The MacIver Report: Wisconsin This Week

Wisconsin lawmakers will soon vote on a plan to bail out the City of Milwaukee. It would allow Milwaukee to create a special 2% sales tax to help with its unfunded pension liability. Lawmakers say the alternative means Milwaukee will go bankrupt, just like Detroit did in 2013, which they say would be devastating for the entire state. Well, we checked to see what happened to Michigan after Detroit’s bankruptcy. No loss of industry, no loss of population, and no impact on its credit rating. James Hohman of the Mackinac center says there’s no reason to think there would be any impact to Wisconsin’s credit rating either if Milwaukee declared bankruptcy. “I just don’t see a lot of reasons why letting the city government resolve its own debt would reflect poorly on the State of Wisconsin to pay off its debt,” Hohman explained in a recent episode of the MacIver Newsmakers Podcast. Suddenly, Milwaukee’s self-made financial problems might seem a lot less urgent to the rest of the state.

Wisconsin lawmakers are fast tracking a plan to bailout Milwaukee to prevent it from declaring bankruptcy. They claim it would be devastating for everyone in Wisconsin if that happened. "We understand that bankruptcy for the City and County would be detrimental for the entire state," said Sen. Mary Felzkowski, one of the bill's authors. She says AB245 would "hopefully prevent them from spiraling into a post-bankruptcy Detroit." It's funny she brings up Detroit. Like Milwaukee, it's the largest city in a midwestern state with a strong manufacturing background. It also calls into question any claim that Milwaukee declaring bankruptcy would have any impact on outstate Wisconsin. Michigan tried everything to bail Detroit out of its self-made financial problems, including several revenue raising options not available to any other city in the state, direct intervention, and eventually allowing it to declare bankruptcy. MacIver's Bill Osmulski talked to James Hohman, Director of Fiscal Policy at Michigan's Mackinac Center for Public Policy, about the situation surrounding Detroit, and what it might mean for Milwaukee. For example, Did Detroit's bankruptcy affect Michigan's bond rating? Did Michigan lose population because of Detroit's bankruptcy? Did MIchigan lose industry because of Detroit's bankruptcy? Listen to this edition of the MacIver Newsmakers Podcast to find out!

Ranked choice voting - it’s hard to imagine a more complicated way to hold an election. Voters have the option of picking more than one candidate in each race. Clerks count one set of the votes, eliminate candidates, then count another set of votes, eliminate more candidates, then count yet another set of votes, and so on until they declare a winner. The candidate with the most initial votes often does not win, casting even more doubt on elections than was already built in. Several states have at least partially adopted ranked choice voting, and it’s already cost republicans two seats in congress. It’s easy to see why democrats would love to bring ranked choice voting to Wisconsin. What’s not so clear, is why some republicans are working with democrats to make that happen. A bi-partisan bill is in the works – and we’re looking forward to hearing them explain their logic.

Governor Evers has a big problem with the Wisconsin Constitution. It goes back to 2020 when he shut down churches, tried to extend the term lengths for local elected officials, and continually invented new ways to declare public emergencies. This past summer, he used the Frankenstein veto to expand school funding increases for the next 400 years – even that’s been unconstitutional since 2008. Evers is constantly challenging the legislature over its clearly defined constitutional responsibilities. He’s still trying to wrestle away its constitutional authority to draw district voting maps. Now he’s upset over checks and balances. The legislature has refused to confirm several appointees, and it won’t approve pay raises for the university. Evers claims the legislature is violating the state constitution, and he’s actually suing over it. Just looking at record, the biggest threat to the state constitution these days is actually Gov. Evers.

As far as a liberal is concerned, government can never have too much money. So, it was no surprise when Governor Evers vetoed three tax cut bills that would have provided desperately needed relief to Wisconsin’s middle class (especially retirees.) What was surprising was his claim that those tax cuts would essentially bankrupt the state, and it would no longer be able to fund its basic duties. The state budget grew by $10 billion this past year. Total spending this biennium will be $100 billion. On top of that, the state is collecting so much in taxes – it’s currently sitting on a $7 billion budget surplus. Those tax cut bills that Evers refused to sign would have reduced tax collections by a combined $3 and a half billion over the next two years. No one seriously believes that’s going to slow down the state government from its continual exponential growth. But some guys, like Gov. Evers, will say anything to hang on to other people’s money.

