Walker, Van Hollen Swipe Fed Housing Settlement $$ For Deficit Hole

Having driven the state economy and the budget into decline, Republican leaders are taking more than $25 million from a national. negotiated settlement with banks who screwed home-mortgage customers to help fill a growing deficit in the state's unbalanced budget.

President Obama announced the settlement yesterday.

I've lost count of of the number of times Walker had bashed the Obama administration, federal power, big government, or the Doyle administration for taking segregated funds, so-called one-time dollars, or earlier settlements to fill holes in the budget.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett speaks the truth to these hypocrites:

The news that part of the money would be used to reduce the state budget deficit drew criticism from Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who said "not one dime should be used to fund the unbalanced state budget..."

On Thursday, the mayor urged Van Hollen to come to Milwaukee "to see the devastation in these neighborhoods," and then reconsider his decision on where the money should go.

"Just as these homes have been abandoned, the state, if it continues on this course, will abandon Milwaukee," Barrett said.