnson:

I don’t know about that. Just watching the reception the governor got there on some Republican issues. You do expect in a speech like this, we’ve become conditioned to when the governor is not from the legislator’s party, they don’t stand, they don’t clap for the governor for a lot of the speech. But he was literally talking about a Republican-authored budget and Republican-authored tax cuts that he signed and those didn’t get applause because, you know, that is just how confrontational state government is right now. And they both — both sides know this is an election year.

Frederica Freyberg:

That’s right. Well, of course, the Republicans say that Governor Evers is taking credit for those tax cuts when it was their budget and he says, well, I signed your budget because I approved of it. So you just can’t — you can’t win for trying really in this climate, in this state. Maybe it extends, as we know, beyond the state. But of note in the governor’s address was that he says he’s calling a special session tomorrow to take up his tax refund measure, $150 to all tax filers, and we know, though, that in the past these special sessions have been gaveled in and gaveled out.

Shawn Johnson:

For Governor Evers, yes. And we have every reason to believe that that’s going to be the case here because you’ve heard Republicans say they’re not going to pass his plan. I think they — it was out there in the world for a couple hours when he introduced it a couple weeks ago before Republicans said it’s not going to happen. There is a little bit of a deja vu on that as well because four years ago it was Governor Scott Walker giving his State of the State Address to the legislature here, calling for a tax credit. That was a child tax credit at the time. That was passed in an election year. Scott Walker was a Republican governor, which is obviously a factor when you’re looking at when things are introduced and who’s in the legislature.

Frederica Freyberg:

We want to mention we are waiting for the Republican response. Senator Devin LeMahieu is expected to appear to deliver that response. He’s making his way now to his location, his spot, to deliver that. We’ll bring that to you as soon as he arrives at that location. But we were just talking about the Evers’ election dividend, really is what the Republicans call it, and the governor says, “Well, actually, I just want to get it out the door because we have this huge surplus.”

Shawn Johnson:

Yeah, which, again, it’s almost reminiscent of the very language that Governor Walker used when he was talking about this stuff. Governor Evers has adopted it. You’ve also seen a switch from democratic lawmakers too who four years ago were talking about Walker’s plan as an election year bribe. They now support the governor, Governor Evers and you have Republicans who are using that kind of language when they talk about tax cuts. But, you know, you have had a long history, though, in this legislature under Republican control of when the state has a surplus, that is usually the first thing that Republican lawmakers call for. You almost expect it right away in the first statements they put out when the fiscal bureau, the legislature’s nonpartisan budget office comes up with budget estimates. Hey, here come the statements from GOP lawmakers on tax cuts. They have said though this time they’re going to save it for next year, for the next budget. Obviously they want the governor to be a different governor that time and they’ll be able to address their priorities together.

Frederica Freyberg:

The other thing that we noticed in the address is that the governor was talking about amounts of money that he would be giving to EMS, for example, for mental health care, for National Guard members. But these are funds that he doesn’t have to run through the legislature.

Shawn Johnson:

Yeah. I think — and we haven’t done an exhaustive check of this, but I think anytime you heard the governor introducing money, I think you would agree that that was federal money that was provided through one of these federal coronavirus bills. And that is funding that the governor has sole discretion over. He does not have to get it approved in the legislature. And so this year you’re going to hear him talk about that probably frequently, introducing new plans, new programs that he will fund with this money, and in this case he doesn’t have to worry about gridlock in state government.

Frederica Freyberg:

He spoke rather passionately, I would say, about the electoral process on this election day in the state of Wisconsin. And it coincides with some rallies that happened at the state Capitol today around trying to undo the results of the 2020 election. And so all of that is swirling around the Capitol today, tonight and going forward.

Shawn Johnson:

One of the people in the crowd tonight, Timothy Ramthun, a Republican state lawmaker who just announced his candidacy for governor, and the reason he is running is that he introduced a resolution that would decertify Wisconsin’s 2020 presidential election results, which the legislature’s nonpartisan attorneys have said is impossible, you can’t do. But it hasn’t stopped him from bringing that forward. And so if you’re looking for an example of where I guess the other end of the spectrum is from the governor in terms of how he’s talking about the election, talking about democracy, you have Timothy Ranthum right there listening to him, 20, 30 feet away.

