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Constitutional Amendment to Prohibit Frankenstein Veto
The campaign to reign-in Gov. Tony Evers’ veto powers is now underway.
The Wisconsin Senate on Tuesday approved a constitutional amendment that would stop any future governor from using a veto to create or increase new taxes.
The amendment is in direct response to Evers’ 400-year veto that is being blamed for skyrocketing property tax increases across the state.
Americans for Prosperity Wisconsin on Wednesday urged voters to vote Yes.
"[This amendment] stores accountability after Governor Evers abused the partial veto to create an unpopular 400-year property tax increase during an affordability crisis. We thank the Wisconsin Senate and Assembly for passing this amendment, giving voters the chance to ensure this kind of executive overreach never happens again, FP-WI Legislative Director Jerry Ponio said in a statement.
Republican lawmakers and groups like AFP immediately challenged the governor's veto back in 2023. But the liberal-majority Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld the governor's actions.
The veto, where Evers crossed out a few letters and some punctuation, turned a two-year $325 per-kid school funding increase into a four decade increase, and locked schools into spending more even as there are fewer kids across Wisconsin.
There are talks about rolling that veto back, but unless Gov. Evers or another governor cancels the veto, it will remain in effect.
"“Wisconsin needs leaders who will take the state’s issues seriously. While the amendment won’t repeal the 400-year tax, Wisconsinites can begin to undo the damage in November by supporting SJR 116 and the candidate for governor who’s promised to repeal the tax; Tom Tiffany," Ponio added.
The question will appear on the November ballot.
Wisconsin Republicans have turned to ballot questions and constitutional amendments to get around Evers and his veto power for the past several years. This will be the sixth amendment voters have seen, or will see. The previous amendments all passed, mostly by a nearly 70%-30% vote.
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