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CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – I got a push-poll text message last weekend about the two constitutional amendments that are on the ballot today.
The pollster urged a ‘no’ vote, saying that the legislature could indefinitely delay stimulus money from getting into the economy. They favor the current way – where the Governor, and the Governor alone, has sole discretion over how things like COVID dollars get spent.
I replied to the polling text by saying, “unfortunately I’m not stupid.”
It’s bad government to allow one politician to have control over large amounts of cash. The tradition in most states is that the legislature controls the purse strings. The governor already has considerable power. He has to sign the budget, and can use his powerful line-item veto.
So let’s look at how Tony Evers has spent Wisconsin’s COVID cash. Ironically, he’s still doling out some of the money this year – four years after COVID is no longer a thing. The Governor will use some COVID money to build a soccer stadium in Milwaukee. The team that eventually plays there should call themselves the Slush Puppies – since their stadium comes from the governor’s slush fund. The governor also approved funding for a convention center in Janesville. It will soon compete with other convention facilities, like the Central Wisconsin Convention Center, which are funded through private money. The Governor also bought COVID-cleaning robots, where there’s now no use for. They’ll be put into storage.
Might the legislature have had better ideas? We’ll never know. Elected state lawmakers were cut out of the process. That should change. When money comes in from Washington, the governor and the legislature should negotiate how it’s spent. If you think that takes too long, well, when both sides are free to work faster.
Vote “yes” on the two constitutional amendments that are on the ballot today. Let’s put a check on walking-around money for the governor.
Chris Conley
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