Wisconsin Taxpayers Picked Up Scott Walker’s $18,000 Share of his Pension
Time for Walker to Put His Money Where His Mouth Is
MADISON – A week to the day after Scott Walker claimed he would pay into his own pension fund if elected governor, new analysis released today by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin shows that Walker collected some $18,000 in these very benefits while serving in the state Legislature.
On Thursday, DPW Chair Mike Tate demanded that Scott Walker repay taxpayers the $18,000 to make good on his political grandstand.
“If Scott Walker felt so strongly about his pension announcement, he should start by paying back his pension contributions that Wisconsin taxpayers picked up while he was a legislator,” said Tate. “If he wants to score political points on the same benefits he has taken fromWisconsin taxpayers, then Scott Walker needs to put his money where his mouth is and walk the walk, not just talk the talk.”
The DPW was unveiling a “Scott Walker Pension Talker Tracker,” to show how far Walker’s empty promises go, at www.BagScottWalker.com. Additionally, the Web site will put the $18,000 he owes taxpayers into terms that Scott Walker might understand, such as how many pricey steak dinners he can buy his campaign cronies.
Scott Walker has grandstanded on the pension issue since 2003, when he rode into office promising pension reform. But instead of reform, Walker has kicked the can down the road, with $400 million in new borrowing and overseeing new scandals. And he has failed to deliver reform at the County, where retirement benefits are described on the County’s own Web site as “substantially noncontributory.”
“Scott Walker hasn’t fixed Milwaukee’s pension scandal, Scott Walker IS Milwaukee’s pension scandal,” Tate said.
Based on the analysis that is reflected in the chart below, if Scott Walker was asked to make a retroactive payment to cover the state picking up his pension contributions while he was a state legislator, it would be an estimated payment of $17,995.47. This does not include interest.
|
Year |
Participant Contribution |
Employer Contribution |
Total Contribution |
Legislator Salary |
Participant Total |
Employer Total |
|
|
1993 |
5.5% |
11.1% |
16.7% |
$35,070 |
$1,928.85 |
$3,892.77 |
|
|
1994 |
5.5% |
11.1% |
16.7% |
$35,070 |
$1,928.85 |
$3,892.77 |
|
|
1995 |
5.5% |
11.1% |
16.7% |
$38,056 |
$2,093.08 |
$4,224.22 |
|
|
1996 |
4.6% |
10.1% |
14.7% |
$38,056 |
$1,750.58 |
$3,843.66 |
|
|
1997 |
4.7% |
10.2% |
14.9% |
$39,211 |
$1,842.92 |
$3,999.52 |
|
|
1998 |
4.7% |
10.2% |
14.9% |
$39,211 |
$1,842.92 |
$3,999.52 |
|
|
1999 |
4.3% |
9.8% |
14.1% |
$41,809 |
$1,797.79 |
$4,097.28 |
|
|
2000 |
4.1% |
9.6% |
13.7% |
$41,809 |
$1,714.17 |
$4,013.66 |
|
|
2001 |
3.9% |
9.4% |
13.3% |
$44,233 |
$1,725.09 |
$4,157.90 |
|
|
2002 |
3.1% |
8.6% |
11.7% |
$44,233 |
$1,371.22 |
$3,804.04 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grand Totals |
$17,995.47 |
$39,925.34 |
Sources: Department of Employee Trust Funds, WRS Contribution History; Legislative
Reference Bureau Brief 09-4, “Compensation of Wisconsin Legislators”, February 2009
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