Wisconsin Republican-backed referendum looks to take spending powers from governor

Wisconsin Republican lawmakers are backing two referendums that would take away the spending powers of the governor and place them in the state legislature.

Voters will decide on related constitutional amendments that would change how Gov. Tony Evers (D-WI) and all future governors of the state are allowed to spend federal money the state receives without specific spending requirements. The referendums come after Wisconsin received billions in federal COVID-19 relief funds, which Evers chose to spend on many small business initiatives, local government recovery grants, emergency health supplies, and paying healthcare providers.

“It doesn’t matter who’s in the executive branch and who runs the legislature side, we believe it’s just good governance that both branches of government have a say in this,” Republican state Rep. Robert Wittke told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Voting “yes” on the first question would add an amendment to the state’s constitution that would prohibit the state legislature from delegating its power to appropriate money. A vote of “yes” on the second question would add an amendment to the state constitution that would require the governor to get approval from the legislature before expanding federal funds that were appropriated to the state.

Republicans in the state are in unanimous support of the amendments. If approved, the state legislature could pass rules about how federal money is governed. This would give lawmakers room to change the rules based on who is serving as governor or what the federal money was meant for, according to the Associated Press.

If approved, the legislature could pass rules governing how federal money is handled. That would give them the ability to change the rules based on who is serving as governor or the purpose of the federal money.

Democratic organizers in the Badger State are working against the amendments. At a press conference in Madison on Monday, Chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic Party Ben Wilker called the amendments “nothing more than a power grab” that would have “real consequences” and create “gridlock in Madison.”

Evers said Republicans hope the amendments will “go unnoticed” due to them being on the primary ballot, when fewer voters typically cast a ballot. He added the amendments are “written the way it is to confuse people.”

“Our governor is accountable to the whole state through a fair, statewide election. When our tax dollars are not distributed to meet our needs or don’t align with our values, it’s far easier to hold the governor accountable at the ballot box than the entire legislature,” a joint statement from Common Cause Wisconsin, Souls to the Polls Wisconsin, Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition, and other groups stated.

“Our laws already give legislators a say in how tax dollars are spent through the collaborative state budget-making process. These amendments would give the legislature excessive power to decide how to distribute federal funds,” the joint statement continued.

Wisconsin’s primary, where these amendments will be voted upon, is on Aug. 13.