[Madison, WI] Tonight, Governor Tony Evers delivered his final State of the State address. State Representative Calvin Callahan (R-Tomahawk) released the following statement:
“Governor Evers’ address was a strong reminder of the good work that government can accomplish when we work together across the aisle. Unfortunately, it was also a warning of what can happen when a Governor falters on his commitment to serve the people above all else.
“There has been some great bipartisan legislation passed during Governor Evers’ tenure. He was very happy to highlight the tax relief that has been provided to Wisconsinites, however he might need a reminder that those tax cuts were passed in spite of him proposing tax hikes. It was my colleagues and I who fought against his proposal to raise taxes by $3.7 billion in the last budget, instead passing a budget that cut taxes by $1.5 billion. That fact certainly didn’t stop Governor Evers from taking credit for those cuts anyways.
“Governor Evers also highlighted the Republican-led effort to eliminate taxes on residential utilities, which I was very proud to support. That bipartisan effort will save Wisconsin households about $90 million a year, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to the $2.2 billion in utility rate increases that Governor Evers’ Public Service Commission has approved since gaining the majority of the board.
“While Governor Evers taunts bipartisan tax cuts, largely originating from the efforts of Republican lawmakers, he also showed his true colors as a tax-and-spend liberal. We already over-taxed Wisconsinites by $2.5 billion, contributing to our budget surplus. Governor Evers thinks that you’ve had enough tax relief, at least for the next 400 years or so. He believes that your tax dollars should not be returned to you, but should instead be used for his list of demands on his way out of office.