Frederica Freyberg:

And, of course, Timothy Ranthum is not the only person going after this. We have all of those investigations on the part of former Supreme Court justice Michael Gableman, who was hired by Speaker Robin Vos to continue these investigations. I get the sense from Governor Evers just watching him that he just seemed almost a little defiant. I don’t know. Maybe it’s because as we were discussing, you know, Republicans didn’t stand, didn’t applaud, even for tax relief.

Shawn Johnson:

Yeah. And he knows also he’s standing right in front of Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who–there’s just no love lost between those two. I mean, they have really had extremely harsh personal words about one another. And so there is the governor and Speaker Vos right next to each other. I imagine he’s aware of the person who’s watching, you know, his back as he’s giving that speech there. And we were kind of watching to see if Speaker Vos would react to any of this stuff. But they kept poke faces for the most part during the address.

Frederica Freyberg:

I will say the way the governor described the help that the National Guard has provided to the state of Wisconsin, whether it was to help conduct elections or vaccines or working in hospitals, everyone joined in applauding and appreciating the National Guard and their members. So there was that.

Shawn Johnson:

The National Guard, marching band. We’ve got a couple things there that people like. But otherwise you saw the results there. So, we mentioned the special session that he’s calling there, and I think people would be forgiven if they thought that a governor calling a special session would bring people into a room like you just saw right there. But that’s just not how it works. It’s up to the legislature to decide whether they want to act on this stuff.

Frederica Freyberg:

Wisconsin State Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu leads Republicans in the upcoming legislative session.

Shawn Johnson:

LeMahieu represents Wisconsin’s Senate District # 9 in the Oostburg area. State Senator LeMahieu has tonight’s Republican response.

Devin LeMahieu:

