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Letter to the Editor: Governor Evers Has Gotten It Done

Here are some of the accomplishments I believe Gov. Tony Evers has made since taking office in 2019, while confronting massive opposition from the Republican-controlled Wisconsin Legislature:

• The largest budget surplus in Wisconsin history: $3.4 billion.

• His 2021-23 budget contained one of the largest tax cuts in state history, overdelivering on his promise to cut middle-class taxes by 10%, when combined with prior reductions.

• By December 2021, he had reduced unemployment to an all-time low, 2.8%, while increasing labor-force participation to 66.4% – 4.5 percentage points higher than the national rate of 61.9%.

• He paid down the state’s debt, resulting in its bond rating being upgraded.

• He’s increased Wisconsin exports by more than $11 billion – 18% greater than in 2020.

• He put $500 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds into small-business grants, directed $100 million to support farmers and provided relief for local governments.

• He renegotiated the Foxconn contract, saving the state $2 billion-plus, reducing the state’s subsidy to just 2.8% of the Walker/Republican give-away levels.

• He introduced numerous innovations to increase vaccination rates, including using FEMA and National Guard medical teams and community outreach.

• His statewide pandemic efforts were among the nation’s most effective.

• He’s repaired more than 1,700 miles of highways and 1,250-plus bridges.

• He’s allocated $25 million to restore Republicans’ 50% funding cuts to Madison’s and Milwaukee’s public transit.

• He vetoed six Republican bills making voting unnecessarily difficult or unnecessarily complicating election administration.

• He established the nonpartisan People Maps Commission, which produced three maps that the Princeton Gerrymandering Project graded with As, compared to the Republicans’ maps, which received Fs.

• He’s updating the state’s computer systems, which will speed up unemployment-insurance claims processing.

• He’s leading efforts to establish standards to regulate PFAS contamination of our water.

• He promises to veto Republican calls to privatize all Wisconsin public schools.

The Legislature has passed numerous extreme-right bills that would have become law had a Republican been governor. We must re-elect Tony Evers to save the veto, protect Wisconsin from the radical right and start rebuilding effective state government.

Jack Fiedler

Sister Bay, Wisconsin