The familiar refrain of “small government” rang inside the State Capitol Tuesday evening as Gov. Scott Walker announced his priorities for the new Legislative session.
“Some in Washington believe government should play a growing role in our lives and rarely question its expanse,” Walker said. “Others have such disdain for government that they attempt to keep it from working at all. Instead, we have a chance to lead here in Wisconsin.”
Chief among these is reforming Wisconsin’s public school system, Walker said, a task Republicans in the Legislature began last week.
“Tonight, I call on the members of the state Legislature to pass legislation ensuring objective information is available for each and every school receiving public funds in this state,” Walker said. “Provide the information and allow parents to make the choice.”
Walker also called for the Legislature to pass a law removing all requirements that schools adhere to Common Core standards.
Republicans in the state Senate and Assembly got a jumpstart on Walker’s agenda already this week, introducing bills in both houses to increase penalties for schools not up to par by the state’s school rating method, ending funding for public schools that consistently do not meet standards and offering private companies an opportunity to take over management of these schools.
“If a school is consistently failing for four, five, six, seven years, shouldn’t we try something different if the school board is unable to fix it?” Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, asked before the State of the State address.
Walker also promised he and new state Attorney General Brad Schimel would file a lawsuit against the federal government, claiming new energy regulations put in place by the Environmental Protection Agency are economically unfair and illegal.
The speech lasted just under 24 minutes, less than half the length of Walker’s previous State of the State address. Democratic leaders said the speech was too short to include any substance.
At a press conference following the speech, Democrats from the Senate and Assembly listed the issues they wished Walker had addressed.
“I think the Green Bay Packers have had offensive drives that were longer than the Governor’s speech this evening,” Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, said. “I think what really struck me most about the Governor’s speech was the lack of details on how the Republicans will fix the $2.2 billion deficit they have created.”
State Sen. Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, said tonight’s speech was more about running for President than issues in Wisconsin.
Despite the alleged policy gaps in Tuesday’s speech, Democrats say they heard promising signs that Walker and Republicans in the Legislature will work across the aisle as the the new session begins.
