Messaged.
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Announcements, Adjournment Honors, and Remarks Under Special Privilege
Senator Wirch, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate adjourn in honor of a dear friend of his, Bill Duberstine, who passed away. They were friends for a long time and Duberstine was quite a character. He was larger than life and a good hearted guy. He had a photographic memory and could remember little things that happened many years ago. When Duberstine retired, he volunteered thousands of hours at the hospital helping people out. He didn’t just help out patients and families, but he noticed the staff who were hard working and often not paid enough. He bought small gas gift cards and gave them to staff so they could stretch their paycheck a little further. He was a frugal guy, but generous with family and a devoted father and grandfather. At Christmas he would tell Senator Wirch, “I hate to shop, and I know what my kids want-money. I know what they want and I know what they need.” Bill Duberstine, a wonderful volunteer, a good friend. Rest in peace, Bill. Rest in peace.
Senator Wanggaard, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate adjourn in honor of his son John Allen Jensen on the 31st Anniversary of his 21st birthday. Senator Wanggaard is blessed to call you his son.
Senator Bewley, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate adjourn in honor of defending Olympic curling gold medalist and five-time Olympian, Skipper John Shuster from Superior, Wisconsin. John is leading his team of curlers again at the Beijing Olympics after winning gold at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyongyang, a first for an American curling team. John also received bronze at the 2006 Torino Olympic Games. A few weeks ago, John had the additional honor of being selected by his peers to be the flag bearer at the opening ceremony. John told Today in an interview, “It's one of the biggest honors that I've ever had bestowed upon me." Please join Senator Bewley in thanking, John and all of our Olympians competing to represent Team USA.
Senator Darling, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate adjourn in honor of James “Jim” Wigdale, who passed away recently.
Senator Taylor, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate adjourn in honor of Thomas Mundy Peterson, the first black person in the United States to cast the first vote.
Senator Taylor, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate adjourn in honor of Dr. Carter, who passed away at 90 years old.
Senator Taylor, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate adjourn in honor of Lena J. Taylor and Wilbur Taylor for shaping her into who she is today.
Senator Felzkowski, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate adjourn in honor of all the snowmobile clubs and volunteers that do an amazing job in keeping our trails open.
Senator Ballweg, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate adjourn in honor of Senator Joseph “Joe” Leean. In 1984, Senator Leean was elected to represent the people of the 14th Senate District, which he went on to serve for 10 years, until 1995. Senator Leean, a public servant and dedicated husband, father, and grandfather, passed away on February 2, 2022.
Senator Ballweg, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate adjourn in honor of the life and public service of Dr. Jacob Albert “Doc” Hines. In 2001, Rep. Hines won a special election to represent the 42nd district of Wisconsin and retired in 2008. Dr. Jacob Albert “Doc” Hines, D.V.M., passed away on March 3, 2020, at the age of 92.
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President Kapenga appointed Senators Bernier and Ringhand to escort his Excellency, the Governor, to the Joint Convention.
Senator LeMahieu, with unanimous consent, asked that the Senate recess until 6:40 p.m. and proceed is a body to the Assembly Chamber to meet in Joint Convention to receive the Governor’s State of the State Address, and further, that the Senate stand adjourned until Thursday, February 17, 2022, upon the rising of the Joint Convention.
2:36 P.M.
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Recess
The Senate proceeded in a body to the Assembly Chamber to meet in Joint Convention to receive the State of the State Message.
6:45 P.M.
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In Assembly Chamber
In Joint Convention
7:00 P.M.
Senate President Kapenga in the chair.
The Committee to wait upon the Governor appeared with his Excellency, the Honorable Governor Tony Evers, who delivered his message as follows:
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State of the State Address
“Good evening, Wisconsin!
Honorable Supreme Court Justices, Tribal Nation leaders, constitutional officers, Maj. Gen. Knapp, members of the Wisconsin National Guard and active and retired members of our armed forces, cabinet members, Sen. President Kapenga, Majority Leader LeMahieu, Minority Leader Bewley, Speaker Vos, and Minority Leader Neubauer, legislators, distinguished guests, and, most importantly, all of the folks tuning in from home, welcome, and thank you for joining us.
