Yesterday, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker announced his plans to temporarily lay off 150 to 200 employees this year, just in time for the holidays.
The news blindsided supervisors, said Supervisor Chris Larson. He said Walker’s administration had not shared the numbers that Walker is using to justify the layoffs. And since Walker likes to manufacture budget crises and also end the year with a surplus, supervisors may not want to trust his numbers. “We’re getting this thrown at us,” Larson just told me.
The supervisors will be holding a press conference in a few minutes to discuss their reactions.
So where is Scott Walker after making his big announcement?
Showing concern for his about-to-be laid-off employees?
Devising ways to prevent the cuts during his budget crisis?
Nope!
His aide Fran confirmed that he didn’t show up to work today, telling me “He has not been in the office this morning.”
And there just happens to be some Walker-for-guv campaign events today:
8:30 a.m. Breakfast Event in Support of Scott Walker, The Wilderness Resort Club House, 511 east Adams Street, Wisconsin Dells. $200 per couple - PAC Contributions welcome. RSVP Mary Stitt 262-268-6859 or marystitt@wi.rr.com .
Reception in support of Scott Walker, 1136 Riverview Drive, Sheboygan. $1000/$500/$250 host levels. Contact Mary Stitt at 262-268-6859 or marystitt@wi.rr.com.
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Think he was there?
A thousand bucks a pop???
Let them eat cake! (Or breakfast, in this case).
UPDATE: I called his campaign to see if he was at the breakfast event. Here's the email response from Jill Bader, Walker's communications manager:
“Scott consistently keeps a very busy schedule of county work and campaign events.”
When I responded with more questions about Walker's whereabouts today, Bader emailed:
"For security reasons we don’t release specifics of his schedule to the public. Thanks!"
