On Monday, Governor Tony Evers (D) made a visit to Eau Claire with the aim of motivating voters to vote against two questions that will appear on the Aug. 13 ballot.
The ballot poses two important questions: “Should section 35 (1) of article IV of the constitution be established to prevent the legislature from delegating its exclusive authority to decide the allocation of funds?” and “Should section 35 (2) of article IV of the constitution be established to restrict the governor from disbursing any federal funds received on behalf of the state without the legislature’s approval through a joint resolution or legislative regulation?”
According to Evers, the proposed amendment to the constitution could potentially hinder the distribution of federal funds to those in need at the state level.
Karen Boss, a board member of the Wisconsin Conservation Voters and resident of Eau Claire County, has labeled the questions as extremely perplexing and confusing. She expressed concern over the current involvement of the governor and legislature in the allocation and decision-making process of distributing federal funds. According to her, such amendments could act as a hindrance to the distribution of federal funding during emergencies like floods, bridge collapses, or pandemics. She further added that political gridlock over the allocation of emergency funding could lead to delays that communities cannot afford during a crisis.
According to Evers, amendments similar to these have been proposed by Republicans ever since the pandemic hit. He also emphasized that those who vote for the Republican party should also be included in the decision-making process. He pointed out that the situation could change in the future, and there might be a Republican governor with a Democratic legislature.
In spite of having signed a law, non-emergency federal funds are currently being held up in Madison. This is due to political gridlock, as mentioned by the speaker.
According to him, the legislature’s power to withhold federal funds is a newly emerging trend.
According to the boss, the proposed amendments would remove the necessary checks and balances by deceiving voters into granting the legislature complete authority over the expenditure of federal funds.
According to Evers, it is important to increase the voter turnout and make it higher than usual. He urges people to not only vote but also to cast a “no” vote on both the first and second questions by turning their ballot over.