An override attempt of one of Gov. Tony Evers’ budget vetoes today failed in the Assembly along party lines with members of both parties accusing the other side of playing politics with students’ education.
The provision within the budget Evers vetoed would’ve required the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to put aside $500,000 each budget year to award fabrication laboratory grants, a K-12 resource-sharing program meant to prepare students for manufacturing jobs.
In his veto message, the guv said he rejected the measure because he didn’t support the Legislature limiting WEDC’s authority. He said the fab labs program “is a policy more appropriately administered with other educational grant programs.”
Rep. Dianne Hesselbein, D-Middleton, called the override unnecessary because WEDC already budgeted $750,000 on its own for the program.
“This is another attempt by the Republicans to scrutinize an administration that is working hard for the people of Wisconsin,” she said. “This veto override today is nothing more than a political power play.”
But Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, countered the override would put in place an additional $1 million in fab labs funding.
He said Dems had never once voted in favor of fab labs. And that the override would be “the one vote today” that would increase school district funding, an issue Evers recently called on the Legislature to take up in a special session.
“There’s only one way we can know more money will be spent, and that’s by overriding the veto,” Vos said.
