LETTER: Conservation fund could have been saved but Dems said no

To Ozaukee Press:

The Ozaukee Press blames Republicans for loss of Knowles-Nelson conservation monies, when the culprit is Democrat politicians who sacrificed the popular conservation initiative to political talking points, media coverage and their desire for unaccountable bureaucracy.

The July 9 Press editorial spent one-half page lip-synching 2026 Democrat-party-approved election talking points that ignore what really happened.

The Wisconsin Legislature, being the government branch closest to voters, is tasked with making law. However, for many decades, legislators have assigned some rule-making duties to unelected administrators but maintained an oversight committee, the Joint Committee for Review of Administative Rules, that has control over whether those rules apply. Last year, the progressive Wisconsin Supreme Court issued a strange opinion that restricted the committee’s ability to oversee government administrators, allowing unelected administrative bureaucrats to make certain decisions free from legislators and voter oversight.

The Legislature responded to the court decision (and in the future will continue to react, whether Republican or Democrat) by including statutory language that restores voter scrutiny (in a word, democracy) to bureaucrats’ administrative actions.

The Knowles-Nelson funding bills forwarded by Republicans appeased Democrats by allowing some bureaucratic flexibility but required legislative review when spending large amounts in the millions. All Assembly Republicans present voted to continue Knowles-Nelson. All Democrats voted no. The Press editorial failed to mention this—no claims of hostility to nature by Democrats.

Democrats could have easily supported Knowles-Nelson and in future sessions

flipped to higher spending with the hidden bureaucratic control they prefer. But they refused Republican attempts at compromise, and the Senate funding bill expired without action.

Every Wisconsin Republican assemblyperson present voted for Knowles-Nelson conservation funding. Thank You. Every Wisconsin Democrat assemblyperson present voted against. Boo. The Democrat senators then fought against the funding bill and won. Shame.

Stephen Leonard

Cedarburg