I’m Tony Evers, and I’m incredibly proud to be your governor–the 46th governor of this great state.
The rest of my kids are watching from home this evening, but my daughter Katie is with us tonight. And my forever junior prom date, Kathy, is also up in the gallery. We’ll be celebrating our 50th anniversary later this year. Kathleen Frances, I’m just as crazy about you as I was 50 years ago–thanks for your support, your wisdom, your patience, and your wit. I love you so much.
As I deliver my fourth State of the State address to you tonight, I recognize there are those who would’ve said it was unlikely I’d ever become governor. I was a scrawny kid with big glasses who grew up in Plymouth–that’s the Cheese Capital of the World, by the way. I raised hell and played bass guitar in a rock band in high school. I worked in a cheese factory scraping mold off of cheese. I took my kindergarten classmate to junior prom and ended up spending the rest of my life with her.
I didn’t plan my career just so I could be standing up here tonight. I didn’t spend years pining to run for this office. And I’d much rather spend time listening to others than talking about myself–which, I’ve found out, isn’t something I have in common with most politicians.
I guess, in many ways, maybe it was unlikely. But you might not know just how close I was to ending up on a much different path. So, tonight, for the first time, I want to begin by telling a story I haven't shared before.
I grew up in a house of healthcare workers. My mom was a nurse, and my dad was a doctor who took care of tuberculosis patients at a sanitorium in Sheboygan County. And I’d grown up always wanting to be like them–I wanted to help people just like they did.
In 1974, I was doing just that and trying to follow in their footsteps. I was in my first year of medical school in Austria when Kathy and I found out that we were expecting our first kid. Well, as you can imagine, spending years going to medical school wasn’t exactly ideal for raising a newborn–I needed to figure out a better way to help support our family, and I needed to do it pretty quickly. So, Kathy and I packed up our things, and we headed back to good old Plymouth. We found an apartment. And I applied and got a job at the Kohler Company.
Well, there I was the night before I was supposed to start my job at Kohler. My mom–who’d collected mail for us while we were away–said, “Oh, by the way, I’ve got a stack of mail here for you,” and she handed me a stack of a year’s worth of mail.
Well, in that stack of mail was a letter. It was from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. And I opened that letter that night. It said “congratulations” because I’d been accepted into their master’s program for education.
That moment changed my life. That letter changed my entire trajectory. Because of that letter, I went on to become a science teacher. Because of that letter, I went on to become a principal and state superintendent. And there is no doubt that it is because of that letter that I’m standing here today as your governor.
And I tell you that story tonight, in part, to state the obvious–things don’t always go the way we plan. In fact, for these past few years, that’s sort of been one constant. If we’d had our way, we would not have faced the worst pandemic in a century or the worst economic crisis since the Great Recession. If we’d had our way, we would’ve expanded BadgerCare and access to affordable healthcare for tens of thousands of Wisconsinites. We would’ve met two-thirds funding for the first time in two decades and we would’ve done it by fully funding our public schools. We would’ve passed meaningful legislation to address PFAS and lead and justice reform. If we’d had our way, 11,637 Wisconsinites would still be here with us today—they’d be at our dinner tables, they’d be in our classrooms, our hospitals, our churches, our farms, and our factories, and they’d still be here celebrating more birthdays, more holidays, and more milestones with us.
But I also tell you that story because this work has always been a responsibility and an obligation I’ve met without regret or reservation—to do what needed to be done, to do what I must with what I was given, and to always try to do what is right. Not because it was perfect. Not because it was always easy. But because, however different things could have ended up for me, I have never doubted that I’m right where I needed to be because I welcome the duty of doing the right thing when it matters most.
Tonight, I am proud to be able to report that the state of our state is stronger and better than it was a year ago, or two years ago, or even three years ago.
We’ve worked hard to ensure our workers had jobs to return to after this pandemic. Through federal pandemic aid to our state, we’ve invested $1 billion into supporting our small businesses, farmers, and tourism, lodging, and entertainment industries. To date, we’ve supported more than 100,000 small businesses, and nearly 3,000 of those small businesses have opened up new storefronts on Main Streets across our state.
