Governor Evers, cabinet members talk state priorities at La Crosse County offices

For the second time in less than a week, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers was in La Crosse.

Evers spent Wednesday, the day after his State of the State address, traveling around Wisconsin to sell his budget ideas.

Visiting La Crosse County offices, the governor said there’s room to negotiate with Republicans, who oppose his plans for spending and refunding billions in surplus dollars.

“I said last night that we’d be more than happy to negotiate on this,” Evers said. “If we can find common ground, we’ll do it. This is important.”

Administration secretary Kathy Blumenfeld said the nearly $4 billion state surplus is Wisconsin’s largest “rainy-day fund” ever, and it can be used to help businesses improve.

The Evers tour group stopped at the Aging and Disability Resource Center of La Crosse County. State Sen. Brad Pfaff and Rep. Jill Billings also visited the ADRC with the governor.

Pfaff also stopped into the WIZM studio and La Crosse Talk PM to discuss the Evers budget proposals.

Another visitor was Workforce Development secretary, Amy Pehachek, who’s looking for ways to get more people working.

“If Wisconsin businesses are to continue growing, we must find new ways to remove barriers to employment, and to help those who can work connect with meaningful jobs,” Pehachek said.

The Evers program includes more funding for child care and after-school programs for kids.

The state secretary for Children and Families, Emilie Amundson, said good childcare and development programs are important for the state.

“Children who experience engaging, play-based, healthy and nurturing learning environments, like the kind that you find in high-quality environments all across the Coulee Region, and across the state of Wisconsin as well, those young Wisconsinites might just have a better chance at lifelong success,” Amundson said.