By Ryan Ekvall | Wisconsin Reporter
MADISON — Putting aside the polarization of Wisconsin partisan politics, at least for one morning, three of Wisconsin’s strongest political voices shared the stage.
Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald, of Horicon, and his brother, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, of Juneau, the GOP’s power players instrumental in driving Gov. Scott Walker’s conservative agenda, joined Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, who has worked hard to push back said agenda.
The friendly tone Wednesday at the Wisconsin Counties Association’s 27th annual Legislative Exchange here came in sharp contrast with the fiery rhetoric each has struck during the past year or so.
But the niceties crowded out substantive answers to questions regarding legislation and a slate of laws passed last year that has affected Wisconsin county government.
The relaxed discussion among about 200 county executives and other government officials focused on jobs and the economic climate. The heated exchanges surrounding the recall campaigns were mostly absent from the conversation.
“I believe on a lot of these bills that create jobs, there is bipartisanship … I think when it comes to job creation, there are avenues we have that we can work together and put this state back on the right track,” the Assembly speaker said.
“I think that trying to create jobs really needs to be our No. 1 priority,” echoed Barca, who has been highly critical of Walker and the Republicans, charging that special jobs sessions have done little to create employment opportunity.
Walker and the GOP have countered that the bills passed in recent months are helping to create a better environment for business.
Mining bill
Even the contentious mining bill, which brought protests to the Assembly gallery and hours of impassioned debate on the Assembly floor, received a calm airing by the three lawmakers.
In January, Barca accused Republicans of writing and passing “the most extreme version of a bill that they could possibly do.”
On Wednesday, Barca applauded Jeff Fitzgerald for hosting informational hearings in Iron and Milwaukee counties, adding, “I hope the Senate will make significant improvements, but that they pass it on a bipartisan basis.”
Democrats and environmentalists assert the Assembly version of a bill that would streamline the state Department of Natural Resources permit process, opening the door for a proposed $1.5 billion mine in northern Wisconsin, is a corporate giveaway and bad for the Northwoods' pristine water and air.
Republicans called the bill a big win for the north and all of Wisconsin, spurring the creation of hundreds of jobs while maintaining protections for the environment.
Scott Fitzgerald shook off a question about when the bill would be introduced in the Senate.
On recall
The goodwill dissipated a bit as the topic turned toward recall.
Barca said he would advise newly elected members to “ignore the last year,” in Wisconsin politics, that “you can’t have this kind of tension you’ve seen exist.”
The Democrats have pushed an unprecedented recall effort against Walker, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and four state GOP senators, including Fitzgerald. The campaign largely is in response to the Walker-led Act 10, which curbed collective bargaining for most public employees, and what Democrats see as Draconian budget cuts in the Republican’s pursuit to fill a $3.6 billion state budget shortfall.
“Let’s reach back and try to get back to Wisconsin values where we roll up our sleeves … and work together to try and get things done,” Barca said.
Scott Fitzgerald snapped the rhetorical olive branch.
He accused the Democratic Party of using the recall to make a power grab.
And he advised new lawmakers to keep last year fresh in mind, to learn some lessons from it.
“You’re elected to come out here and do a job,” the senator said. “I didn’t show up here to just go along and get along. I showed up here to make a difference."