Throughout the pandemic, we were also able to keep all 375 transportation projects during the 2020 construction season on track. And because we did, we secured $105 million reallocated from other states to invest back into our infrastructure. We’ve also improved more than 1,770 miles of highways and more than 1,250 bridges–and if you laid out all the highways we’ve fixed end to end, you could just about drive from Platteville to Denver and back.
I also directed $100 million to support Wisconsin farmers through our Farm Support Program. In one round alone, we were able to help more than 20,000 farmers, and in more than half of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, our support for farmers through this program exceeded $1 million.
I’ve also directed more than $100 million through federal pandemic aid to expand access to reliable, affordable, high-speed internet across our state. These funds alone–which included the largest single round of broadband funding in state history–are projected to give new or improved broadband access to more than 110,000 Wisconsinites in nearly 50,000 homes as well as almost 2,200 businesses. During my time as governor, we will have invested almost 15 times more into expanding high-speed internet than the prior four years combined. All told, our investments since 2019 are providing more than 300,000 homes and businesses with high-quality, high-speed broadband.
These efforts have been critical for our economic recovery, and we’ve worked hard to get support out the door quickly to folks who need it. An analysis from November showed Wisconsin ranked second in the Midwest for getting our federal aid allocated. And I’m proud to report that, as a share of the federal aid our state has received, Wisconsin ranked second in the country for aid we’ve directed to economic development, and we ranked first in the country in aid we’ve allocated to businesses.
And Wisconsinites are working hard. In January of 2019, our unemployment rate was 3.1 percent. Today, our unemployment rate has not only returned to pre-pandemic unemployment levels, it’s better. At 2.8 percent, we now have the lowest unemployment rate and the fewest number of people unemployed ever in state history.
But with so many Wisconsinites already working, I know employers struggle with the same challenges they’ve faced for a decade trying to find new workers to fill jobs. We’ve gotten to work trying to find innovative, long-term solutions to the workforce challenges we face. We’ve also recognized that different parts of our state have different needs, whether it’s making childcare more affordable and accessible, training more high-skilled workers, or more apprenticeship opportunities for high schoolers. So, we’ve invested nearly $60 million into 12 regionally-based programs to meet the unique needs of different communities. And, after workers lost their jobs during the pandemic, we invested $20 million into helping thousands of workers get new skills and training to find new jobs.
We’ve also been working hard to keep more money in Wisconsinites’ pockets. Last year, we provided $480 million in tax relief for Wisconsin businesses and families affected by the pandemic. Republicans and Democrats also found common ground, and I was glad to deliver on my promise to cut taxes for middle- class families by 15 percent by signing one of the largest tax cuts in state history. Through all of the tax cuts I’ve signed into law, 86 percent of Wisconsin taxpayers will see a 15 percent income tax cut.
At the same time, while the economy has reopened and demand has surged, some corporations have taken advantage–they’ve squeezed consumers for every extra penny, raising everyday costs for folks in Wisconsin and across our country. A report released last week showed national inflation is the highest it’s been in four decades. And now, small businesses and working Wisconsinites and families are concerned about the rising costs at gas pumps and in grocery store aisles. And businesses face challenges getting supplies and resources.
So, I directed new changes that took effect in the new year to ensure Wisconsinites had extra money each month to help make ends meet. With these changes, coupled with the tax cuts I’ve signed into law, if you and your spouse each make $50,000, you’ll see over $1,200 more for your household in your paychecks this year.
But I also know we must do more. And it’s our responsibility to do more. We had ‘unprecedented’ revenue projections last year, and we closed out fiscal year 2021 with the highest-ever positive GAAP balance in state history at more than $1.1 billion. Last month, after receiving the great news about our low unemployment rate, we received even more good news. A new report showed Wisconsin is projected to have a $3.8 billion surplus–that’s billion with a B–in our state’s checking account at the end of this biennium. And that’s not even including the more than $1.7 billion sitting in our ‘rainy day’ fund, which is the highest it’s ever been in Wisconsin state history.
So, I announced my plan to use our surplus to help address rising costs and gas prices, to reduce barriers to work, and to invest in education at every level. We’d start by sending every Wisconsin resident a $150 surplus refund. So, under my plan, if you’re a family of four, you would receive $600 to help provide a little more wiggle room and hopefully a little less stress about making ends meet.
