Wisconsin GOAT committee; Republican investigating DEI program funding
Wisconsin GOAT committee investigating DEI funding
A new Wisconsin state assembly committee is looking to eliminate wasteful spending in state and local governments, and wants to start with diversity, equity and inclusion.
MILWAUKEE - A new Wisconsin state assembly committee is looking to eliminate wasteful spending in state and local governments.
Its first focus: diversity, equity and inclusion. But it’s drawing diverse opinions.
‘GOAT’ committee
The backstory:
The state assembly recently created a new committee modeled after the federal Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) which was created to lower any wasteful spending.
Republican Wisconsin State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said he wanted to do something similar with the state, through the newly-formed Governmental, Oversight, Accountability and Transparency Committee (GOAT).
GOAT is after receipts to see how local governments spend money.
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State Rep. Shae Sortwell (R-Two Rivers), is vice chair of the committee.
Republicans challenge DEI
Sortwell is sending open records requests to all 72 counties and the 50 biggest municipalities asking for details on how they are spending money on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
What they're saying:
"The goal is to find unnecessary spending in state government, so that we can cut taxes, lower costs and be able to reprioritize and make sure we're spending money on the things that the people of Wisconsin actually want us to be spending money on."
Sortwell said GOAT won't just focus on DEI. He said any aspect of government spending will be reviewed for fraud and waste.
"It's adding up and costing the taxpayers a whole lot of money. How much money? We don't know, because they haven't shown us that information yet."
Expressing concern
The other side:
That caught the attention of Democrats on the committee, like State Rep. Angelina Cruz (D-Racine). Cruz notes the committee has not met once, or had any lawmakers bring a bill forward.
"From my perspective, it's a complete waste of taxpayer money and an abuse of power to go after local municipalities over a petty personal project to specifically target already disenfranchised populations," Cruz said. "I think that they are conflating their chair positions with positions of power in a committee that has not been clearly defined yet."
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Dig deeper:
Waukesha, Racine, West Allis and Kenosha all confirmed to FOX6 News they've received the request and will respond.
The City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County have not yet.
The Source: FOX6 News talked with elected officials.