Government has its role. I believe in a limited government, not a lack of government.   I believe in understanding the importance of prioritizing government obligations. 

I have made real efforts to look long and hard at what the Department of Justice spends. I am proud to report that my Department will return over $1 million dollars to the state treasury this fiscal year.

And the first obligation of any representative government is to provide for public safety   But this first principle is not exempt from the reality that citizens pay for their government – every day in every penny taken out of what you make. And government shouldn’t make more by simply taxing you more.

Our government it too big. Our taxes are too high. Our government spends too much. Our government attempts to do too much. And government regulation stifles economic growth.  

Ronald Reagan was fond of saying there are two entities with insatiable appetites for more… babies and your government… and if you’re not careful when you get to the bottom of it the results can look pretty much the same.  

The key to good government is priorities. Our government has obligations and it can do for us what we can’t do individually.  But it can not do everything for everyone and it shouldn’t.   

I understand that public safety has the first claim to the public treasury.  But as the leader you helped send to the Department of Justice, I recognize that it is the people who pay for their government.  And I am accountable to them; to spend their money to increase their safety, and not to needlessly increase government. 

At the Wisconsin Department of Justice we set priorities – public safety and fiscal responsibility being chief among them.  We manage with what we have, and we direct resources to areas we should.