My plan also works to reduce barriers to work so we can help fill job openings across our state. Having access to quality, affordable childcare and caregiving continue to be a barrier for folks who want to join our workforce. We’d invest more than $130 million into providing tax relief through child and caregiver tax credits. Our tax credit for childcare would provide tax relief to an estimated 107,000 Wisconsinites who’d receive about $274 per filer, and through our caregiver tax credit, most caregivers will receive up to $500.
And, finally, as I said last July, the budget that was sent to my desk failed to meaningfully invest in our public schools, possibly jeopardizing more than $2 billion in federal aid for our kids. So, we’d also invest $750 million into improving our schools and outcomes for students to ensure everyone has access to a high- quality public education. And that includes more than $180 million to hold the line on property taxes across our state.
And, folks, the great news is we can do all of this and still not spend our entire projected surplus–under my plan, we’ll still have more than $2 billion left over. I’ve already heard there are some who want to wait to get this done until the next budget. That’s $3.8 billion that would just be sitting in Madison until then. Well, that’s not going to help Wisconsinites buy groceries today. It won’t help Wisconsinites pay for gas today. It won’t help Wisconsinites pay for childcare, heat their homes, or put food on their table today. Wisconsinites can’t wait.
Indifference in this building is getting expensive, folks. And let me be frank: the people who will bear the burden of inaction are almost certainly not the people sitting in this chamber tonight.
So, don’t sit here in a white, marble building with state coffers that are full and tell Wisconsinites who are working hard every day that we can’t afford to do more. That’s baloney.
Tomorrow, I will sign an executive order calling a special session of this Legislature to take up my surplus plan. Let’s help address rising costs, let’s help make sure folks can afford to join our workforce, and let’s do what’s best for our kids. This is the people’s money. Let’s get it back to them.
Look, Republicans and Democrats in this building don’t agree all the time. But this isn’t one of those times. And here’s how I know that–because I received a letter last December that read, in part, “There are supply shortages and soaring inflation rates, causing families to have to pay significantly more on items such as food and gasoline. Real people are struggling with these pocketbook issues.”
Well, Mr. President and Mr. Speaker, that letter was from you. And I think it sounds like we agree on something.
There’s no reason we can’t do this, and the rising costs Wisconsinites are seeing every day are every reason that we should. So, let’s find common ground, let’s pass this plan, and let’s get this done. It’s just the right thing to do, folks.
And it’s the right thing to do because Wisconsinites are the reason for our state’s and our economy’s success. From healthcare workers to first responders, educators and childcare workers, local public health officers, Tribal Nation partners, grocery store workers, farmers, small business owners, and so many others. But I also want to say tonight that we would not be here as a state without the extraordinary efforts of the Wisconsin National Guard. Period.
Under the longest Guard activation in Wisconsin state history, the Guard’s work began almost on Day One of COVID-19 landing in Wisconsin and continues even still today. As fear was spreading across the globe about a new virus, 30 Wisconsinites were stranded aboard a cruise ship for weeks. Our administration, together with Sen. Tammy Baldwin, worked to bring them to Wisconsin. And it was the men and women of our Wisconsin National Guard who greeted these Wisconsinites and welcomed them home.
The Guard has also played a key role in our efforts to distribute more than 80 million pieces of personal protective equipment and sanitizing supplies to schools, healthcare workers, first responders, and local law enforcement. They’ve helped administer tests and support testing sites you likely visited in your community. Additionally, we ranked among the best in the country for getting available COVID-19 vaccine shots in arms, and it’s in no small part due to the Guard. They helped distribute more than 1.2 million of the vaccine doses we’ve administered as a state, and they’ve administered more than 230,000 of those vaccines themselves.
They’ve also been on the frontlines of defending our country and our democracy in more ways than one. When Wisconsinites were exercising their right to vote, the Wisconsin National Guard was there, too. Our Guard members joined our exceptional clerks, election administrators, and poll workers to help make sure you could cast your ballot and do so safely. Even now, some Guard members are being trained as certified nursing assistants through our partnership with Madison College to help support our overwhelmed healthcare workers and systems.
Well, tonight, we are joined by Wisconsin’s Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Paul Knapp, as well as members from our Wisconsin National Guard, who are up in the gallery tonight. Please join me in recognizing these exceptional folks and their service.
