“Tony supports creating a new independent Office of the Inspector General to ensure families have an independent, nonpartisan watchdog keeping an eye on our Wisconsin government.”
About two years ago, we rated Gov. Tony Evers' pledge to create an independent Office of the Inspector General "Stalled."
When he ran for governor, his campaign website said he would create the office "to ensure families have an independent, nonpartisan watchdog keeping an eye on our Wisconsin government."
It could have been created with an executive order, but nine months into his term, we wrote, he had yet to do so.
Today, 30 months into his term, Evers still hasn't created the office. And there is no indication any action is forthcoming.
Evers spokesperson Britt Cudaback said in an email that his most recent biennial budget was "primarily aimed at addressing the immediate needs of the state and (supporting) our state's economic recovery in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic."
He is hopeful that his next biennial budget could include a proposal for the office, Cudaback said.
But that, of course, depends on a future term. And the promise was for his first term.
We rate this Promise Broken.
In a section labeled "Tough measures to hold agencies accountable," Gov. Tony Evers' campaign web site made a series of promises.
It said Evers would replace the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (a pledge we've rated as Stalled) and direct agencies to fully comply with state audits. But the first item on the list was to create an independent Office of the Inspector General "to ensure families have an independent, nonpartisan watchdog keeping an eye on our Wisconsin government."
That office could be created without legislative involvement through an executive order, but nine months into Evers' term he has yet to do so. Evers has created numerous other councils and committees.
Evers spokeswoman Melissa Baldauff said to look for progress on this in the coming months.
Until then, we rate this promise Stalled.