Tracking politicians' promises

“As governor, Tony will: Convene a blue-ribbon commission to address the solvency issues facing the Veterans Trust Fund.”

Editor’s note: In tracking this promises, we will start with the assumption that Gov. Evers wants a full report and practical results. We will monitor whether the panel meets, takes action, etc.

“As governor, Tony will:

-- Establish a comprehensive and permanent revolving loan program for lead pipe water service lines, lead-based internal plumbing and contaminated well replacements

-- Allow school districts and villages, cities, towns and counties to exceed levy limits to replace lead pipe water service lines

-- Create a thorough academic and behavioral intervention program for children with elevated blood lead levels

-- Allow individuals to claim the Historic Preservation Tax Credit for 25% of costs incurred to remove and replace windows in a historic property to remediate a lead hazard"

“As governor, Tony will: Reverse Scott Walker’s decision to defund Planned Parenthood and thus ensure that thousands of Wisconsin residents are still able to access important health services like breast and cervical cancer screenings, physical exams, birth control and sexually transmitted infections (STI) testing”

“As governor, Tony will: Convene a blue-ribbon commission to address the solvency issues facing the Veterans Trust Fund.”

Editor’s note: In tracking this promises, we will start with the assumption that Gov. Evers wants a full report and practical results. We will monitor whether the panel meets, takes action, etc.

“As governor, Tony will:

-- Establish a comprehensive and permanent revolving loan program for lead pipe water service lines, lead-based internal plumbing and contaminated well replacements

-- Allow school districts and villages, cities, towns and counties to exceed levy limits to replace lead pipe water service lines

-- Create a thorough academic and behavioral intervention program for children with elevated blood lead levels

-- Allow individuals to claim the Historic Preservation Tax Credit for 25% of costs incurred to remove and replace windows in a historic property to remediate a lead hazard"

“As governor, Tony will: Reverse Scott Walker’s decision to defund Planned Parenthood and thus ensure that thousands of Wisconsin residents are still able to access important health services like breast and cervical cancer screenings, physical exams, birth control and sexually transmitted infections (STI) testing”

Evers said he would send a letter when he takes office that says: “As my first act in office, I am immediately withdrawing the authority previously provided under Wis. Stat. § 165.25(1m) for Wisconsin to participate in litigation over the Affordable Care Act in Texas, et al. v. the United States.”

He also pledged to “extend protections for Wisconsinites with pre-existing health conditions. It is estimated that half of Wisconsinites have some kind of pre-existing health condition like cancer, diabetes, a heart condition, obesity or depression.”

This promise focuses on the second part -- steps taken to protect coverage of pre-existing conditions.

In answer to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel questions, Evers campaign manager said Evers would want to repeal Act 10 or soften it.

Act 10 is the measure passed in 2011 by then-Gov. Scott Walker and fellow Republicans that curtailed collective bargaining for most public employees, among other matters.

“As governor, Tony will: Repeal changes made to Wisconsin’s prevailing wage laws that simply take money out of Wisconsin’s workers’ pockets”

“As governor, Tony will: Invest in preventive health programs, especially for Wisconsin women, that have been defunded over the last seven years. Having to drive four hours round-trip for a mammogram, simply isn’t acceptable.”

“As governor, Tony will support: Banning the box.”

“Tony supports raising the minimum wage to $15/hour and indexing to inflation.  However, like Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tony also believes that this should be phased in over multiple years.”

“As governor, Tony will support: Ending the use of solitary confinement (especially with juveniles)"

Evers described this as a “goal” in various venues, acknowledging it could not be done within a single term. This issue was a source of multiple attacks during the campaign.

In a July 12 forum, Evers said he supported eventually cutting the prison population in half: 

Moderator: The multi-racial interfaith organization MICAH launched a campaign in 2011 to cut the state prison population by half, from 22,000 to 11,000. It now sits at 23,000. Do you support that original goal, and how would you balance reducing the prison population  —

Evers: Absolutely, and that's a goal that’s worth accomplishing … We have to stop people incarcerating people for non-violent crimes.

In addition, Evers provided the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel a July 2, 2018 statement that said: “I would want my administration to develop a comprehensive prison reform package that will actually prevent recidivism, decrease our prison population and save the state money. This could include drug court expansion, increased services and resources for treating drug and alcohol addiction, returning 17 year olds to the juvenile system instead of charging them as adults, revising Wisconsin’s ‘truth-in-sentencing’ laws and increased support for more community policing programs.”

In other places, Evers pledged suport for several reforms that could help achieve this goal, including ending mandatory minimum sentences and ending parole violations for technical issues.