Wisconsin's Walker Seeks Almost 22,000 Job Cuts in Budget

[steve2470]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-01/wisconsin-s-walker-seeks-almost-22-000-job-cuts-in-budget.html

By Esmé E. Deprez - Mar 1, 2011 5:19 PM GMT-0500

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker proposed cutting almost 22,000 state jobs over two years and requiring workers to contribute more to their health and retirement plans to close a $3.6 billion budget deficit.

The first-term Republican, whose plan to curb collective bargaining for public workers spurred protests across the U.S., would cut money for most state departments by 10 percent and lower public-education funds by more than $700 million. The $60 billion spending plan reduces outlays by $1.7 billion annually for the two years beginning July 1.

The former Milwaukee County executive was elected in November as fellow Republicans took control of the state Legislature. He and governors in 43 other states are looking for savings to close budget deficits totaling as much as $125 billion next fiscal year, according to the Washington-based Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

“Governments around the nation and world are facing the hard reality that spending has outstripped our ability to pay,” Walker, 43, said in documents for the fiscal 2011-2013 budget he submitted to the Legislature today in Madison, the capital.

[maxsolomon]

1. I keep hearing wildly divergent deficit numbers

174 million (caused by 184 million in tax breaks) versus 3.6 billion.

Washington State's is 6 billion, mainly because we like crippling our revenue streams with GOP ballot initiatives that reward selfishness.

[sybylla]

2. It's actual versus structural deficit

I don't know all the parameters that define the structural deficit, but we have segregated tax monies that go to specific items in Wisconsin. For example, gas tax goes to pay for road construction.

Those accounts have a huge surplus. Which, if we never took that money into account, means a $3.6 bil deficit. Our previous governor, rather than raise taxes, took money from the gas tax fund to balance the budget. We even finished the year with a surplus, according to the Legislative Audit Bureau of around $100 mil - which vanished when Scott Walker gave a huge tax cut to corporations and the wealthy in January.

So when people say the deficit is fabricated - it is in more ways than one.

[maxsolomon]

6. Ah - WA State cannot re-purpose the Gas Tax

Only for roads, not for things we need! That would be unconstitutional!

[Viking12]

5. The smaller number is a hole in the current budget, 2009- 2011. The larger for biennium 2011-2013.

There are now 2 different bills. The one that has been the subject of controversy for 3 weeks is a "budget repair bill" to address the 2009-2011 biennium budget; it is the one that includes provisions to strip collective bargaining rights. The second, introduced today, is the budget for 2011-2013.

[Bjorn Against]

3. Can't afford to pay public workers, yet he proposed more tax cuts for the rich

This guy could not be any more clear about his intentions, he fully intends to destroy Wisconsin's middle class. Last week he was talking about 1,500-6,000 jobs cut and the public was rightfully pissed off, now he increases the number to 22,000 and you can bet that he is going to turn even more people against him. This guy is a sociopath.

[kentuck]

4. I thought he cut taxes in order to create jobs??

Not destroy them??