GOP leaders ask to meet with Tony Evers on the use of federal funds COVID-19 Local government

Republican legislative leaders have called for a meeting with Gov. Tony Evers to discuss how the Democratic governor plans to spend billions of dollars in federal coronavirus stimulus before the GOP-led finance committee begins voting on the 2021-23 budget this Thursday.

In a letter sent Monday by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg and the co-chairs of the powerful state budget committee, Senator Howard Marklein, the R-Spring Green and Representative Mark Born. , R-Beaver Dam, Republicans have called for a meeting with the governor “as soon as possible” to review Evers’ plans for $ 3.2 billion allocated to the state in the latest federal stimulus.

Federal money, over which the governor has complete discretion, represents one-time funds, but Republicans in the legislature say knowing how Evers plans to use those dollars could be factored into the upcoming budget.

“We look forward to adding your plans to the state budget discussion so that we can devote valuable state resources to the priorities of all Wisconsinites,” lawmakers said in the letter. “As we said, we need to know where the federal funds are going so that we can direct government funds to where we need them.”

Evers said last week he was still waiting for federal guidance on how the stimulus might be used, but hoped to provide an update to the budget committee in the near future.