Republicans exercised excessive and arguably corrupt veto power for years in Wisconsin and now the Democratic Governor is returning the chaos in spades. This is a warning to those cheering the Trump dismantling of government precedent. It will come back.
Long story short:
Wisconsin Supreme Court Says Governor’s 400-Year Edit Was Within Veto Authority - The New York Times
Those Frankenstein and Vanna White Vetoes Republicans Used to Love - Shepherd Express
The sentence, dull but clear, was buried 158 pages into Wisconsin’s budget.
“For the limit for the 2023-24 school year and the 2024-25 school year,” the sentence read when it was passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature, “add $325” to the amount school districts could generate through property taxes for each student.
But by the time Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, and his veto pen were finished, it said something else entirely: “For the limit for 2023-2425, add $325.”
It was clever. Creative. Perhaps even a bit subversive, extending the increase four centuries longer than lawmakers intended. But was it legal?
Long story short:
- Wisconsin has 100-year-old law that allows for partial law veto
- Specifically bars the Governor from vetoing letters and making new words
- Does not bar the Governor from vetoing hyphens and numbers and whole words
- The Governor vetoed some words, 2 hyphens, and 2 number 20's and changed a funding item meant to expire in 2025 to expire in 2425 (400 years in future)
- Party line Supreme court says it is stupid but legal
- Newspapers named the veto a Vanna White Veto back in the 90's
Wisconsin Supreme Court Says Governor’s 400-Year Edit Was Within Veto Authority - The New York Times
Those Frankenstein and Vanna White Vetoes Republicans Used to Love - Shepherd Express
The sentence, dull but clear, was buried 158 pages into Wisconsin’s budget.
“For the limit for the 2023-24 school year and the 2024-25 school year,” the sentence read when it was passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature, “add $325” to the amount school districts could generate through property taxes for each student.
But by the time Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, and his veto pen were finished, it said something else entirely: “For the limit for 2023-2425, add $325.”
It was clever. Creative. Perhaps even a bit subversive, extending the increase four centuries longer than lawmakers intended. But was it legal?
