Representative Jonathan Brostoff to Governor Scott Walker: “Why You Lyin’?”

MADISON – State Representative Jonathan Brostoff (D-Milwaukee) expressed deep concern about the State of our State and the Repubs’ neglect.

“Governor Walker’s 250,000 job promise has become his 250,000 job lie. Despite Repubs having control of every branch of state government for the past six years, the Governor has not delivered on his promises to our neighbors throughout the state. In his first State of the State address, Walker said: ‘I want Wisconsin to lead the economic recovery.’ He has since stated that this is the time to focus on workforce development. Today, on his seventh such address, our state is faced with a $700 million budget deficit, five full years of below-average job growth, the most diminished middle class in the country, and we are dead last in the nation for start-up activity.

“Instead of helping Wisconsin’s economy or making life better for the average family, the Walker Administration has approved tax cuts for the rich such as the Manufacturing and Agriculture Credit that will be awarded in full by $21 million to 11 of Wisconsin’s wealthiest taxpayers by the end of this year.

“Walker also boasted about the resources invested into college and career readiness initiatives. What he did not mention is the Repub attacks on higher education – $203 million in state aid was slashed from technical schools and, last session alone, the UW System was gutted by a quarter of a billion dollars by Repubs. Our state’s K-12 system also took a huge hit, losing $1 billion in state aid.

“In closing, he claimed that the ‘state of our state is strong,’ a deeply concerning delusion and a blatant disregard to the difficulties real Wisconsinites are living with.

“I hope this year Walker will finally try to help Wisconsinites, but I fear we will see more of the same; using hard-earned taxpayer dollars to pay off his millionaire friends. While Walker is laser focused on giving more to those who need it least, my Democratic colleagues and I will continue to fight for supporting schools, and fixing the deep hole Repubs have dug us into. Wisconsin needs fair wages, not empty promises.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.