State senators from our area differ in their views of a plan to limit line-item veto powers for Democratic Governor Tony Evers and future chief executives. Republican lawmakers want to adopt a constitutional amendment that would prevent Wisconsin governors from using line-item vetoes to shift funding from one area of the budget to another. That follows Governor Evers' shift of $65-million more than the legislature wanted into education. State Senator Dave Hansen, a Democrat from Green Bay, believes talk of an amendment is motivated more by partisan concerns than fiscal responsibility.
Former GOP Governor Tommy Thompson was well known for using the so-called “Vanna White” veto to change words and sentences in his state budgets. State Senator Andre Jacque, a Republican from De Pere, believes change is needed to prevent further abuses of a governor's veto power.
Before such an amendment could go before voters the proposal would have to be adopted in two consecutive legislative sessions.