One-Hundred and Fifth Regular Session FRIDAY, April 23, 2021
The Chief Clerk makes the following entries under the above date:
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Speaker’s Communications
April 20, 2021
Edward A. Blazel
Assembly Chief Clerk
17 West Main Street, Suite 401
Madison, WI 53703
Dear Chief Clerk Blazel:
As the Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly, I would like to request the delivery of enrolled bills to Governor Tony Evers' office. Pursuant to Assembly Rule 23 (4), the speaker can call for the delivery of legislation that was approved in both chambers and originated in the Assembly. The following bills are to be hand delivered to the Governor's office immediately after the cover sheets of the bills are signed by legislative leaders: Assembly Bill 23, Assembly Bill 24, Assembly Bill 232, Assembly Bill 233, Assembly Bill 234, Assembly Bill 235, Assembly Bill 236, Assembly Bill 237, Assembly Bill 238, Assembly Bill 239, Assembly Bill 240, Assembly Bill 241, and Assembly Bill 243.
The bills reflect the consensus of the representatives and senators of the state of Wisconsin. Thank you for delivering the pieces of legislation in a prompt manner.
Sincerely,
ROBIN J. VOS
Assembly Speaker
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Chief Clerk Reports
The Chief Clerk records:
Presented to the Governor on Wednesday, April 21, pursuant to Assembly Rule 23 (4). EDWARD A. BLAZEL
Assembly Chief Clerk
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Governor’s Veto Message
April 22, 2021
To the Honorable Members of the Assembly:
The following bills, originating in the Assembly, have been vetoed in their entirety, and were returned to their house of origin, together with the objections in writing:
Bill Number Date of Veto
Assembly Bill 232 April 22, 2021
Assembly Bill 233 April 22, 2021
Assembly Bill 234 April 22, 2021
Assembly Bill 235 April 22, 2021
Assembly Bill 236 April 22, 2021
Assembly Bill 237 April 22, 2021
Assembly Bill 238 April 22, 2021
Assembly Bill 239 April 22, 2021
Assembly Bill 240 April 22, 2021
Assembly Bill 241 April 22, 2021
Assembly Bill 243 April 22, 2021
hist132579I am vetoing Assembly Bill 232 in its entirety. This bill directs the Department of Revenue to coordinate with counties and municipalities to provide payments from the state’s allocation of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) to property taxpayers equal to approximately 10 percent of the amount of the net property taxes levied on each taxpayer's real property in 2020. The bill requires the Governor to allocate $1,067,824,380 from the state allocation of the American Rescue Plan Act for these payments and an additional $20,000,000 for administrative costs incurred by the Department of Revenue and local governments.
While I am interested in opportunities to provide meaningful property tax relief to Wisconsinites across our state, I am vetoing this bill for several reasons.
First, I object because the use of ARPA funds for the type of property tax relief proposed in this bill is almost certainly prohibited under the language of Section 9901 of ARPA, which specifies that federal funds allocated to a state under ARPA cannot be used to directly or indirectly offset any tax. This bill effectively creates a tax rebate, which is expressly prohibited under Section 9901. While the federal government has not issued final guidance regarding the prohibition of such tax relief payments, the plain language of ARPA prohibits the payments outlined in AB 232. If this bill is enacted and the funds spent as directed, the state may be required to repay over $1 billion to the federal government.
Second, I object to the bill because it is poorly targeted. This bill disburses federal APRA funds as a 10 percent tax rebate to all property owners. It makes no payments to renters and makes no effort to link payments to impacts of the pandemic.
Third, I object to the bill because it limits the ability to use federal funds with the flexibility necessary to confront the variety of challenges posed by recovery from the COVID-19 global pandemic and respond to Wisconsin’s changing needs over the course of the pandemic and our recovery. In Wisconsin, the role of the Governor to oversee use of federal funds under Section 16.54 of the Wisconsin Statutes is clearly established and has been in place for decades, a fact that was confirmed by legislative leadership in a letter they sent to me in April 2020. In lieu of this bill, I will continue to utilize the authority provided to the Governor to oversee use of federal funds in a manner that is transparent and consistent with both Wisconsin’s needs and federal law. Using this authority, I have already announced my plans to invest the new federal funds under ARPA to various economic recovery and well-being, infrastructure, and pandemic response initiatives.
hist132580I am vetoing Assembly Bill 233 in its entirety.
