Last Friday, Governor Evers vetoed for the third time bills that would cut middle-class taxes, expand the married couple tax credit, and give retirees an incentive to stay in Wisconsin rather than leave the state. The Republican-majority state legislature passed the bills last month, in part, as an effort to deal with the nearly $4 billion surplus of taxpayer monies accumulated over the last several years.

Senator Duey Stroebel (R – Cedarburg) issued a statement in response to Evers' veto saying, "Wisconsin’s current budget surplus is just under $4 billion. This surplus is a result of a decade-plus run of fiscal conservatism in both the Senate and the Assembly, which has allowed us to adequately fund our priorities while putting Wisconsin in a strong financial position. The nearly $4 billion budget surplus also tells us that we are over-taxing our residents."

"This budget surplus belongs in the hands of the hard-working taxpayers of Wisconsin, not in the hands of Madison bureaucrats or far-left special interest groups. That is why the legislature has made repeated attempts this session to deliver tax cuts for families and return the surplus back to the people. It is unfortunate that Governor Evers has repeatedly blocked our efforts to provide necessary relief for middle-class families despite the legislature’s willingness to come to a compromise."

He went on to say that the governor’s vetoes "deny the average middle-class filer $454 in tax cuts that could be used to help fight the costs of inflation from within their own homes, penalize married couples by rejecting the expansion of the married couple tax credit, and discourage seniors from retiring in Wisconsin and spending time with their grandchildren by making it more expensive to retire in our state."

Putting more money in middle-class families’ pockets, incentivizing marriage, and giving tax relief to retirees, all ultimately help Wisconsin’s families. Further, individuals and families are better stewards of their earnings than the government. Empowering families to make decisions that best suit their needs regarding how they spend their money contributes to the overall prosperity of the state.

Strong and independent families, led by strong marriages, and bolstered by strong extended families make for a strong and prosperous Wisconsin. That should be the goal of every one of our elected officials.