Walker in WSJ

Opinion from February 28, 2008 Wall Street Journal:

Why I'm Not Lining Up for Stimulus Handouts
We've been down the spending road, and the result is a state budget in terrible shape
By Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker

Recently, a firestorm ignited in Wisconsin when I, as Milwaukee County executive, refused to submit a wish list to Gov. Jim Doyle for items in the federal "stimulus" package.

Gov. Doyle -- like other politicians -- had lined up at the federal trough begging for billions in "free money" to cover budget deficits and to fuel new spending. He and others simply couldn't understand and were outraged that I didn't join them, and that I didn't relent even after the president signed the stimulus bill into law.

My explanation is simple. First, this money isn't free. Second, under Gov. Doyle our state has borrowed vast sums of money and avoided making tough budget decisions while expanding government programs. In three biannual budgets since he took office in 2003, new state bonding exceeded new tax revenue collections by $2.1 billion. During good times, the governor had been borrowing money to underwrite expansions of health care, education and environmental programs. If he is bailed out now, the federal stimulus funds will only enable the governor and others to go on spending and even taking on new obligations that will lead to larger deficits down the road. Third, if we grow government rather than private-sector jobs, we will not help the economy. Strong leadership, honest budgeting and tax cuts would do a lot more.

This burst housing bubble that led to the recession was created when millions of people were allowed (or encouraged) to spend borrowed money on homes they couldn't afford and were later forced into foreclosure.

Apparently Washington politicians learned nothing from this process. They rushed to spend $787 billion of borrowed money on new government programs in the name of economic stimulus. But even this loan of taxpayer money -- essentially the largest mortgage in history -- will come due. When it does, our children and grandchildren will pay for this imprudence.

As popular as the federal "stimulus" package is with Washington politicians, it is more popular among state and local politicians who view federal money as a cure for their fiscal woes.

Wisconsin is afflicted with fiscal woes. In every budget he has signed, Gov. Doyle postponed difficult decisions using accounting gimmicks and excessive bonding to pay for ongoing operational costs. The most egregious example is the damage done to the transportation fund over the past six years, which uses state gas taxes and vehicle registration fees to fund road projects. The governor has raided the segregated fund for a total of $1.2 billion to cover ongoing operational costs for government programs. He's partially replaced the raided funds with $865.5 million in bonds.

As a result of borrowing against tomorrow to live for today, the governor left Wisconsin's budget vulnerable. So in the fall of 2008 when recession caused a sharp decline in tax revenue, the state was forced into the red.

Wisconsin now faces an unprecedented $5.75 billion budget deficit, fourth-largest in the nation. Many municipalities also face deficits. My county, however, finished fiscal year 2007 with a $7.9 million surplus and will break even for fiscal year 2008 when the books are closed next month. Why? Because we made tough budget decisions demanded by the taxpayers.

State and local officials who failed to do so are looking to the federal government for a bailout. But what happens when the stimulus money is gone? Is the federal government committed to funding the projects it will now underwrite forever? I'm not willing to bet on it.

The stimulus is a classic bait-and-switch. Once the highways are built and social-service case loads have increased, Wisconsin will be left with the bill to maintain the new roads and services. This will force Wisconsin to raise new taxes. Gov. Doyle and legislative Democrats are already discussing higher taxes on hospitals, retailers, employers and even Internet downloads to feed their spending addiction.

The stimulus is also a bait-and-switch on employment. While the stimulus package might create a few construction jobs, the federal money will run out and those workers will lose their jobs. Even worse, most of the money is actually spent on new government programs and on bailing out failed state and local governments.

For the vast majority of residents of my state, the stimulus funds will not help them pay the mortgage or replenish their depleted retirement savings as they worry about being laid off.

True economic stimulus creates sustainable private-sector jobs. The fastest, most effective way to create them is to reduce taxes and implement regulatory and fiscal policies that encourage job growth and economic investment. History has shown repeatedly from John F. Kennedy to Ronald Reagan that as taxes are cut, consumers spend more and investors put more money in the economy. This, in turn, creates jobs, and grows the economy.

