August 13 is the state primary where most attention will be focused on partisan primaries for the November State Assembly and Senate races. Every ballot will also have two non-partisan questions regarding the rejection or approval of two amendments to the Wisconsin Constitution. Both focus on the power of the Governor or Legislature to spend federal funds. In general, they restrict the power that the Governor currently wields and give more authority to the Legislature.

Please read the analysis and recommendations of our friends at the River Alliance and Wisconsin’s Green Fire. Then, PLEASE VOTE. As far as I can tell, every conservation organization that has opined on the two amendments has recommended voting “NO.”

Often constitutional amendments don’t attract much attention. They often pass because lots of folks assume that if they made it to the ballot, they’ve been reviewed and are probably all right. Perhaps not in this case. Our environmental and conservation friends fear these amendments will slow or stop much needed federal funds for environmental programs or emergencies. If the amendments pass, they fear that Wisconsin’s use of federal dollars for conservation, land purchases in particular, will also be hampered.

We’ve just completed our national triptych of the Freedom Holidays: Memorial Day, Juneteenth Day, and the 4th of July. Memorial Day, during which we honor those who sacrificed to preserve our freedom; Juneteenth, during which we celebrate the freedom of enslaved people, a huge step in achieving the real freedom of our country; and the Fourth of July, which marks our first step toward that freedom. For all the celebrations of these holidays, they also convey the somber reminder that the task of securing inclusive freedom for this country is an ongoing and difficult task. The act of voting is pretty easy for most of us but the decision to vote may not be. Some elections seem not that consequential and some offer disappointing choices. Public choices, though, have cumulative effects and usually nudge toward a better freedom for all of us or slow that process. So, please take some time at the summer winds down to vote once more.

Thank you for considering this request,
Topf Wells, advocacy committee