Scott Walker Failure Files

Though Scott Walker boasts of his frugality in his campaign TV ads, he gave himself a $50,000 pay raise after his successful 2008 re-election. His top county staff has received generous increases under Walker and the salary, health care and pension benefits that his family enjoys have continued unabated. Walker has found a lifetime of service on the public dime personally enriching and he was even able to purchase a new home with a big, in-ground pool, despite his endless cuts to services that those most in need rely upon throughout the county.

Despite the promotion of fiscal responsibility, Walker proposed hiking the county budget by more than $380 million. Accounting for his increases includes borrowing for capital projects and an expected influx of federal stimulus money. Walker also continued his yearly effort to reduce the numbers of sheriff’s deputies and corrections officers by proposing staff reductions yet again.

And despite penning an infamous anti-Recovery Act screed in the Wall Street Journal, Walker hypocritically had his handout when it came to accepting funds in the federal legislation to create jobs and support the infrastructure in Milwaukee County.