A proposed amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution would limit a governor’s ability to use the veto power to increase spending in the state budget. State Senator Dave Craig (R – Big Bend) is the author.
“By passing this resolution the legislature will consider the historic trend to prevent gubernatorial intervention into the legislature’s purview, regardless of which party holds the executive branch. And this would shield taxpayers from further unauthorized spending increases in the future.”
Craig testified on his proposed amendment before a state Senate committee on Tuesday. “This has been an ongoing, evolutionary process, by which I think the legislature, the people of Wisconsin and the courts have all winnowed that authority to the concept that the governor cannot use the line item veto, the partial veto authority, to increase funds.”
Craig said he received feedback from constituents, after Governor Tony Evers used the veto authority to move an additional $65 million to K-12 schools in the current budget.
“It’s unfortunate that Republicans are upset the governor used his broad veto authority to provide more money to our schools. Instead of devoting all their time and energy toward trying to override the will of the people and seeking political retribution for an election that happened almost a year ago, Republicans should get to work on the pressing issues facing our state,” Evers’ spokesperson Britt Cudaback said in a statement.
Constitutional amendments must pass two consecutive sessions of the legislature and a statewide referendum in order to go into effect.
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