Wisconsin’s Walker Seeks to Shift Jobs From Payroll

Wisconsin’s Walker Seeks to Shift Jobs From Payroll

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-01/wisconsin-s-walker-seeks-almost-22-000-job-cuts-in-budget.html

Very interesting, indeed.

According to the Bloomberg article:
"The bill aims to close a projected $137 million deficit for the current fiscal year and a $3.6 billion gap in the next biennium. Walker has said the repair bill would generate $30 million in savings this fiscal year and $300 million in the next two years by having workers contribute more to their health and retirement benefits."

According to an article about the spending bills passed in January of this year:
"We asked Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now’s executive director, how his organization could say the state would be spending $140 million when the effect of the three bills would be that the state would have $140 million less to spend."

http://politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/feb/01/one-wisconsin-now/one-wisconsin-now-says-scott-walker-and-legislatur/

So, basically there were three bills quickly pushed through in January that led to $140 million less coming into the government and now the governor is projecting a $137 million deficit? This seems to be a manufactured financial crisis.

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/health_med_fit/article_c2704496-4449-11e0-82b4-001cc4c03286.html

Walker's budget: Medicaid
Budget aims to end growth of Medicaid programs in state


Wisconsin would cut Medicaid spending by $500 million over the
next two years, with much of the savings coming from Family Care,
under Gov. Scott Walker's budget released Tuesday.



But state Medicaid spending still would go up overall because
the state must pay $1.3 billion over the two years to replace
federal stimulus money that has been supporting the program. That
money ends this year.

63,000 people will be cut from Medicaid under Gov.Walker's bill.

Kat wrote:63,000 people will be cut from Medicaid under Gov.Walker's bill.

What I think is interesting is that Walker passed 3 spending bills in the month of January that cut state revenue by $140 million, now for the year there is a $137 million deficit.

EDIT: Please see above links for details.