Walker visits Manitowoc, talks jobs and reducing spending (Herald Times Reporter)

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MANITOWOC - Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker brought his Brown Bag Lunch Tour to Manitowoc Tool & Machine on Thursday as he discussed jobs and reducing government spending, according to a news release.

The Milwaukee County executive told MTM employees he packs a brown bag lunch daily to save money in his family budget and believes government should find ways to scale back, too.

He discussed his plan that would save taxpayers $180 million per year by offering to pay toward his own retirement and asking state workers to do the same.

"It's time our leaders in Washington and Madison see what it feels like to cut out waste and find ways to do more with less like our families have been forced to do," Walker said.

He encourages citizens to share their own cost-cutting measures at his website, www.BrownBag movement.com.

Walker said his three basic principles include: don't spend more than you have, smaller government is better government, and people create jobs, not government.

Walker said he has cut Milwaukee County's debt by 10 percent, reduced the work force by more than 20 percent, and authored eight consecutive budgets without increasing the property tax levy from the previous year.

Last week, Walker announced an $8.9 million surplus in his 2009 budget.

When he and his wife, Tonette, realized the county executive made more money than the governor, they thought that wasn't right. Walker said that from his election in 2002 through 2010, they have given $370,000 of his salary back to the county.

http://www.htrnews.com/article/20100716/MAN0101/7160486/Walker-visits-Ma...