| October 30, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Contact: Glen R. Schwalbach, P.E. Brown County Taxpayers Association (920) 680-2436 glenschwalbach@netzero.com |
Taxpayers Association Challenges Governor’s Abuse of Partial Veto Power
The Brown County Taxpayers Association (BCTA) filed an amicus brief in LeMieux v. Tony Evers, a case before the Wisconsin State Supreme Court which challenges the Governor’s creative, expansive and unprecedented use of line-item veto power. The amicus brief, filed on behalf of BCTA by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, supports the plaintiff position that the Governor’s action is not legal.
Governor Evers took a passage from the Legislature’s last two-year budget bill and butchered the text into a 400-year commitment of annual increases in state education funding. The governor did this by deleting individual numerals, letters, and even a non-alphanumeric hyphen, and then closing the resultant gaps to assemble a statute which in no way reflects the legislative intent.
Oral arguments in the case were heard by the Wisconsin State Supreme Court on October 9th. A ruling is expected around the end of the year.
BCTA President Glen R. Schwalbach expressed hope for a decision in the plaintiff’s favor. “The Governor has taken upon himself the power to create law never considered, much less intended, by the Legislature. That action would seem impossible to defend and I’m hopeful the Court will see it that way”, Schwalbach said. He went on to note that, during the oral arguments, justices voiced skepticism. One noted that the Governor’s view of his line-item veto power would suggest “the sky is the limit” for executive veto power. Another, noting the evolution of the line-item veto in Wisconsin, called the issue “a mess of this Court’s making”.
“The Governor’s action in this matter shows arrogant disregard for the separation of powers established in our State constitution and citizens deserve better”, said Schwalbach.
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The Brown County Taxpayers Association is a local group working to bring information and awareness to issues that affect tax policy or impose regulatory burdens. “Promoting fiscal responsibility in government since 1986”.
Learn more about the Brown County Taxpayers Association at www.BCTaxPayers.com