Evers says Vos is 'making it up' or got bad advice in criticism of governor's lawsuit over UW pay

WUWM 89.7 FM | By Chuck Quirmbach

Published November 2, 2023 at 11:03 AM CDT

Gov. Tony Evers speaks with students and instructors during a visit to the UW-Milwaukee Student Health and Wellness Center on Nov. 1, 2023.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) is brushing off early Republican criticism of his lawsuit against state lawmakers, over legislative committees, instead of the full legislature, blocking a pay raise for UW-System employees.

Point of disclosure: Most workers at WUWM would qualify for the raise.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, (R-Racine County) charged Tuesday that the lawsuit by Evers and his fellow Democrat, Attorney General Josh Kaul is an attempt to eliminate the 4% raises the legislature gave to all state employees a few weeks ago. Vos, in a press release, says he finds it "abhorrent that the governor would try and take away lawfully approved money for hardworking state employees.”

While visiting the UWM campus Wednesday morning, Evers chuckled, and told news reporters that state workers would not be affected.

"Apparently, he and his staff haven't read the lawsuit. It's all about the fact that we have passed the budget. The budget is law, and there is nothing in that law that says you can say, 'You're getting a raise, you're maybe getting a raise, maybe not, if we can figure this out.' It's just not there. So no, he's either making it up, or somebody gave him bad advice. There is nothing to indicate that this lawsuit will have an impact on non-university state employees, " Evers says.

Evers describes the point of part of the lawsuit: "This is about university employees who are getting the short end of the stick because the Republicans have decided not to play ball."

Evers and Kaul are also suing over legislative committees blocking conservation projects. The Democrats argue committee-only action violates the state constitution's separation of powers requirements.

FILE - Wisconsin's Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos talks to the media after Gov. Tony Evers' State of the State speech at the state Capitol, Feb. 15, 2022, in Madison, Wis. Wisconsin Republican lawmakers on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, proposed a nonpartisan redistricting plan they want to enact ahead of the 2024 election to preempt the liberal-controlled state Supreme Court from tossing the current GOP-drawn maps. (AP Photo/Andy Manis, File)

Vos says he is refusing to OK the UW pay raises until the university system gets rid of diversity, equity and inclusion programs. His office did not respond to a request for additional comment.

Evers and Kaul have asked the State Supreme Court, now controlled by liberals for the first time in about 15 years, to accept the case directly, rather than have it go to through circuit courts.