Republican lawmakers and conservative groups in Wisconsin are once again upset, but not surprised, at another wave of vetoes from Gov. Tony Evers.
Evers on Friday vetoed 28 pieces of legislation from the Republican-controlled legislature.
That legislation included plans to overhaul Milwaukee Public Schools, expand school choice in the state, make changes to Wisconsin’s unemployment system, and change how election fraud cases in the state are prosecuted.
Evers vetoed all 28 in their entirety.
Republican lawmakers and conservative groups in the state say the governor scuttled some much-needed reforms with this latest round of vetoes.
George Mitchell wrote how a veto on school choice for all would be morally wrong.
“I am disappointed that Governor Tony Evers decided to turn his back on businesses in Wisconsin by vetoing a package of bills designed to help people re-enter the workforce, root out Medicaid fraud, and eliminate government barriers to work,” Rep. William Penterman, R-Columbus, said on Friday.
Penterman’s plan would have required people on unemployment to look for work and accept jobs in order to keep their benefits.
Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, who wrote the plan to break-up Milwaukee Public Schools said Evers chose the status quo of failing schools over the chance to improve the lives of thousands of kids in Milwaukee.
“I’m not surprised by the governor’s action,” Darling said, “In an election year, he can’t afford to face the failure he helped create as DPI Secretary and now as governor.”
Evers also vetoed an expansion of the state’s school choice program.
“Because of Governor Evers, the future for children in Wisconsin is less bright today,” said Chris Reader, executive vice president of IRG Action. “Instead of standing with kids and families, he stood with the failed status quo and the education establishment. Now Wisconsin families will not have additional options on where their children go to school, students will not have access to new exceptional courses and materials, and the status quo will continue to perpetuate the failing Milwaukee Public School District.”
The vetoes came one week after Gov. Evers vetoed 43 other pieces of legislation from the Republican-controlled legislature.
Those vetoes covered education and election reforms.
To date, Gov. Evers has vetoed 126 pieces of legislation from Republicans in the past two years alone, more than any other governor in Wisconsin history.
