​Dem governor uses 'powerful veto power' to spend more taxpayer money for next 402 years

Leave it up to a Democrat to figure out how to spend even more taxpayer money for centuries on end.

On Wednesday, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) issued a line-item veto to increase taxpayer funding of K-12 public schools by $325 per student each year until 2425.

Originally, the state budget passed by a Republican-controlled legislature earmarked a school district revenue-raising limit boost of $325 per student for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years.

But using his broad power to issue partial vetos, Evers edited the bill on the fly, striking the "24" from the reference to the first school year and the hyphen and "20" from the reference to the "2024-25 school year" so that it reads "2023-2425."

The red letters are what Evers struck from the budget. (Image source: State of Wisconsin Department of Administration screenshot)

Justifying his decision, Evers cited inflation and the need "provide school districts with predictable long-term [revenue] increases for the foreseeable future."

But who will pay for the funding increases? According to Wisconsin Republicans, taxpayers will be saddled with that burden via increases in property taxes.

"Legislative Republicans worked tirelessly over the last few months to block Governor Evers’ liberal tax and spending agenda," Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R) said in a statement. "Unfortunately, because of his powerful veto authority, he reinstated some of it today.

"Wisconsin property taxpayers will also bear the burden of Gov. Evers' veto regarding per-pupil school funding. By allowing this level into the future, homeowners will experience massive property tax increases in the coming years," Vos warned.

Of course, the increase is not irreversible. A future governor and legislature could work together not to spend the taxpayer revenue that won't be collected for another four centuries. But, until then, it's the law of the land in Wisconsin.

Overall, Evers issued 51 partial vetos. In 2021, he issued 50 partial vetos on the state's biannual budget and 78 partial vetos in 2019, WBAY-TV reported.

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