MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The Latest on Gov. Tony Evers removing “open for business” signs (all times local):
12:50 p.m.
Gov. Tony Evers says he doesn’t see any controversy in his decision to remove “open for business” signs that had been on “Welcome to Wisconsin” signs at the state’s border.
Evers spoke Tuesday about his decision to place his name on the welcome signs, rather than “open for business.” Former Republican Gov. Scott Walker put the signs up and used the motto often during his first term.
Republican lawmakers have said they think taking down the sign sends the wrong message.
Evers says despite the signs being down, Wisconsin remains open for business. Before Walker put up the 23 “open for business” signs, the name of the current governor had been on the signs.
Evers says “having the sign reflect what it used to reflect in the past is where we wanted to be.”
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9:47 a.m.
Wisconsin’s new Democratic governor is repurposing highway signs that his Republican predecessor installed declaring the state to be “open for business.”
Scott Walker ran on the motto in 2010 and put 23 signs in place at the state’s borders after his win to send a message about his agenda he argued would entice job creators.
But now those signs are being sawed in half by Gov. Tony Evers’ administration to be converted into “detour” signs. Evers’ administration notified Republican state Rep. John Macco of its plans for the signs in a Feb. 1 letter, saying the conversion would not waste any of the materials used for the “open for business” signs.
Macco says converting them to detour signs is ironic because “that is exactly the result his policies may produce.”
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