Gov. Evers urges La Crosse voters to reject proposed state constitutional amendments

LA CROSSE (WKBT) -- Wisconsin's governor is asking voters to vote "no" on two state constitutional amendments next month.

Wisconsin's Republican-controlled Legislature has two amendments that would give the Legislature sole authority to distribute any federal funds the state gets.

Since the 1930s, state law has given the governor that power.

If the amendments pass, anything from a small grant awarded to the state's tourism department to emergency disaster relief funds would need to go through the full Legislature before it's spent.

Evers and La Crosse state lawmakers said Monday it's a dangerous power grab by Republicans to eliminate checks and balances.

Evers pointed to the Republicans' Joint Finance Committee still holding state money for PFAS remediation and western Wisconsin health care recovery in limbo as a sign of how more Legislature power would slow down necessary government action.

The governor also said the Legislature putting the measures on the Aug. partisan primary was a calculated decision to make them more likely to pass.

"Think about how it's being changed right now in August when maybe 15-20 percent of Wisconsin is voting, " Evers said. "It's essentially weakening the executive branch of government no matter who's there."

Larson's General store owner Mary Larson hosted the lawmakers Monday afternoon.

She said the pandemic put businesses like her in jeopardy, and fast action is needed for future natural or economic crises.

"The ability to have swift access to funding really kept us afloat during that time. We need to be able to let the governor's office have access to give us funding when we need it," Larson said.

The two questions will be on all Wisconsin ballots Aug. 13.

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