It’s a dark day for constitutional government in Wisconsin. The constitution puts the legislature squarely in charge of drawing district maps. The left pulled no stops to make sure that didn’t happen this time around. A liberal-controlled supreme court threw the old maps out and created a new requirement out of thin air that’s not in the constitution for them to be “politically neutral.” Next, Governor Evers drew his own maps that gerrymandered many republican lawmakers out of their own districts. In the face of this outright assault on constitutional government, with the other two branches ganging up on them in a brazen power grab, did the legislature earn themselves an heroic place in the annals of democracy? Did they earn their profile in courage? Absolutely not. They sheepishly voted for Evers maps claiming it was the best they could do, and Evers really rubbed their faces in it in when he signed those maps into law on Monday, twice referring the maps as “my maps.” Seeing how the legislature stands up for its own constitutional rights should give every Wisconsinite pause for what that means the next time their constitutional rights come under attack.

Almost since day one of his first administration, Gov. Evers has led Wisconsin from one constitutional crisis after another. Most of those incidents have involved him trying to assume powers that the constitution specifically assigned to the legislature. Redistricting, confirming appointments, and, of course, the power of the purse. The legislature gets to decide how to spend state funds. Wisconsin’s $3 billion in covid relief from the feds was different. That was federal money and the federal government gave the governor full control of it. However, while that money was sitting in the bank waiting for Evers to spend it, it was accruing interest, almost $100 million dollars in interest. The feds didn’t give Evers that money. It was generated in a state bank account making it state money. That means the legislature should have control over it. Evers, of course, claims its federal money and regards it as his personal slush fund. The non-partisan legislative audit bureau discovered the funds and disagrees with the governor. Will the governor do the right thing and relinquish the funds? Stay tuned for more drama as this story unfolds.

In Wisconsin, Democrats might have more voters, but Republicans have more people, and lawmakers represent all people not just people who vote. This is why Democrats are so successful at statewide races, and why Republicans are so successful in legislative races. Of course, that’s completely unacceptable to the left. The liberal controlled state supreme court is trying to figure out a way around the Republicans’ natural advantage. That means they need to find new maps that will allow lawmakers to only represent people who vote, rather than all the people. And so, they created a new redistricting requirement called “political neutrality,” that is Democrat candidates must have a fighting chance even in parts of the state that reject everything they stand for. The trick will be drawing new maps that accomplish this without violating actual constitutional requirements. So far, liberals are having a hard time finding that sweet spot. But with the left firmly in control of the branch of government that gets to decide what is and is not constitutional, they know they really have nothing to worry about.

Wisconsin republicans hope to create a dilemma for Gov. Evers. Evers has said he will not give an inch on abortion, but Evers is also very fond of the motto, “the will of the people is the law of that land.” Republicans are trying to test that belief with their latest bill that could lead to ban on abortions after 14 weeks. It’s currently 20 weeks. The bill, itself, would not change that. It calls for a statewide referendum that would allow the people to exercise direct democracy and do it, if that is what they want. After all, public polling shows 91% of Wisconsinites are pro-abortion. Then again, only 28% say there should not be any limitations on abortion. So maybe a majority of voters would support a 14-week ban. Regardless, it’s a moot point. No one actually believes that the governor would sign the bill. The will of the people might be the law of the land, but when it comes to abortion, Evers isn’t about to take any changes.

MacIver News Minute: New District Maps Could Change How Lawmakers Represent Wisconsin Residents by The MacIver Institute

MacIver Newsmakers Podcast: Sen. Ron Johnson and Ranked Choice Voting by The MacIver Institute

MacIver Newsmakers Podcast: Sen. Duey Stroebel and Ranked Choice Voting by The MacIver Institute

MacIver Newsmakers Podcast: Rep. Glenn Grothman on Ranked Choice Voting by The MacIver Institute

Happy new year Milwaukee. By now you’ve realized that your sales tax just jumped from 5.5 to 7.9%. It’s hard to feel sorry for you. After all, you voted for this, or rather you voted for the people who openly said they wanted to do this. For years, your local leaders have complained that Milwaukee was the largest city in the country without a local sales tax. They fought against conservative reforms that would help them lower costs and better manage the city budget. They scoffed at their quarter of a billion dollars in annual state aid, saying it was never enough. While they blew what money they did have on things like the street car and diversity equity and inclusion programs. Then they turned to threats how if Milwaukee went down, they would take the whole state of Wisconsin with it, and how they would lay off hundreds of police officers if the state didn’t let them raise the sales tax, while they assured you that out-of-towners would be paying most of it. We at the MacIver institute warned you not to fall for it, but you have been falling for everything the left’s told you for over a hundred years. This 7.9% sales tax is just the latest example of what happens when you believe them.

