Nygren, Vos say Milwaukeeans don't deserve tax dollars like their districts do

In his state budget, Governor Tony Evers plans to dedicate $40 million in the state’s Environmental Improvement Fund to go toward“projects involving forgivable loans to private users of public water systems to cover not more than 50% of the cost to replace lead service,” as described by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau.

Joint Finance Co-Chair John Nygren (R-Marinette) expressed opposition to the provision, but it seemed to derive less from the cost of the program, but because of the people it will benefit.

"My understanding is that the proposal — a vast majority of it — is going to Milwaukee," Nygren said. "While we had targeted our response to the lead issue as a local opportunity for communities to get involved and provide assistance at the local level, rather than people from Marinette funding lead replacements in Milwaukee. I'm not sure that that's necessarily fair from a taxpayer standpoint."

He added, "Let's have the citizens of Milwaukee, if they want to get engaged in replacing lead pipes in private homes, that that would be more appropriate as a local program rather than a state program."

2 things are very wrong with that statement by Nygren.
First, “people from Marinette funding lead replacements in Milwaukee” isn’t “necessarily fair”? When did you care about the taxpayers of Marinette when you helped shove through the Fox-con, which has given hundreds of millions in state tax dollars for infrastructure that was 200 miles away from Marinette, and could leave us on the hook for billions more if anything ever happens there?

In addition, Milwaukeeans and other Wisconsinites are sending plenty of dollars to your little corner of the state, Johnny. Remember this from 2 1/2 months ago? You should, you were there!



Here's more on what is going in to Marinette's harbor.

The governor said he is committing $31 million in his budget plan to help the Marinette shipbuilder and expand its shipyard and infrastructure. He says the expansion will help Marinette Marine compete for a $10 billion federal shipbuilding contract.

"The shipyard expansion will ensure that Marinette Marine not only maintains a workforce of 1,500 employees but can add an additional 400 full-time positions. These are good, family-supporting jobs that will support the local economy....

Rep. John Nygren (R-Marinette) said he met with the governor last week to "emphasize the enormous value Marinette Marine plays in Wisconsin's economy" and invited him for a visit.

"Less than ten days later, Governor Evers accepted the invite and announced his commitment to invest in Marinette Marine," Nygren said.

That’s a flat-out earmark to improve the harbor in John Nygren’s hometown of 10,600 people, and it’s in Governor Evers’ DOT budget. But apparently clearing replacing more than 15,000 lead lines and improving the health of all of those households isn’t as important if it helps THOSE PEOPLE in Milwaukee.

Nygren is reflecting a train of thought that treats people (of color) in Milwaukee as second-class citizens, and therefore less worthy of support and an ability to thrive. Esquire politics writer and Marquette University graduate Charlie Pierce knows exactly what Rep 89 was saying.

Code https://t.co/GQXMYMjJx4

— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) April 10, 2019

In addition, Milwaukee has a limited amount of money to pay for these lead replacements because John Nygren and other WisGOPs have handcuffed them from doing so. Despite being the state’s largest attractor of tourism dollars, many of which get redirected to the rest of the state, Milwaukee has had strict limits on property taxes and shared revenues imposed on it from the gerrymandered WisGOP Legislature, preventing it from having resources that could deal with items such as lead pipe removal and other city services.

This chart is NOT adjusted for inflation.

Nygren’s boss in the Assembly also claimed that Milwaukee should pay for more of the lead replacements, which conveniently ignores that Milwaukee is already paying $20 million of its limited dollars this year to deal with lead in homes and pipes. Speaker Robbin’ Vos (R-Foxconn) added that he had another solution to the lead problem, which was telling…and crooked.

Vos said the cost of replacing tens of thousands of lead service lines throughout Wisconsin would be too expensive, and instead called for other options, such as using drinking water filters in homes.

The Rochester Republican added that he recently met with representatives of water filtration system companies, who suggested spending money on drinking water filters rather than devoting millions of dollars to lead pipe replacements.

"I feel like the simple answer was to just say we're going to have government pay for all these lead lateral replacements," Vos said. "But the number nationwide is trillions of dollars, which we will never have the ability — at least in Wisconsin — to be able to do things like that everywhere across the state."

Instead of a public health hazard that needs to be mitigated, Robbin’ sees the lead pipe issue as a way to direct more work (and tax subsidies) to the water filtration companies. In exchange for a nice campaign donation I am sure.

These Republicans refuse to give all Wisconsinites the same levels of respect, and think of government as a way to expand the economic apartheid that allows mediocre white Wisconsinites to have a group to look down on, and not demand something better in their own communities.

Now, if John Nygren and Robbin' Vos want to allow the state’s largest city to keep more of the dollars it generates, then maybe I could accept a trade-off of not so much state money going to help this problem of lead laterals (even if it is an issue whose effects eventually touch us all). But I’m not thinking “more local control for Milwaukee” is in the budget plans in WisGOP World.

Longtime Milwaukee Alderman Michael Murphy called out Nygren , Vos and other GOPs for their second-class treatment of Wisconsin’s only “first-class” city.

State income and other taxes we all pay as citizens of Wisconsin are used to pay for all manner of public infrastructure and environmental projects across the state. If I was asked whether I would be OK with my state tax money being used to clean up poisoned groundwater in Marinette County (not far from Rep. Nygren’s home) caused by Tyco I would say that that would be worthwhile use of that money, and I suspect a large majority of my fellow Wisconsinites would agree.

But when it comes to helping do much the same – in this case replacing lead water service lines in Milwaukee and other communities across Wisconsin – state Rep. Nygren and other GOP state legislators don’t think it is “fair.”

Instead of fulfilling his oath to protect the health, safety and welfare of ALL residents of the state, Rep. Nygren is continuing to use the toxic “divide and conquer” tactic of pitting people in certain parts of Wisconsin against residents in other parts of the state, pitting one community against another.

It’s despicable to deal in fear and to appeal to people’s worst inclinations and emotions, but that’s what we are seeing.

I’m with you, Alderman Murphy. What Nygren and Vos is trying to spin is sick, this shameful mentality is limiting our state. Which is why people who buy into this "zero-sum", resentful garbage need to be eradicated from positions of power ASAP. That goes for both government, and in everyday society.