Tony Evers still sees opportunities for 'common ground' in Wisconsin

After nearly three years marked by partisan gridlock and nearly two shrouded by a devastating pandemic, Gov. Tony Evers is still cautiously optimistic entering the final year of his first term as Wisconsin’s governor.

Evers, who will face a tough reelection challenge in 2022, said broadband expansion, road repairs and reforms to the state’s criminal justice system are all areas rife with opportunities for the two parties to work together.

“People want us to get things done, and part of getting things done is allowing us to create an atmosphere (where) we're focused on what the people of Wisconsin want, whether it’s broadband or whether it’s fixing the darn roads, making sure that we have lower income taxes,” Evers told the Cap Times in an interview last week. “It's time to reflect on that and to make sure that we understand how important doing things for the people of Wisconsin is for us.”

The relationship between Evers and Republican legislative leaders is notoriously strained, and the two parties have fought over the last several years about health care (first Evers’ proposed Medicaid expansion, then how to respond to COVID-19), education, gun laws, spending priorities and even what to call the (Christmas? holiday?) tree displayed in the Capitol rotunda.

Read more: https://captimes.com/news/government/tony-evers-still-sees-opportunities-for-common-ground-in-wisconsin/article_bf98780a-8c35-5087-a55a-fdf4ca31eb3e.html