By: Associated Press//January 10, 2020//
By SCOTT BAUER
Associated Press
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Tony Evers, a former teacher and state superintendent of schools, assigned “homework” to the Republican-controlled Legislature on Thursday, calling on them to spend more money on combating homelessness, restrict the use of water-polluting chemicals and close a loophole that lowers property taxes for large retail stores.
But Republicans gave Evers a failing grade for his proposals.
“I thought I had a good meeting with the governor last week where we discussed priorities,” Republican Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said in a statement. “But giving a coequal branch of government ‘homework’ in a condescending letter won’t help him grow support for an agenda with Senate Republicans. The tone of this letter is ridiculous.”
Republican Sen. Dave Craig said in a Twitter message that Evers couldn’t assign homework to the Legislature.
“Just checked Article V of the Wisconsin Constitution and did not find ‘authority to assign homework’ under ‘Powers and duties’… #CivicsClass,” Craig tweeted.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who invited Evers to give his State of the State speech with a letter that noted unemployment had increased since Evers took office, did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Many of the issues detailed by Evers in the letter to Democratic and Republican legislative leaders have bipartisan support. But Evers does not name issues Republicans have said they intend to take up, including reducing property taxes.
The Legislature is scheduled to return to work next week but will be in session only a handful of days before adjourning, perhaps as soon as February. Evers said in his letter that he hoped the Legislature would remain in session as long as necessary to act on the priorities he laid out.
“The people of Wisconsin elected us to show up and get to work, so I look forward to working with you in the new year to continue moving Wisconsin forward, together,” he wrote.
Republicans have shown little interest in passing many of the priorities of Evers and the Democrats. Evers called a special session of the Legislature to act on gun control measures, but Republicans refused to debate them. The Senate also fired Evers’ agriculture department secretary and nine other members of Evers’ Cabinet remain in limbo.
Evers did not renew the call for lawmakers to take up the gun control bills in his letter Thursday. Instead, he focused on seven areas where bills have already been introduced, including five that have bipartisan support.
They are: