MADISON, Wis. — Time is ticking for Gov. Tony Evers, who wants to save a subsidy program for child care providers in the Badger State.
With federal funds set to run out early next year, the governor called a special session on workforce challenges to be held in September. Gov. Evers now hopes lawmakers will spend some of the surplus dollars differently, which he previously cut from the budget.
Using the power of his pen to make line-item vetoes, the governor took the Republican income tax cut from $3.5 billion to $175 million when he signed the budget last month. Now, he seems to be using that as a sort of bargaining chip as Gov. Evers looks to revisit middle-class tax cuts if he can get what he wants from legislative leaders.
“[Republicans] are going to want to get something there done, they’re going to need me to get something done, and I’m going to need them to get something done on child care,” Gov. Evers said Wednesday during a radio interview on 620 WTMJ and WTMJ N.O.W.
During the segment, Gov. Evers hinted to hosts Steve Scaffidi and Sandy Maxx that he is open to compromise with Republicans.
“There may be some opportunities for collaboration on this issue,” Gov. Evers added. “They’re talking about taxes, you know, and they’re going to expect to accomplish something around taxation. And, you know, I had a proposal during the budget that they didn’t want, and now they want something similar to that.”
The development comes after Republicans blasted the governor’s special session. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, called it a “rehash” of the governor's “tax and spend budget.”
“Republicans made the decision to return the budget surplus to the taxpayers through a middle-class tax cut,” Vos said in a statement. “Gov. Evers vetoed it. Now he’s rushing to spend billions of dollars again, so it can’t be given back.”
Majority Leader Sen. Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, also criticized the budget vetoes that would have returned more money back to Wisconsin taxpayers.
“Instead of returning the state surplus to hardworking Wisconsinites, Gov. Evers used his veto pen to raise taxes on every Wisconsinite making more than $27,630,” LeMahieu said. “Now he wants to use that same surplus to grow government and create new entitlement programs.”
However, the reaction from across the aisle does not appear to have Gov. Evers discouraged.
“I don’t think the Republicans want the responsibility too, for the failure of a major industry in the state, and that’s our child care industry,” Gov. Evers said. “And so, I think once they kind of think that through, we may get something accomplished. I still feel confident.”
Democrats and Republicans have been able to find agreement on some big issues this year, including shared revenue for counties and cities, as well as on K-12 education funding.