Saturday, July 19, 2014

On Jobs, Give Walker His Due

[updated, 1:00 p.m.] Yes, Wisconsin lost another 1,200 jobs in June, and yes, the state persistently lags the national recovery - - and, yes - - Wisconsin is not on the list of job-gaining states where the minimum wage has been raised (Wrong-Way Walker has refused to OK even a token increase) - - but he has paid close attention to employment matters, with job successes worth noting:

*  In the early days of Walker's administration, the father of Walker's top GOP legislative allies was appointed head of the Wisconsin State Patrol.

*  An officer was moved from Walker's security detail to Chief of the State Capitol police and got added benefits by first being promoted into the job from a phantom position to move further up the state pay scale.

*  Long-time aide Cindy Archer got a promotion - - a senior civil service position for which she hadn't formally applied,

*  Former chief of staff to Walker during his Milwaukee County Executive days - - and close associate - - Jim Villa got a better new job than did Archer - - at $178,000 a year.

*  Former immunized John Doe witness and Walker campaign then-gubernatorial spokesman Cullen Werwie got moved with a nice raise to the Department of Administration.

*  Even Tim Russell is landing on his feet.

*  While former State Sen. Jeff Plale is on his second, $90,000 appointment in the Walker administration since early 2011.

*  Former conservative GOP State Rep. and Walker loyalist Scott Gunderson got his ticket punched as the #3 administrator at the DNR - - somehow the job has been retitled from Executive Assistant to Assistant Deputy Secretary.

In his DNR position, Gunderson played a role in watering down possible penalties for a polluter who had earlier donated to Gunderson's legislative campaign committee.

* And speaking of former legislators, GOP State Rep. Jeff Stone walked into a water and consumer affairs and pension-boosting position at the Public Service Commission.  Previously, Stone had been best known for pushing Voter ID and losing a bid to replace Walker as Milwaukee County Executive.

The $94,000-a-year appointment Stone landed had been abruptly withdrawn from Scott Suder, another former GOP legislator and Walker ally deemed too wrapped up in a questionable state grant.

Suder was quickly pulled out for a lobbying position with the Wisconsin Paper Council - - that's a big plus one for Walker in his sagging private-sector jobs tally - - while just-resigned GOP State Sen. Neal Kedzie was hired a couple of weeks ago to fill the top spot at the state trucking association.

*  Former Charlie Sykes talk radio show producer Joe Scialfa landed a job as spokesman for Walker's Department of Children and Families.

*  Ditto for conservative blogger, radio and TV commentator - - and former spokesman for right-wing GOP State Sen. Mary Lazich - -  Kevin Fischer, now spokesman for WHEDA, the state housing and development lender.

So - - the employment picture under Walker in Wisconsin is stalled and stunted, but some people are working.

5 comments:

Jake formerly of the LP said...

As bad as Walker's job record is, how much worse would be it be if over 1/4 of the job growth wasn't in GOVERNMENT. And those hires aren't happening to increase the quality of Wisconsin services.

Say what you will about Scotty, but he sure takes care of his people.

"It's a really big club, and you're not in it." -George Carlin.

Tim said...

Joe Scialfa and DCF are now targeting Madison's only unionized daycare center in what seems to be a politically motivated hatchet job which received extensive coverage in two front page articles in the WI State Journal last Friday and Saturday. I'd like to know whether Scialfa is acting on a personal vendetta, or at the bidding of his masters upstairs in DCF and/or the guv's office.

Anonymous said...

Please investigate Walker's attack on Red Caboose Daycare Center. The attack indeed appears politically motivated.

Anonymous said...

Cindy Archer actually was demoted into a job she didn't apply for. But got a raise anyway. To me that's worse, because it opens the door to being promoted back into the old job in a little while. Again with a raise.

Anonymous said...

Oh, and tell me why this list isn't running on TV and radio? Oh, that's right because the Dems campaign machine is useless.