Wisconsin voters to decide on constitutional amendments about federal funding

LA CROSSE (WKBT) -- In less than three weeks Wisconsinites will cast their votes in the August Partisan Primary, but there will be more than just candidates on the ballot.

Voters will decide on two constitutional amendments that focus on how the state spends federal funding. Some argue the measures add needed oversight, while others say they would create unnecessary delays.

Right now, in certain cases like emergencies, the governor can accept federal funding without legislature approval.

The amendments would block the governor from allocating funds without the legislature's support. They could also allow the legislature to go around the governor to approve federal money.

"We've spent years looking at how federal funds are spent," said Mike Nichols, the president of the conservative think tank the Badger Institute. "We feel that federal funding is often important, but it's often misspent and there's no accountability."

Nichols believes the amendments create necessary oversight in the allocation process.

"In our estimation a 'yes' is important on both questions so that there's more accountability over how billions of dollars in federal funding that flows through Wisconsin," he said.

The amendments were drafted following an influx of federal COVID relief money to the state. Democratic Governor Tony Evers used that funding for health care infrastructure and workforce grants — without input from the Republican-controlled legislature.

"This is a representative democracy and we feel in this instance there's no representation in how this money is spent," Nichols said.

Groups like the La Crosse County Democratic Party and the League of Women Voters of the La Crosse Area say a once-in-a-lifetime event doesn't necessitate a policy change meant to provide quick relief during emergencies.

"When there's something happening like a flood or a tornado or something, people need money and assistance immediately," La Crosse County Democratic Party Chair William Garcia said.

"Anytime that you have to get the legislature involved, well it is going to take time because if they aren't in session then you have to pull them into session," said Jane Powell, president of the LWV of the La Crosse Area.

"Even a 24-hour delay could be extraordinarily dangerous for someone who is in need of emergency assistance," Garcia said.

Representative Loren Oldenburg (R-96) voted in favor of the amendments when they were in the state legislature. He believes they'll make it easier for residents to know how federal money is being spent.

"People will know where they were spent and how they were spent because it goes through the legislative resolution or rule. So, people can see we're going to spend this X amount of dollars," he said.

Others like Powell believe the amendments themselves lack transparency, saying they lack crucial details making it so Wisconsinites won't even know what they're voting for.

"There's better ways to work together and to solve problems than to put confusing amendments on the ballot."

Although they are related, the two amendments aren't dependent on each other. If only one of them gets passed, it will be able to go into effect without the other one.

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