Local state representatives proposed an amendment to the Wisconsin State Constitution last week to limit the governor's veto power. For over 30 years, each Wisconsin governor has enjoyed what is nationally known as the most extensive veto power of all governors in the United States.
Generally, a veto allows a head of state to strike down a bill that has been passed by a legislature. The partial veto, however, allows the Wisconsin governor to specifically strike words, letters, punctuation or even numbers, practically allowing the rewriting of a bill.
\What was originally intended as a check on the power of the legislative branch has instead become an excessive grant of power to [the governor],"" state Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, recently said in a release.
Critics charge that such an expanse of power leaves room for abuse, and as Susan Paddock, professor of governmental affairs at UW-Madison explained, ""The veto in Wisconsin has been used to destroy legislative intent.""
Paddock, like Black and state Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, who co-authored the amendment, agrees with the necessity of the full or standard veto because such a check needs to be in place. Supporters of the amendment said they agree it could put partisan bickering aside and make the veto process cleaner.
This amendment process has stifled under legal wrangling for over three decades as control of the Legislature has shifted from party to party, and the trend seems to be continuing.
Dan Leistikow, a spokesperson for the governor's office, reverberated past governors' objections as he discussed Gov. Jim Doyle's opposition to the amendment.
Leistikow said the partial veto power allowed Doyle to save the UW System from a $35 million cut, $8 million of which was designated for financial aid and had been specifically targeted by Republicans.
Leistikow said he sees the partial veto necessary ""to protect this check against the legislatures.""
What is different this time around is that the amendment is sponsored by a legislator from the party of the governor, Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison.
Also a key factor in moving past party politics is that the amendment would not take effect until 2011, a fact that may prove to eliminate potential party gridlock.
Despite the amendment, whoever is elected governor in the next few terms, possibly even those advocating the amendment, will still get to wield the power of Wisconsin's partial veto.
