Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker formally announced his candidacy for the 2010 Wisconsin gubernatorial election on Tuesday. In a rally held in Dane, Wis., he calls into question Gov. Doyle’s policies in dealing with the state’s economic hardship: “For years, too many politicians in Madison ignored the looming crisis so they could continue to spend more and more taxpayer’s dollars. Now their solution to soaring budget deficits and record job losses is to call for more government spending — paid for with higher taxes on Wisconsin families and employers.”
For those who might think this article is just going to be another orgy of praise for a candidate this writer supports, you are not too far off. I do support Scott Walker, and I have supported him since his election to Milwaukee County Executive in 2002.
However, I am not blind. It is easy to conclude the above quote is nothing more than a rally cry to all conservatives, penny pinchers and new “tea party” members in this state to gather a front against our current governor. Tuesday’s speech was little more than a campaign kickoff. Nonetheless, he did bring up some concerns most conservative Republicans have with our current administration. With a current budget deficit of close to $5.9 billion in our state, pushing for more state spending would make any fiscal conservative shit his pants.
Yes, I understand my critics will cite that our governor has a record of not raising taxes in this state. But, he has also raised most fees in Wisconsin significantly to gain the money needed to support his policy, as well as fudge the data on his record of “success.” Just ask any car owner how much registration fees increased during Doyle’s tenure.
Having been elected in a recall election of former Country Executive Tom Ament, Walker inherited a debt of millions of dollars due to a pension scandal that still plagues Milwaukee to this day. Given the chance of success at the time, Walker exceeded expectations by cutting the county’s debt by 10 percent, reducing the county workforce by 23 percent and successfully authoring seven consecutive budgets without raising property taxes — all in two terms of office. During 2008, Milwaukee County actually had a surplus, even during the downward spiral of the economy. With a track record like this, Walker can lower one of the most highly taxed states in the nation and better manage the budget.
If and when our current governor decides to run for reelection, the economy and the current budget will be the most debated issues. Honestly, this is not our governor’s strongest area. He will give us his one-trick talk about the importance of education. Don’t get me wrong, I am proud to say, nationally, Wisconsin is highly ranked in education, and I won’t deny credit to him. However, when you enter an office with a $3.2 billion deficit from the Thompson/McCallum administration only to see it rise to a $5.9 billion deficit, I can’t do much other than criticize your ability to handle a budget.
Given the current economy of our state, it’s illogical to tax people more — taking more out of their pocket will only push citizens into pinching everything they have. It won’t do us any good now nor will it do us any good in the future. Scott Walker, with his proven ability to handle a budget, will do wonders for the people of Wisconsin. Walker has proven he can balance the budget while improving the quality of life in Wisconsin. The inability of our state government to address the downward turn in the economy means it’s time to try something new. Is Scott Walker the man to change things? We will wait and see. His budget expertise is his most attractive trait, but I will wait to see his other plans for Wisconsin before I can proudly shout: “I believe in Wisconsin.”
Zach Day ([email protected]) is a freshman majoring in journalism.
