Under Republicans, Wisconsin Continues to Face Staggering Budget and Jobs Deficit
Walker and Legislative Republicans Prioritize Politics over Economic Opportunity
MADISON – On the same day that Governor Walker turned down a project that would have created nearly 10,000 private-sector jobs, a new projection from the state’s nonpartisan fiscal office shows that Wisconsin is facing staggering budget deficits both this year and in future years, in a time of relative prosperity. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) estimates that Wisconsin faces a $283 million deficit for the 2014-15 fiscal year, which is more than double the previous estimate by Walker’s Department of Administration (-$132.1 million), coupled with a roughly $2 billion structural deficit.
“Republicans have created a staggering budget deficit and an equally staggering deficit of economic opportunity in Wisconsin. When people are working, our fiscal outlook is always brighter.
“While Republicans concentrate on amassing a surplus of political control, the real people of Wisconsin are facing a painful budget and jobs deficit.
“It is no wonder that Gov. Walker wants to hop on a plane to Iowa to escape the fiscal and jobs mess he and his party have created in Wisconsin. Unfortunately, the citizens of Wisconsin are the ones suffering from this tremendous lack of leadership.”
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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Just a question or point of clarification – WI Constitution prohibits running a deficit. Any talk of deficit is theoretical, potential, as is the case with Surpluses. However, as with any surplus, the state can carry forward the surplus, refund to taxpayers or a combination thereof.
WI “doesn’t run a defecit” because accountants don’t consider bonds to be part of any defecit. It would be like saying that your personal finances are in great financial shape except the huge credit card balance, car note & mortgage that all leaves you without any savings at the end of the month.
It works great, what could go wrong!?!
Yes this is true they do face staggering problems. However how soon you forget just who caused these problems to exist. Scott Walker has only been in office for so long. The state has only been under republican control for a short period of time. Democrats cause the problems, and then want to slam republicans for not cleaning up the messes that they didnt create? Not all of us are low/no information voters/people. We do at least try to follow whats really going on.
Hasn’t Walker been in office for 4 years now? When do you get to stop blaming Doyle and Democrats for the state’s problems? In January of 2010, 1 year after he first took office, Fox News was already demanding that Obama and Democrats stop blaming problems on George W. Bush.
No matter what party, the current administration will blame the last one. The problem today is, there were changes made in the last four years that adversely affected our financial stability, our natural resources, and our education, but definitely helped the wealthier citizens and businesses. Pretty much like to majority of the rest of the country. Sad state of affairs — too much money and outside influence when it comes to our “elected” officials. Perhaps term limits for everyone, not just the president?