March 6, 2023 – On February 15, I attended my first budget address as a state representative.
Instead of the usual grandeur and spectacle in the Assembly chamber, it would have been more appropriate to play a mournful and melancholic tune. Governor Tony Evers presented his budget to the legislative body, his cabinet, a few guests, and members of the media.
The Governor’s budget is difficult to digest. Once again, he has prioritized Wisconsin’s major cities at the expense of other areas. It is not right. His budget is essentially a liberal wish list, making it hard to believe that the leader of Wisconsin would propose a budget that may even be too extreme for states like California. Californians and people of other leftist states are abandoning ship in search of better and less oppressive government, only to continue their voting habits, making states like Wisconsin suffer.
Governor Evers’ 2023-2025 Budget has a total expenditure of $103.8 billion, which is almost an 18% increase in the first year of the biennium. It also includes a GPR spending of $48 billion, which is a 23% increase in the first year. Furthermore, it turns a $2.8 billion positive structural balance into a $1.4 billion deficit. Currently, employers across the state are struggling to find workers. The worker shortage in Wisconsin is not improving, but the Governor wants to create an additional 817 state jobs. Doesn’t make much sense, does it?
This budget expands welfare and eliminates drug testing and work requirements for public assistance, repeals Act 10 and right-to-work, includes resident tuition prices for undocumented immigrants while providing them with driver’s licenses, creates unconstitutional red flag laws, establishes the Office of Environmental Justice, and requires municipalities to develop a comprehensive plan to address climate change.
It also implements automatic voter registration and reduces the residency requirement from 28 to 10 days to vote, changes all state statutes to gender-neutral language, creates the Tuition Promise Grant program to cover tuition and segregated fees for low-income students, establishes an “Agency Equity Officer” in almost all state departments, and establishes a cabinet-level Equity Officer.
It is clear this budget is focused on catering to specific interest groups and his radical liberal base, rather than considering the needs of all Wisconsinites. This excerpt from the Governor’s budget proposal only scratches the surface of what it entails. It is concerning to think about the potential consequences of implementing such policies. I don’t know about you, but his policies genuinely scare me. We cannot afford Governor Tony Evers.
However, it may be even more worrisome to consider what could happen if Dan Kelly does not win his Supreme Court race on April 4. The upcoming election is the most critical since the 2012 Walker recall election. Even if Tim Michels had won the gubernatorial race last fall, it wouldn’t have mattered if Dan Kelly loses on April 4. Anything we attempt would likely be struck down by the court.
If Kelly loses, there are various outcomes to fear, such as allowing abortions at every stage of pregnancy, repealing concealed carry, eliminating medical freedom, legalizing ballot drop boxes, invalidating voter ID, reinstating the Governor’s COVID shutdown powers, overturning Act 10, eliminating school choice, jeopardizing castle doctrine, and the right to defend yourself in your home, and much more.
The stakes are high in these spring elections, and voter turnout makes all the difference. That’s why I implore everyone I know to exercise their right to vote and encourage ten or more people to do the same. You would be astonished at how many people don’t vote in these critical spring races.
If the liberal candidate, Janet Protasiewicz, wins on April 4, she could discard the current common-sense legislative maps and help create maps that favor the Democrats. If the Democrats take control of the Assembly and Senate, the Governor’s budget and liberal wish list I mentioned earlier could become law in Wisconsin next session. This cannot happen. If this were to happen, Wisconsin could become the next California in terms of terrible and oppressive policy.
This election is too crucial to sit on the sidelines. Mark your calendars now and vote for Dan Kelly on April 4 to defend our state.
Rep. Ty Bodden
59th State Assembly District
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