Republican gubernatorial candidate speaks at Chula

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By Andy Steinke
Dells Events

Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, one of seven GOP gubernatorial candidates, visited Wisconsin Dells Saturday morning to explain how he plans to “return Wisconsin to the people” if he wins the November election.

Walker was the keynote speaker at a Lincoln Day luncheon hosted by the Republican Party of Columbia County at Chula Vista Resort. Fourteen other Republican leaders and Republican candidates running for local, state and federal seats were also slated to speak at the luncheon.

During a short impromptu speech, Walker said he has been traveling the state listening to citizens because, even though many residents have the same concerns, each area deals with different issues.

“You have to go to restaurants and cafes to hear about it. I go booth to booth and table to table and people are saying they are scared...about where the state’s economy is heading.”

Earlier this month, in its State of the States report, the Pew Center on the States, a nonprofit organization, said Wisconsin had one of the 10 worst fiscal situations in the nation.

Since being elected Milwaukee County executive in 2002, Walker has reined in county spending.
“Eight years ago, I made a pledge to my voters, and those that didn’t vote for me, that I would spend their money as if it was my own,” he said. “I will use every hour of every day to do the same if I’m elected governor.”

In his terms, Walker hasn’t increased the property tax levy, he has cut the county workforce and he has decreased the county’s debt. In fact, he said, the county experienced a surplus last year when many were struggling to make ends meet.

Walker said he can fix the state’s problems because he has this proven track record.
Before becoming county executive, Walker was a state assemblyman. He said he didn’t consider running for county executive until the people of Milwaukee County showed him how much they cared.

Former executive Tom Ament was caught in a pension scandal that gave away millions of dollars in retirement benefits to county workers. Ament’s opposition needed 73,000 signatures within 60 days to oust him from his post.

Petitioners collected 157,000 signatures in 30 days, Walker said.
“They did it not through an organized campaign,” he said, “but citizens stood up and said, ‘I want my government back and I’m willing to do something about it.’ It was then that I knew that they needed a representative to stand up for them.”

A Wisconsin resident for most of his life, Walker said there is no better place to grow up, start a business and retire, but the government needs to get out of the way so the people can prosper.

“The people and the places aren’t failing us, the government is,” he said.
Others that spoke at the luncheon were: Columbia County sheriff’s candidate Brian Landers; Deputy Attorney General Ray Taffora; U.S. Senate hopeful Terrence Wall; state Rep. Keith Ripp; Brett Davis, Ben Collins and Rebecca Kleefisch, all running for lieutenant governor; state Sen. Luther Olsen; U.S. Senate candidate Dave Westlake; state Assembly candidate A.J. Salas; U.S. Congress candidates Chad Lee and Peter Theron; state treasurer candidate Scott Feldt; and Tom Hoversten, speaking on behalf of gubernatorial candidate Mark Neumann.

Other Republicans running for governor are Mark Todd, Bill Ingram, John Schiess, Scott Paterick and Phil Miller.