Barrett, Walker battle over job creation numbers
By Mary Spicuzza
Democratic candidate for governor and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett on Tuesday dismissed Republican rival Scott Walker's pledge to bring 250,000 jobs to Wisconsin during his first term as a "random" number, then said if he's elected the state could see 180,000 more jobs over three years.
"I think that's an obtainable goal if we can just push, push, push," Barrett told reporters during a campaign stop in Madison.
To get there, Barrett promised tax cuts tied to job creation and clearer regulations, and noted the state also would get more than $800 million in federal stimulus money for high-speed rail.
Barrett, who toured several Monroe Street businesses with Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, based his goal on the approximately 180,000 jobs Wisconsin has lost since the start of the recession.
"I'm not going to pick an arbitrary number simply for a campaign statement," he said, referring to Walker, the Milwaukee County executive.
Walker, whose own promise last month to create 250,000 jobs and 10,000 businesses by 2015 was widely slammed by Democrats as pie in the sky, said Barrett sounds like "a candidate of low expectations" and called Democrats "the party of limited hope."
"It's extremely disappointing that Mayor Barrett's jobs plan is to take an $800 million Washington handout for a train that will only create 55 jobs at a rate of $14.5 million per job," Walker said in a statement. "This is yet another example of wasting our taxpayer money and looking to government to create jobs."
Walker said his plan is based on lower taxes, less regulation, an end to "frivolous lawsuits," better schools, improved health care and strong infrastructure.
Each side's supporters claimed a track record to back their statements. Democrats pointed to Barrett's efforts to persuade Republic Airways to keep hundreds of jobs in Milwaukee and his role in persuading Talgo, the Spanish train manufacturer, to open a factory in the city.
State Republicans applauded Walker's goal on jobs on Tuesday, claiming the state added 258,000 jobs during former GOP Gov. Tommy Thompson's first term.
When asked about his rivals' job creation squabble, Republican candidate Mark Neumann joked, "I'll bid 350,000." He said his background in the private sector makes him skeptical of candidates' dueling campaign numbers.
"These are empty political promises from two people who've spent their lives in politics," Neumann said.
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