Press Release
MADISON – On Friday afternoon, Governor Tony Evers responded to a letter to Senator Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) and other State Senate Republicans seeking information into the decision-making process behind the Stay-at-Home extension. In his response to Republicans, Evers twice hints at extending Safer-At-Home through the summer. Evers answer also states that 35% of all Wisconsin employers may close forcing over 725,000 people to permanently lose their jobs.
After reviewing the response over the weekend, Wanggaard issued the following statement:
“I appreciate the Governor sharing his insights into his decision-making process. It is clear that he has put at least some thought into his decision-making. But Evers response, as far as it goes, shows the frightening results of his decisions.
“It appears that Evers’ is actively thinking about extending Safer at Home into and possibly through the summer at the cost of almost three-quarters of a million people losing their jobs. Given his admission that the length of “Safer-at-Home” has no impact on lessening a substantial peak overwhelming hospitals, substantially extending the “Safer-at-Home” order makes little sense.
“It’s disturbing to know that the Governor apparently realizes that his order is costing four times more jobs than the Great Recession, and that he is literally doubling down the Safer-at-Home order.
“And yet, despite nearly half of the state’s cases in the last week coming from one county, and mammoth areas of the state with little to no infections, the Governor had no response to questions about regionalization as President Trump’s plan allows. And Evers didn’t answer specific questions about why his Badger Bounce Back plan gating criteria has differences from Trump’s Opening America Plan. These differences appear slight in wording, but are substantially more difficult to obtain.
“We may all be in this together, but we don’t need to cripple all of us for the pandemic located in a few counties. If we continue with our current strategy much further, Wisconsin won’t be devastated by the virus, it will be utterly demolished by Governor Evers’ response to it.
“I urge, and beg,Governor Evers and Secretary-Designee Palm to engage in constructive planning with legislative leadership to start to find a way back to normal and soon. That means actually working with legislative leaders, and not dictating to them in staff meetings once a day.”
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