Too many politicians confuse more government spending with economic recovery. I believe that's the wrong approach, and I will not submit a wish list for new government spending. Excessive spending will only lead to higher taxes, and that will drive jobs away when we need them the most.

We need to use these challenging times as an opportunity to streamline government and reduce the tax burden on working families. In 2002, during my first campaign for county executive, I promised to spend taxpayer money as if it were my own. If government -- at all levels -- were to do just that, we could reduce taxes and stimulate the economy. That would put people back to work again. And that is something on my wish list.

Kreuser forgets County Exec is non partisan

Here's a release from the RPW. I could not have said it better:

Kreuser forgets County Exec is non partisan

MADISON– Kenosha County Executive Jim Kreuser may have officially left partisan politics but the Democrat has brought partisanship back to Kenosha County local government.

“Kenosha County deserves a leader in tough economic times, not a partisan hack who divides communities to score political points,” said Mark Jefferson, Executive Director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin. “Jim Kreuser should stop worrying about pleasing his party bosses and do his job.”

This week, Kreuser attacked Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker for his reluctance to join the government spending spree for fear of committing his county to further taxpayer funded obligations and larger budget deficits down the road. Upon taking office, Walker inherited a budget mess created by the pension scandal.

“Long time politician Jim Kreuser has never had a problem spending other people’s money,” Jefferson said. “Kreuser could learn a few things about responsible leadership from Scott Walker.”

So when the economy in Kenosha county starts taking a dive, remember a DEMOCRAT is leading the helm. He is not non partisan, he's as partisan as it gets.

Edited 1/19/09 to add:

Even the 1/18/09 Kenosha News agrees with the RPW and myself (who would have thunk it?):

Were they paying attention?

I sit here attempting to figure out if the editors at the MJS are just not paying attention or they are so stuck on there own liberal agenda, that they are willing to financially damage the city they live in.

Newspapers used to be the reflection of city or town they print in. With today's editorial you have to wonder where the editor's heads are located.

Once again, they are pushing for a sales tax increase and are doing it under the ruse of "Let the voters decide".

Perhaps the MJS did not notice that the voters have decided. Over and over the voters in Milwaukee have rejected the notion of more tax increases.

Barely more than three months ago the voters outright decided once again that they wanted Scott Walker as their county executive. The election was not even close.

The editorial board needs to get this though their heads:

The voters have elected Scott Walker to Milwaukee County Executive for three straight elections based on his "no tax increases" policy.

For over six years, the MJS has been ramming their tax increase agenda down the throats of their readers to support more transit and more money for parks.

For six years, the MJS has impaled Scott Walker on his "no tax increase" pledge. They have attempted to embarrass, humiliate, conjole and insult Scott Walker into bending to there will to increase taxes.

Scott Walker has just ignored the MJS' editors and so have the voters in Milwaukee County.

No campaign was more difficult to overcome than this last one run against Scott Walker.

State Senator Lena Taylor has a high profile job and name recognition, the full backing and financial resources of the governor, the full backing and resources of the Wisconsin Democrat Party, the full backing and the financial resources of liberal 527 groups and the full backing of the media.

All Lena Taylor had to do was convince the voters to allow her to raise taxes, just a little to support better transit and better parks.

The very same issue the editors are pushing were the very same issues Lena Taylor was running on just three months ago:

MJS

The race heated up a bit in recent weeks, with more than 20 debates and joint appearances in which Walker and Taylor took opposing views on nearly every issue. Taylor portrayed Walker as underfunding parks, social programs and bus service. Taylor argued that she had superior credentials, including a law degree.

So what has changed in the last three months that would convince the MJS editors to once again begin an all out assault on Scott Walker and the taxpayers to raise taxes?

Some of the new county board supervisors can be intimidated into over-riding Scott Walker's veto of the new sales tax.

It is doubtful that the taxpayers of Milwaukee County have changed their tune on tax increases.
But hey, MJS and County Supervisors, keep on ignoring the will of the people. We will see have far that gets you.

It got Lena Taylor crushed in the last election, we will wait and see if the taxpayers have changed their minds in the last three months.