On Thursday, March 6, former Governor Scott Walker was joined by Fox News host Guy P. Benson to discuss “The case for keeping Act 10.” The event was held at The Ingleside Hotel, focusing on how the upcoming Supreme Court race could affect Act 10’s legacy. Walker specifically spoke about how the law has impacted Wisconsin, commenting on how its affects for families, schools, and the community.
Walker engaged in a conversation with Benson for about an hour, then answered questions from those in attendance. The event was quite busy, with nearly all of the chairs in the Ingleside’s Oakland ballroom being filled. The discussion was hosted by Americans for Prosperity Wisconsin, one of the largest grassroots political organizations operating today.
The evening began with an introduction from AFP Wisconsin’s State Director, Megan Novak. Novak stated that “Over $30 billion dollars have been saved since Act 10″ was passed, according to the MacIver Institute.
Benson began the night’s conversation by talking about his connections to Wisconsin. Benson has worked for the nationally syndicated Fox News Network since 2013 as a commentator. Additionally, he hosts his own show, The Guy Benson Show, on Fox News radio. Benson told a story about how his son was born in Madison in 2024, stating his appreciation for Wisconsin and its culture. Then, Benson addressed a more serious matter, stating “We have a massive race coming up that a lot of people don’t even know is happening.”
The upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court race may lead to Act 10 being struck down. Act 10 was a 2011 law that limited the functions of public sector employees. Walker drafted and signed the bill to address the massive budget deficit in Wisconsin at the time. Despite massive protests, the bill was passed, severely limiting collective bargaining rights for many public labor unions. Act 10 may be overturned if liberal-leaning candidate Susan Crawford fills the vacant court seat in the April election.
“Act 10 was about taking the power out of the hands of the Union bosses and giving it back to the taxpayers.” Walker summarized.
The overturning of Act 10 could potentially impact families and homeowners. The former governor explained that “If you’ve got kids in school, that money is going to come out of classrooms… Our kids are going to be shortchanged and our municipalities will have resources taken away.”
Benson primarily asked questions of Walker, who was at the heart of the controversial law during his governorship. Benson seemed surprised by the potential change, claiming that it seemed as if “They are turning back the clock 15 years here.”
For many interested locals, the discussion was a way to be transparent with the community about Act 10. The opportunity to ask questions and understand the circumstances of why Act 10 is being discussed again was of interest to many. Several of the attendees were college aged, meaning that they may not have fully understood the law when it was first signed in 2011.
One young person at the event was Hilario Deleon, Chairman of the Republican Party of Milwaukee County. Deleon spoke about Act 10 with thoughtfulness and insight, saying that if it gets overturned “Property taxes will go up, it’ll be a disaster. Every citizen needs to take note of this before April 1.”
