Someone should remind Scott Walker he’s not governor yet

In a letter to Governor Jim Doyle on Thursday, gov-elect Scott Walker urged Gov. Doyle to stop being governor for the next two months, making the following “requests” of Secretary of Administration Dan Schoof:

  • Stopping unfinished negotiations with unions on the 2009-’11 labor contracts so they can be considered as part of the upcoming 2011-’13 state budget. Walker campaigned on making public workers cover more of their benefits, including pension contributions.
  • Freezing the implementation of the new health legislation, including the establishment of a state health insurance exchange that would allow individuals to purchase coverage.
  • Making plans to shift the source of power from biomass to natural gas at a University of Wisconsin-Madison power plant that is being upgraded.
  • Halting any civil service hiring decisions. In the past, political appointees in need of jobs have been shifted down into permanent civil service jobs.
  • Halting work to finalize any new administrative rules.

In response to Walker’s letter, Secretary Schoof sent out a letter of his own making it pretty clear Scott Walker doesn’t know what he’s talking about:

I am writing in response to your letter dated November 10th. I am aware that there are those who would attempt to pit incoming and outgoing administrations against each other. As you know, Governor Doyle and this administration have worked hard to avoid this. We will continue to work with you and your team in an orderly and responsible manner.

With respect to the specific items you mention, obviously you have not had the opportunity to be briefed on these items. For example, the health care exchanges you mention will require legislation and will not go into effect until 2013 at the earliest. The Charter Street Plant, on which work has begun, has natural gas capabilities along with the biomass fuel purchased from Wisconsin farmers and foresters.

Our offer to brief you on these and any other measures still stands.

What I’m still trying to figure out is why Scott Walker thinks he should have any input over the labor contracts currently being negotiated between the state and its employee unions, contracts which, if approved, would cover the past two years, years that Scott Walker was Milwaukee County Executive, not governor.

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22 thoughts on “Someone should remind Scott Walker he’s not governor yet

  1. Great to see Scott step up and let the unions know that the gravy train has ended for them and they now will have to live within the means that the taxpayers say they can afford. And it’s imperative that we stop the Obama take over of health care and make it actually something that works for all people.

    Gov Walker knows why he was elected now he is doing what the people of Wis expect of him.

  2. “Someone should remind Scott Walker he’s not governor yet.”

    I think Doyle did just that today. LOL.

  3. “obviously you have not had the opportunity to be briefed on these items” is now becoming one of my favorite lines. And completely sums up the hubris-soaked clown that is Scott Walker. Kudos to Dan Schoof for putting this little punk in his place….and I’m thinking it won’t be the last time in Scotty’s short-time reign of error.

  4. Please google “office of the president elect” and tell me if your Saint Obama was overstepping his authority.

    Given that Doyle has a track record of giving cushy government jobs to out-of-work hacks that grease his palms, there’s nothing wrong with Walker asking him to stop. Does Doyle have to listen? No, and he won’t.

    But what this will (hopefully) do is get the lazy reporters in Madison to actually track the crap Doyle will be doing over the next two months.

    1. Mark, the practice of giving permanent civil service jobs to political appointees(as disagreeable as I find the practice) isn’t exclusive to Gov. Doyle. Scott McCallum did the same thing before he left office.

  5. I find it hard the Governor Elect Scott Walker has time to worry about all of this stuff when he’s so busy getting his last licks in at Milwaukee County as being County Executive Scott Walker. He’d really best be served by working on his transition and learn a bit about State government and resign the county position and let those who will have to live with current decisions, make those decisions.

  6. Its clear why Scott Walker has asked doyle to stop, we all know any contract he negotiates with the union is going to screw that tax payer. This will be one of his final times he can payback those who supported him. So HE must step back from the negotiating table as he no longer has Wisconsin’s best interest in mind.

  7. Having lived under County Executive Scott Walker’s regime, Mr. Walker has never had the best interest of his fiefdom in mind.

    1. It’s time to stop demonizing government employees…they are our friends, neighbors, relatives and fellow citizens. That aren’t some strange alien subculture. Like every occupation there are slackers and less than competent individuals, private and public sectors included. But the majority are just as energetic and hard working as everyone else.

    2. Either way – My experience with government employment is about like anyplace else in the private sector. Some people do their job, while some sit on their butts and while some work hard enough to carry the butt sitters.

    3. Um … state union worker. Put in 12 hour days. Please don’t forget that one of the biggest hospitals in WI is a state union shop.

  8. I would have actually gotten 8 hours of work out of CE Walker the past 5 years that he was running for Gov.

  9. I need to use the preview mode!

    I would have actually LIKED TO HAVE gotten 8 hours of work out of CE Walker the past 5 years that he was running for Gov.

    But maybe on second thought, it was better he was out of the county so often!

  10. Appointing guys like Pedro Colon to the circuit court bench was such a service to Wisconsin taxpayers, wasn’t it? If by “service,” it carries the same connotation as a bull that is brought in to “service” the cows…

    I am a little surprised that Walker has been as vocal in calling him out in it, but it is a pleasent surprise. Doyle as a lame duck is downright toxic to state finances and the state court system.

    1. And voters will certainly have an opportunity to express their opinion on whether they agree with that appointment or not.

      However, since you brought up Gov. Doyle’s “service” to taxpayers, I’d love to hear you defend Scott Walker’s decision to allow John Chianelli to stay on as a county employee (with a near six figure salary and county benefits, no less) despite Chianelli completely mismanaging the Mental Health Complex during his time as its director. That screams of Scott Walker looking out for his own at the expense of County taxpayers.

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