Walker Squanders Public Dollars, Perpetuates Job Creation Myth

  • Job Cuts

The 7-23-14 Marquette Law School Poll shows that 51% of Wisconsin voters hold a mistaken impression on job creation:

  • 9% of voters say Wisconsin is creating jobs faster than other states,
  • 42% say Wisconsin is creating jobs at about the same rate as other states.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports results of the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages — the government’s most reliable source of employment data and the one Walker endorsed as the authoritative measure of job trends at the state level — as follows:

  • Instead of 250,000 new private-sector jobs, as Walker promised, the state is on pace for less than half that many in Walker’s first term,
  • Wisconsin ranked 37th of 50 states in private-sector job growth in 2013,
  • Wisconsin averaged 1.3% in annual private-sector job growth since 2010, while the national average was 2.1%.

Walker replaced the State Department of Commerce with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), a quasi-private entity. As Chair of WEDC, Walker said WEDC would spur economic development and drive job creation recovery. Despite Walker’s unwavering support, WEDC failed to boost Wisconsin’s economy.

“W is for WEDC – Gov. Scott Walker’s Privatized Commerce Department: A Case Study in Corruption, Cronyism and Incompetence,”  by Research Director Jenni Dye of One Wisconsin Now, lists key findings:

  • Walker receives more than $2 million direct and indirect campaign benefit from WEDC recipients,
  • Walker donors account for only 30% of the recipients of WEDC incentives but received nearly 60%  ($570,021,034) of  total funding ($974,659,130 through 2013),
  • WEDC economic development dollars are not resulting in promised job creation,
  • WEDC recipients feature companies engaged in health and safety violations, mass layoffs and conflicts of interest.

Under WEDC Chairman Walker nearly $1 billion of taxpayer dollars were awarded to companies, a disproportionate share of which was funneled to Walker’s supporters. Those Walker-supporting WEDC recipients in turn made campaign donations to Walker, who then used those funds to air misleading campaign ads that perpetuate the myth, mistakenly held by 51% of voters, that Wisconsin’s job growth is as good as or better than other states.

Let Governor Walker know you are not satisfied with his or WEDC’s performance.

Contact information for Governor Scott Walker:

Box 7863, Madison, WI 53707

608-266-1212

govgeneral@wisconsin.gov

Jeanne Larson