“A steady hand through rough waters” – Sen. Larson reacts to Gov. Evers’ State of the State Address

Madison, WI – Against seemingly insurmountable odds, Wisconsin has made it to the latter stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in a stronger position than when it started nearly 2 years ago. Unemployment and labor force participation are the best they’ve ever been, wages are rising, and Governor Evers deserves a substantial amount of credit for his steady hand through historically rough waters.

In tonight’s State of the State Address, Evers reflected on our achievements over the past year, while outlining an ambitious and hopeful vision for our future. That future, according to Governor Evers, starts now. By using some of our record $3.8 billion projected budget surplus to provide direct relief to every Wisconsinite, build our workforce, expand childcare opportunities, and fund public education to the level our children deserve, we can build a brighter future today.

Republicans have signaled they want to wait until the next budget cycle to tap into our record surplus. It’s the same tactic of delay and defer that they’ve used throughout the pandemic. As Governor Evers said, “indifference in this building is getting expensive.”

Let us not forget that Republicans have done everything they can to slow down federal pandemic relief, putting politics ahead of the people of Wisconsin. Meanwhile, Evers has allocated $1 billion in federal aid for small businesses and our farmers, invested $100 million to expand broadband across our state, and put forward the most progressive state budget proposal in our history, only to have it rejected out of hand by a gerrymandered majority more interested in scoring political points than helping our neighbors in need.

Wisconsin is on the right track thanks to Governor Evers’ steady and compassionate leadership. I look forward to working with him in 2022 and beyond to fully fund our schools, invest in higher education, protect our shared environment, and defend our democracy against those who seek to cast doubt and undermine the very basic principle of one person, one vote.

As the Governor said, “democracy is not a prophecy…we must choose every day to affirm the certainty of this legacy for future generations.” I couldn’t agree more.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.