Profiles in Losing Touch: Gov. Walker Terms Efforts to Give Hardworking State Families a Raise a ‘Stunt’

MADISON, Wis. — Gov. Scott Walker has received over $1.5 million in salary, generous health care benefits for himself and his family, courtesy of state taxpayers. Yesterday, in an appearance before a political special interest group to promote a new trickle down economic tax scheme, he termed proposals to increase the state minimum wage a “political stunt.”

One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross commented, “Gov. Walker has lived a comfortable life on the taxpayers dime. It’s outrageous for him to disparage efforts to give a modest raise to Wisconsinites working hard to get ahead as he touts more tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations.”

During Walker’s career on the public dime, beginning in 1993 shortly after he left college without a degree, he has collected over $1.5 million in salary and seen his wage increase by roughly 400%. Over the same time span the state minimum wage, currently $7.25 an hour has risen roughly 40% while inflation has increased by over 61%.

The minimum wage was last raised four years ago. Legislation has recently been introduced to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 over the next three years and index future increases to the consumer price index.

“If Gov. Walker spent more time doing his job here in Wisconsin and less time flying around the country and the state pandering to special interests in pursuit of his ambition for higher office he might have a different perspective on the struggles of working families — and not think giving them a raise is a stunt,” concluded Ross.