Good evening. I’m Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu here to give the Republican response to the governor’s State of the State Address. The unfortunate reality is our nation, our state and our people have been in the midst of crisis facing historic challenges and the executive branch at every level of government has failed to effectively lead us through it. As a result, the state of our state is not as strong as it should be. Ask yourself this: has Joe Biden or Tony Evers done anything to make your life better? Or has about everything they’ve touched gotten worse? Run-away inflation, rising crime, closed schools, supply chain disruptions, restricted covid rules that no longer make sense. The legislature has shielded our state from many of the damaging effects of both the current national climate and past state fiscal mismanagement. Over the last decade, we turned a $3.6 billion deficit into a $3.8 billion surplus. We grew our state’s emergency fund from zero to $1.7 billion. And lowered the tax burden on our residents at the fastest rate in the nation, a cumulative savings of more than $13 billion, all while we funded core priorities. We spent within our means and returned surpluses back to the taxpayers. We created an environment in which individuals and businesses can both thrive. But despite being in better financial shape than many other states, Wisconsin is nowhere near where we want to be. Nearly every other aspect of our lives has declined in quality because of Joe Biden’s disastrous policies and Tony Evers’ weak leadership. During times of crisis, we need strong leaders to act decisively, leaders who cast a bold vision and most importantly, deliver on that vision to the benefit of everyone. That is where Governor Evers has failed Wisconsin time and again. During the unemployed surge in the wake of the shutdown orders, Governor Evers left thousands of desperate families without help for months. He delayed action and people suffered as a result. When Kenosha was burning night after night and rioters destroyed businesses and livelihoods, Governor Evers fanned the flames with incendiary statements. He allowed entire city blocks to burn while he waited and waited to act. That is not the strong leadership Wisconsin needs. Now, as the Waukesha parade massacre is still fresh in our minds, Governor Evers is doing nothing to hold repeat offenders or DA John Chisholm accountable. The soft-on-crime bail policies plaguing our state has put car thefts and murders in Milwaukee on pace to break records. Governor Evers refuses to act while people around the state suffer. That is not the strong leadership Wisconsin needs. Kids and parents have struggled mightily to deal with the repeated school closures and lost learning over these past two years. It’s gotten so bad that 60% of fourth graders in Wisconsin now can’t read proficiently at grade level. Parents are demanding better from their schools but Governor Evers has called our parental empowerment bills radical and pledged to veto them, keeping kids in failing schools and keeping parents at arm’s length. Unfortunately, when Governor Evers does choose to act on an issue, he almost always gets it completely wrong. The governor acted decisively when he unilaterally shut down Wisconsin’s economy, declaring hundreds of main street employers nonessential. He picked winners and losers and devastated our small business community. Far too many businesses were forced to permanently close. The lasting damage can still be felt around the state. Thankfully, the legislature intervened and helped reopen our economy before more damage was done. Now, Tony Evers’ COVID response centers on handing out giant cardboard checks using federal tax dollars which are borrowed against our kids’ and our grandkids’ futures. He promised to get the money out of the door as quickly as possible, but now nine months later he still has nearly a billion left in his Madison bank account. Every one of these giant check Evers poses with this fall represents the outrageous over-spending of the federal government, which rained down $58 billion into Wisconsin. The printing and borrowing of new money has caused inflation to spike to a new 40-year high. Tony Evers’ two budget proposals have been disastrous as well. Each of this budgets include a massive new tax increase on top of 10% growth in government spending. His most recent budget which was riddled with liberal policies included a billion dollar tax increase and wild over-spending that would jeopardize our state’s financial future. Wisely, we rejected both of this unrealistic budgets. The legislature put forward our ideas, objectives and priorities in a way that aligned with the values of the people of Wisconsin, with smart investments in health care, transportation and education. We built bipartisan consensus. We led with purpose, conviction and a strong sense of where our state needed to go. Ultimately Governor Evers abandoned his own unrealistic budgets and followed our lead by signing our responsible budgets. We provided strong leadership needed that Wisconsin needed and Governor Evers followed. If not for the legislature’s leadership, Governor Evers could have sunk our economy or ruined our opportunity to implement our most recent $3 billion tax cut, which equates to a savings of $1200 for the typical family. Our Republican tax cut blunted the impact of rising inflation on family budgets. It has helped our state stay on the right track despite the current economic turmoil. That is the type of strong leadership Wisconsin needs right now. We know that our state is only as strong as our people, and that is why our solutions center on empowering individuals and families. We put forward legislative solutions to every major problem facing our state. Our stronger workforce initiative would help guide 50,000 people back into the workforce. And our supporting law enforcement package would help get more cops on the streets to make Wisconsin safer. Governor Evers should follow our lead and sign these bills. Our legislation empowering parents to be more involved in education, expand school choice, increases curriculum transparency and institutes a parent’s bill of rights that puts parents in their driver’s seat of their children’s education. Governor Evers should listen to parents, follow our lead and sign these bills. We worked tirelessly to address the terrible abuses to our election system committed under the cover of COVID. The public’s confidence in our system has been shaken by ballot harvesting, drop boxes, Zucker bucks and the lawlessness of some at the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Governor Evers has vetoed our previous attempts to fix known problems in our election administration. We now have recommendations from the nonpartisan audit bureau and will put the legislative fixes on Governor Evers’ desk yet again. We will give him a second chance to do the right thing and adopt these nonpartisan recommendations to rebuild confidence in our elections. Unfortunately, he has already pledged to reject them. We cannot afford to let these problems continue to fester because of Tony Evers’ veto pen. Unfortunately the state of our state is not as strong as it should be. However, the legislature has proven time and again that we know how to lead Wisconsin in the right direction despite the veto pen holding our state back. We will continue to lead with smart budgeting and bold reforms that strengthen our state’s farmers, manufacturers and main street businesses. They are the backbone of our Wisconsin economy. We will continue to address the workforce crisis, rising crime and inflated cost of living with clear solutions that align with Wisconsin values. We know that strong families and determined individuals are the solution to our state and nation’s problems, not more government programs or mandates. Empowering individuals and families is the only way to restore our state and nation to what it should be. We will continue to listen and to lead and we will ensure that Wisconsin’s best and most prosperous days lie ahead. May God bless the great state of Wisconsin.

Shawn Johnson:

That was Wisconsin State Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu with the Republican response.

Frederica Freyberg:

If you’d like to watch tonight’s speech from Governor Evers or Senator LeMahieu’s address again, we will have it posted later tonight on our website at PBSwisconsin.org. We’ll have continuing coverage and reaction to the State of the State Address this Friday evening at 7:30 on “Here & Now.”

Shawn Johnson:

Wisconsin Public Radio will also continue to follow developments from the capitol both on the air and online at wpr.org. We want to thank you for joining us this evening. I’m Shawn Johnson with Wisconsin Public Radio.

Frederica Freyberg:

And I’m Frederica Freyberg with PBS Wisconsin. Thanks for joining us. This concludes our coverage of the 2022 State of the State Address.