Walker Mismanagement Leads to
More Budget Woes
New crisis on the horizon for 2010
MADISON – Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker’s decision to rely on phantom county employee salary and benefit givebacks has created another looming budget crisis for 2010.
Rob Henken, president of the nonpartisan Public Policy Forum, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel over the weekend that it was “unlikely the county could avoid another budget crisis in early 2010… without ‘significant service cuts.’” [Source: “County could face another budget crisis in early 2010,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/22/09]
“The never-ending budget crises that Milwaukee County is facing as a result of Walker’s irresponsibility is a bit of ominous foreshadowing for what Wisconsin would look like under a Governor Walker,” said Mike Tate, Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.
Walker relied on furlough and unpaid days off for county workers – which were never negotiated – in order to balance his budget.
Walker’s budget was already rife with major cuts, including the outsourcing of jobs at Mitchell International Airport, dismantling of the Community Justice Resource Center, and elimination of a bus information call center that would have increased mass transit efficiency.
The upcoming budget shortfall could result in up to 500 jobs loss on top of layoffs already in the budget.
“Our state can’t afford these kinds of fiscal policies, particularly in tough economic times,” Tate said. “Scott Walker has made it painfully obvious over the last several years that he would be a disaster for the state of Wisconsin if elected to higher office.”
