State Forced to Bailout Public Assistance Programs Scott Walker Ran into the Ground

Under Walker’s Leadership, CountyPrograms Have Failed Miserably,
Leaving Thousands of Low-Income Residents Struggling

MADISON – The state of Wisconsin has been forced to step in and bailout the major county public assistance programs Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker ran into the ground after years of dismal leadership and inept management.

“Since Scott Walker is incapable of keeping his fiscal house in order, the state has been forced to step in to help the thousands of low-income residents Walker left in the dust,” said Joe Wineke, Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. “Rather than showing leadership and fixing the problems he created, Walker has forced the state to clean up the mess he left behind.”

“How is Walker fit to lead the state if he can’t even run his own county?,” asked Wineke.

Since Scott Walker took office, the child care, food stamp and medical assistance programs he oversees have become abysmal failures, leaving thousands of low-income residents without the aid they desperately need.

MilwaukeeCounty‘s performance fails national and state standards, despite the millions of additional dollars the state has already given Walker to assist his malfunctioning programs. According to recent reports, under Walker:

• Less than 5% of the phone calls placed to the MilwaukeeCountyCallCenter are answered.
• Only 70% of benefit applications are handled within the time periods required by law.
• Milwaukee taxpayers have been assessed $74,500 in fines recently due to programs failing to meet standards.
• Food stamp rolls are up 85% in the County.
• Low income families and pregnant women have been forced to wait months for the benefits they need. (Sources: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2.3.09 – DHS letter, 2.3.09)

“Scott Walker doesn’t have any idea how to solve the countless failures, backlogs and waiting lists he is responsible for, so he just passes them on to the state,” said Wineke. “Maybe before he spends more time touring around the state to promote his candidacy, he should clean up his fiscal mess in MilwaukeeCounty.”