Gov. Walker’s Math Problem Much Bigger Than Spelling Woes

MADISON, Wis. — Late yesterday, Gov. Scott Walker dismissed as a spelling error, a gaffe discovered by One Wisconsin Now that went viral following a story in The Capital Times in which he wished a constituent “molotov” instead of “mazel tov.” One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross noted math is a much bigger challenge for Walker as Wisconsin faces a budget deficit of over $2 billion, a pledge to create 250,000 jobs in his first term remains woefully unfulfilled and 1 million state student loan borrowers continue to wait for relief.

“Scott Walker may have gained national attention for what he claims is bad spelling,” commented Ross. “But based on his budget deficit, broken jobs promise and failure to help one million state student loan borrowers shows math is a much bigger challenge for the governor.”

Figures released by Gov. Walker’s own Department of Administration show the state faces a deficit of $2.2 billion in the upcoming 2015 state budget based on revenue projections and state agency spending requests.

In his 2010 gubernatorial campaign Gov. Walker promised that he would create 250,000 new jobs in his first term in office. He has come up woefully short on that account with the latest figures showing barely over 102,000. Even PolitFact Wisconsin rated Walker’s jobs pledge a broken promise.

Walker also refused to act to advance common sense state legislation to help one million student loan borrowers in Wisconsin. In the 2013 legislative session Walker refused to support a bill that would have allowed state borrowers to refinance their student loans, just like you can with a mortgage. A new national study found 70 percent of Wisconsin college graduates have student loan debt, the fourth highest percentage in the nation. Research conducted by One Wisconsin Institute, shows that nearly $4 billion a year is paid by Wisconsinites in student loan payments, money lost to the state economy.

Ross concluded, “We agree with Scott Walker and his sycophantic friends in the right-wing media that we can now move past his embarrassing ‘molotov’ gaffe. But an analysis of Gov. Walker’s abysmal math is much more explosive.”