WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Governor Tony Evers says if Republicans bring yet another lawsuit against him over control of Wisconsin’s $3.2 billion in American Recovery Act stimulus dollars, it would be a waste of time.
“I haven’t given it any thought because I don’t think it’s a good idea,” he said. “We’re wasting taxpayer money deciding what’s already been decided. I have the authority to release that money and get that money [to the people that suffered] as quickly as possible. That’s what we are going to do.”
One day earlier four Assembly Republicans announced the items they’d like to see the stimulus money spent on, including $1 billion for property tax relief statewide. Evers called that a non-starter.
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“That’s not getting money to the people that suffered in this pandemic. That’s a problem. We know who suffered- it’s the small businesses in the state of Wisconsin- and a lot of small businesses rent. Are they going to be getting their money through the Republican plan? Hell no.
“We will get it out just like we have in the past. Get it directly to those businesses and individuals in the state of Wisconsin that were impacted,” added Evers.
Ever’s comments came during a stop in Wausau to fill a pothole on a residential street to promote infrastructure projects in the next two-year state budget. It also came the same day the state Supreme Court determined that Evers had overstepped his bounds by issuing a series of 60-day mask mandates through emergency orders.
Evers maintained the changing nature of the pandemic warranted multiple orders, but the Supreme Court sided with GOP lawmakers who said a Governor can only issue one emergency order per event without approval from the legislature.
