Patrick Marley and Bill Glauber

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Tony Evers snagged the endorsement of former President Barack Obama in his bid for governor Monday and called for establishing an inspector general to serve as a watchdog of state government.

Evers, the state schools superintendent, also said he wanted to implement nonpartisan redistricting and automatically register people to vote when they turn 18 or move to Wisconsin.

GOP Gov. Scott Walker dismissed Evers' plans as a diversion and touted his own proposal to boost by 50 percent a property tax credit for senior citizens. Walker's plan would make the credit available to those over 62 who make up to $37,000 a year, with a maximum credit of $1,752.

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Obama released a statement saying Evers would put ordinary citizens ahead of special interests.

"Tony is focused on his positive vision for Wisconsin and the issues that matter most to hardworking families like protecting people with pre-existing conditions, fixing Wisconsin’s crumbling roads and infrastructure and fully funding public schools," Obama's statement said.

Obama on Monday also endorsed U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin; Randy Bryce, the Democrat running for Speaker Paul Ryan's congressional seat; and a string of Democrats running for state offices in Wisconsin and around the country.

Walker greeted Evers' proposal with skepticism.

"He talks about the people's agenda; the only thing the people are going to get from Tony Evers is higher taxes," Walker said.

Evers outlined what he called a "Government for Us" agenda in broad strokes that he said would make state officials more accountable to voters.

“The hardworking people of Wisconsin deserve a governor and a state government that work hard for them,” Evers said in a statement.

Evers' campaign said creating an inspector general would "ensure Wisconsin families have an independent, nonpartisan watchdog keeping an eye on our Wisconsin government."

The inspector general would be barred from engaging in partisan activities and would have four deputies, with one having general responsibilities and the others concentrating on issues related to corrections, health services, and family and children services.

The campaign reiterated Evers' support for dissolving the semi-private Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. and replacing it with an agency similar to the former state Department of Commerce. Walker shut down the Department of Commerce in 2011 to make way for the economic development corporation.

Walker, meanwhile, visited Carol Kimpel, a Milwaukee woman who has lived in her home since 1953, to tout his plan to increase the homestead tax credit that is available to senior citizens for property taxes. During his two terms as governor, Walker has stressed property tax relief but has also put limits on the specific credit he now wants to expand.

"If I'm elected, in our next state budget, we will put a 50 percent increase in the homestead tax credit," Walker said. "That's part of our plan to help Wisconsin seniors stay in their homes."

His plan — promoted in a TV ad his campaign released Monday — would cost $61.8 million the first year and $72.7 million the second year, according to the state Department of Revenue. Seniors could qualify for the credit if they made as much as $37,020 a year — up from the current threshold of $24,080 a year.

Under his plan, the maximum credit would rise from $1,168 to $1,752. Walker's office has said the average senior would receive $483 more with the change.

Last year, Walker and GOP lawmakers added a work requirement to the tax credit for those who are under 62 and able-bodied. That change reduced the amount the state spent on the credit by $12.2 million.

In 2011, Walker ended automatic inflationary increases to the tax credit. He now wants to reinstate those inflationary increases so the credit would continue to rise.

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In his "Government for Us" agenda, Evers said he would make sure state planes are not overused, in a thinly veiled reference to criticism from liberals of Walker's use of state planes. Evers did not say how much he would reduce plane use.

He also said he would not allow agencies to issue commemorative coins such as the ones GOP Attorney General Brad Schimel made that included the term KAED, for "Kicking ass every day."

Evers would bar nondisclosure agreements, such as ones Schimel has executed for his staff, according to his campaign. He also supports preventing legislative committees from acting until at least 48 hours after they hold hearings.

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Evers backs having a nonpartisan commission — instead of legislators — draw legislative and congressional districts. The commission, which would not be affiliated with political parties, labor unions or lobbying groups, would be required to draw lines without taking into account the outcomes of past elections or the political leanings of voters in a particular area.

States every 10 years must draw new lines to account for population changes. Walker and GOP lawmakers drew lines in 2011 that favored their party and sparked litigation that is ongoing. New lines will have to be drawn in 2021 to set districts for the next decade.

Evers also wants to adopt automatic voter registration, as some other states recently have done.

This story has been corrected to say lawmakers last year put a work requirement in place for the homestead tax credit for some homeowners. An earlier version wrongly stated the credit had been ended for those under 62.