Once again, you have confirmed the reason Gov. Walker lost the last election to a hapless, inept, radical liberal. On second thought, maybe he's not as hapless and inept as we think. With your recent actions on the budget and roads you give the people of Wisconsin no reason to vote for you. Will Republicans ever learn that you can never, ever outspend a liberal? No matter what you do, you will be attacked. This was certainly evident in the last election when, despite raising (wasting) education spending to record levels during the Walker years, the Democrats were able to effectively claim you cut spending! Republican response? Crickets chirping. The one thing that would help, seems to be the one thing you never do, forcefully and repeatedly make (and win) the argument for less spending, not more. The party has the money to take the case directly to voters, but where are the ideas, leadership and the will? Throwing half a billion more dollars, without any reform, at corrupt and inefficient public schools, with declining enrollment, will not improve education, and the Democrats will attack you anyway. Throwing more money at a corrupt DOT and the road builders will not force needed reform. What is irrational and maddening is that some of this Republican sponsored spending flows to unions and lobbyists, who then use it to, guess what, oppose Republicans! Then again, I suppose it's much easier to spend money than do the hard work of oversight and reform. It's much easier to listen to Madison consultants and lobbyists than constituents. It's much easier to yield to a powerful, entrenched bureaucracy than to actually govern. Meanwhile, Wisconsin remains highly taxed.

Examples of this dysfunction are the Airport and Zoo Interchanges. Every design decision seemed to make construction, as well as future repair and maintenance, as expensive as possible. To go left, you exit right. If you want to go west, well, of course the exit is on the east and you have to cross over. This resulted in most surface ramps being eliminated and replaced with long bridges. This bizarre and expensive design feature even made a tunnel necessary in the Airport interchange. A tunnel! Why? Again, It looks like every feature was designed to be as expensive as possible to build and maintain. I'd love to know how many additional expensive miles were built to accomplish the same thing we had prior to reconstruction. Why are roundabouts popping up everywhere, even in the absence of road reconstruction? Who in the Legislature approves all of this? Or, has the Legislature abandoned all serious oversight? In the meantime we, the taxpayers are left holding the bag. We have to pay off the bonds and fund increased future costs. All you do is try to find a way to increase taxes and fees. Again, this is much easier than doing your job, and road builder campaign contributions are lucrative.

My budget would have consisted of one sentence, "All spending, taxes and fees will remain unchanged for the coming biennium". Let Governor Evers sign or veto it. Wouldn't make any difference either way, and Wisconsin would be much better off. Oh, I forgot, that would require you to intellegently make and win an argument and this is something you seem incapable of doing. at just rolling over.

I personally will support any conservative who challenges any of you. Wisconsin needs real conservative leadership and you are not providing it. Finally, fire every consultant and GET OUT OF MADISON!

Sincerely,

Gerry Buettner Brookfield, WI 53005