(The Center Square) – Joel Brennan, candidate for Wisconsin governor, says he wants to continue tax policy as set by his former boss and predecessor.
“I’d like to make sure that we continue to do what we’ve done under the Evers administration, is to find ways to lower the tax burden for middle-class families,” Brennan said of second-term Democratic Gov. Tony Evers. “And I think that’s been one of the hallmarks of what Tony Evers has been able to do. I think one of the things we have to do is find rational, reasonable ways to raise revenue in the state, but also direct that revenue and invest in things that we consider to be our Wisconsin values.”
Brennan is one of seven Democratic candidates to succeed Evers. He served as Department of Administration chief under Evers from 2018-21. He is running as more of a moderate and also holding the Democratic line on second-term Republican President Donald Trump.
Brennan, in a broadcast interview, suggested he may be open to a tax on higher earners in the state. No specifics were offered in the exchange. And he is looking to roll back Act 10.
Conservatives supporters in the state say that would guarantee a wave of property tax increases.
“I think it all depends on who you end up doing this,” Brennan said about the chances that ending Act 10 would raise taxes. “You can’t just settle all the responsibility of what’s happening at the local level. There needs to be this level of partnership. We decided to put a target on the backs of public employees and on teachers, and I think now we’re having challenges in finding people to fill some of those roles that now have for the better part of 10 years, some real challenges that they’ve had to do in retaining and attracting people in those jobs.”
Brennan used his campaign announcement last week to promise to fight the president.
“I think every campaign is a campaign about Wisconsin,” Brennan said. “Is it about Donald Trump? Yes. Is it about standing up for Wisconsin? Absolutely.”