These folks have stepped up to serve our state time and time again during one of the direst periods in our state’s history. And their service has not come without cost–emotionally, physically, and mentally. Our effort to invest more than $3 million into expanding the Guard’s wellness program was gutted from my biennial budget. It would have increased access to important mental health and wellness support to more than 9,000 Guard members.
Well, tonight, I’m announcing I’m going to do it anyway. We’re going to invest $5 million to expand access to the Guard’s comprehensive wellness office and their services to every single member of the Wisconsin National Guard. This program will provide counseling, resiliency training, and crisis intervention and stress reduction programming, to help reduce burnout, take care of mental health needs, prevent suicide, and treat substance use disorders for our service members. And I’ll tell you right now this program will have ongoing funding in the budget I’ll propose next year. And I call on this Legislature tonight to join me by ensuring this program receives long-term, sustainable funding.
But at the end of the day, we also know the effects of this pandemic will exist whether this virus is here or not. Troops came home at a time of increased isolation and uncertainty, including some who’ve returned and taken their own lives. We need long-term solutions to support our veterans and the challenges they face–both those that existed before this pandemic and others that worsened because of it.
We’ve worked to proactively address some of the challenges facing our veterans, and the Legislature even agreed with me on several provisions in the last budget. In fact, folks on both sides of the aisle even called this “a really good budget for veterans.” I agree. But our work cannot end there. So, in the coming days, I’ll sign an executive order creating a Blue Ribbon Commission on Veteran Opportunity to develop new, innovative initiatives to support the more than 300,000 veterans who live in our state.
We can help reduce barriers to higher education, employment, and job training, and streamline the licensure process for veterans who want to join our workforce. We can help make sure we have sustainable, ongoing funding for programs that support these folks by ensuring our Veterans Trust Fund remains solvent. And yes, we can help invest in housing security, more mental health supports, and more substance use treatment. And this Blue Ribbon Commission is going to make recommendations for me to do just that in my next budget.
And support for our veterans isn’t the only area where we can do more to help. This pandemic exposed serious concerns about our healthcare infrastructure and capacity, especially in our rural areas and communities. We’ve expanded access to telehealth services, protected healthcare for Wisconsinites who have pre-existing conditions, and worked to reduce the costs of prescription drug prices. But we also know that there is great need for emergency services and responders in our rural communities.
In Wisconsin, we rely on nearly 800 emergency medical service providers–more than half are either operated exclusively by volunteers or through a combination of volunteers and paid staff. These folks are doing outstanding work, but many have been doing it for years, and it’s sometimes difficult finding new volunteers to step into these important roles.
It also hasn’t helped that, for a decade, local governments have been asked to do more with less. Since 2011, state aid to communities has gone down even as costs have gone up. Help from the state was cut by more than nine percent, while public safety costs have increased more than 16 percent. Between these rising costs and lack of available staffing, some have even gone without ambulance services, left with no other option but to hope and rely upon neighboring providers.
Well, no one should be calling for an ambulance and have to wonder whether help will come. So, tonight, I’m announcing we’re investing nearly $30 million into supporting emergency medical service providers and services across our state.
$20 million of this investment will be going to folks in our rural areas for whatever help they need the most, whether it’s increasing staffing support, getting first responders more training, purchasing an ambulance, medical equipment or supplies. Every emergency medical service and emergency medical response provider will qualify for funding. Additionally, as part of this investment, we’re going to increase reimbursement rates for these providers to help ensure they don’t have to cut back on critically important services.
This pandemic didn’t just expose the need for us to expand access to rural healthcare. It also highlighted that our kids need more mental health support in our schools, and this pandemic only made those needs more urgent.
I came into office after years of disinvestment in our kids, our educators, and our schools. So, we’ve worked to make historic investments in education at every level. We’ve increased special education funding for the first time in a decade, made the largest investment in general aid in a decade, and invested more than $900 million into providing local property tax relief. Now, our schools have returned to being top 10 in the country–our K-12 schools rank eighth best in the nation after ranking 17th just five years ago.
The pandemic hit in the spring of 2020. States across our nation closed schools for the rest of the semester,