Wisconsin’s Christians are still celebrating the 12 days of Christmas leading up to Epiphany, and it’s a good thing they have thick skin. Otherwise, they might be really offended over Gov. Evers’ messaging over the past couple of weeks. First, just days before they celebrated the birth of the baby Jesus, Evers released a video message reaffirming his commitment to abortion. Then, in his actual video message for Christmas, Evers listed off all the ways he could of to celebrate the holiday. Going to church somehow didn’t make the list. (Evers ensured that everyone understood the meaning behind Kwanzaa, however, in his video message for that holiday). Finally, Evers is openly mocking the 12 Days of Christmas with his 12 Days of Wisconsin campaign, where he brags about all the ways he’s spending taxpayer funds around the state on his pet causes. Fortunately, a lot of us still understand that the spirit of Christmas does not include being generous with other people’s money, and that government will never be the reason for the season.

A proposed amendment to the Wisconsin constitution would clarify that only US citizens can vote in our elections. I know what you’re thinking. Is there really anyone out there saying that non-US citizens should be voting in Wisconsin elections? You better believe it. There are people out there who think illegal aliens should even have that right. Just ask Wisconsin voices policy director Jamie Lynn Crofts – who testified at the state capitol last week. At that same hearing, Democrat Representative Clint Anderson from Beloit added that we shouldn’t be doing anything to prevent illegal aliens from casting fraudulent votes, because they often get caught afterwards. Never mind that those votes still get counted. It’s hard to believe we can’t even agree on something as basic as not wanting illegal aliens to vote in our elections, but here we are.

The current state budget included a pay raise for University of Wisconsin employees. They’ll get it as soon as the university eliminates its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusions (DEI) programs. The UW, however, is not budging. Meanwhile, lawmakers are under pressure to approve the pay raises anyway. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is offering a compromise. Right now, the UW is the only state agency that gets to create new positions without any oversight from the legislature. That’s how it ended up with so many DEI positions in the first place, and why the number of administrators has doubled over the past 15 years. Vos says if the UW needed the legislature’s approval to create new positions, just like all other state agencies, then lawmakers could be convinced to approve the pay raises even with current DEI programs in place. Unfortunately, the UW does not seem interested. In fact, it plans to increase DEI with or without the raises.

The Wisconsin Constitution puts the legislature squarely in charge of redistricting. Gov. Evers really hates this, and he’s spent much of his time in office fighting it. He’s talked a lot about creating an independent commission to draw the maps, just like they do in Iowa. He’s been pushing that idea for years. This week, assembly republicans finally agreed to that compromise. They plan to vote on it today (Sep. 14th). Evers is about to get exactly what he’s wanted for so long. Maps drawn by an independent commission instead of republican lawmakers. Think he’s happy about it? Absolutely not. Now he’s upset that the legislature would still be part of the approval process. Which he calls a “last-ditch effort to retain legislative control” Unfortunately for Evers – that legislative control is guaranteed by Wisconsin’s Constitution.

You know the motto “Never Forget.” Never forget 9/11. For those of us who lived through that day – how could we? The confusion at the first news reports of the day. The shock when the second plane hit. The horror when the towers went down. The disbelief when they got the pentagon. The exasperation when we heard about Pennsylvania. The panic over the fate of our fellow countrymen. There’s something else we should never forget about that day. The outburst of patriotism, unity, kindness, and prayer everywhere you turned. I will never forget congress standing on the steps of the capitol – democrats and republicans together singing God Bless America. There’s not much I care to revisit from that day, but I long for the day when our leaders in Washington once again come together in unity and demonstrate that we are truly one nation under God.

Before the first Republican presidential debate in Milwaukee, a national organization called Moms for Liberty met downtown with its local members. They say two of the biggest problems in Wisconsin’s public schools are a lack of curriculum transparency and dismal math and reading scores. Moms for Liberty say parents can change that situation by getting involved, asking tough questions, and even running for the school board. With a message like that, of course, the left has branded them as an extremist hate group. The groups co-founder Tiffany Justice told MacIver News that’s backfired on the left big time. “I should be sending Gavin Newsom a thank you note, to be honest with you. He sent out lots of nasty emails about me, and we’ve only gotten more money and more members,” she said. “By the end of the year, I believe that we’ll have chapters in all 50 states. We have over 120,000 members and over 300 chapters. So just expect a lot of growth from Moms for Liberty. We’re just getting started.” Which is why when the left starts calling you names – you should never back down for even a moment.