Opinion: Vote no on MAGA faction’s purposely misleading August ballot questions

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By Lucy Ripp

July 26, 2024

A Better Wisconsin Together urges voters to vote no on the two proposed amendments on the ballot this August.

The August 13 state primary election will have two intentionally confusing questions on the ballot to try and trick voters into adding a MAGA Republican written amendment to our state constitution. To protect our families and communities, the vote is “no” on these questions.

If passed, these two amendments would make it harder for our communities to quickly and effectively respond to things like snow storms or tornadoes – and would leave our neighborhoods relying on our politically gridlocked state legislature to release essential funds in emergency situations when we need action fast.

When an unexpected emergency hits our communities, we all want to know that our state government can help. But in Wisconsin, the Republican-led Legislature continues to play political games that delay critical emergency response, oftentimes preventing first responders from having the resources they need to support communities impacted by things like flooding or a bridge collapse.

In 2020, the Wisconsin Legislature was named one of the least active in the nation – a title the GOP majority earned our state by refusing to pass a single bill for six months when nurses, business owners, and hospitals needed critical support in the early stages of the pandemic.

These amendments would only give them more power to slow things down and block funds meant to ensure our families and communities have the tools and resources needed to be successful.

Instead of doing their jobs and working to address the needs of Wisconsinites, Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature are attempting to grab onto power by advancing ballot questions with deliberately confusing language meant to trick voters into giving them sole power to block funding that is critical to our local communities.

This August, vote No on Questions 1 and 2.