Only a Republican can make the wild claim of saving money that has already been saved without any media snickering. Hey voters, I'm going to save a half billion dollars in the next two years by not spending it. Wow, what an idea.
Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker said that if elected governor he would eliminate 4,000 unfilled jobs from the state's payroll — a move he said would save the state $568 million in the next two-year budget. "I say if we can live without 4,000 state employees for this long, we can live without them forever," Walker said. "That's why in my first budget they will be off the taxpayer's payroll, this time, for good."
So the savings Walker proposes are more on paper, than in reality. "Essentially he is suggesting what Gov. (Jim) Doyle has already done," said Adam Collins, the governor's spokesman.
Walker's main opponents were immediately critical. "I am glad to see Scott Walker is following my lead in getting state government under control, but you don't save any money by cutting positions that are already vacant," said Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, the main Democratic candidate. "That's a gimmick."
Walker's main Republican opponent, former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann, said, "As a
businessman and former math teacher, I have a tough time understanding how
eliminating positions that are already unfilled actually save taxpayers $284
million, when the money isn't being paid out in the first place," Neumann said.
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