Former Gov. Tommy Thompson is urging Wisconsinites to vote “YES” on the two state referendums that appear on the Aug. 13 ballot, saying yes votes would bring “collaboration and accountability.”
“If you share my determination for the value of collaboration and accountability, the answer to these questions is absolutely ‘YES,'” Thompson wrote in an op-ed that was published by the Monroe Times newspaper.
Read Thompson’s full op-ed here on the Monroe Times website.
Thompson wrote, in part:
“The Wisconsin’s Constitution establishes the power to appropriate money to the legislature. Clearly, this was intentional. The United States Constitution provides the same authority to Congress. Why? Because our elected representatives are closest and most responsive to the voters. And, they know and understand — they respond and advocate — for the unique needs of their local communities.
Our Framers envisioned and designed our system so that they, your elected representatives, would drive taxing and spending decisions and would be accountable to you.”
Thompson’s voice adds a powerful perspective to the referendum debate; voting “YES” would give legislative oversight – and, thus, more public input and transparency – to the spending of billions of dollars in federal money.
Currently, Gov. Tony Evers has sole authority to decide how to spend federal money, such as money for COVID relief, but he has spent some of it on non-emergency projects. YES votes would put federal spending in the legislative process, restoring the constitutional power of the purse to the Legislature. The Legislature delegated its power of the purse to the governor in the Great Depression.
