The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, Scott Walker’s chief job creation agency, failed to follow state law and properly track taxpayer funded loans, according to an audit from the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau.
Other problems found by auditors included awarding funds to ineligible businesses and ineligible projects, lack of oversight, and improper expenditures by WEDC employees on items ranging from Badgers football tickets to iTunes gift cards and alcoholic beverages.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Republican state Sen. Robert Cowles, co-chairman on the Legislative Audit Committee, said of the audit:
“I hope they can get their act together, but this is pretty darn bad. I’d say the jury is out whether this was a good idea to create this whole entity . . . I don’t think there can be any more excuses. They’ve got to fix this thing.”
Scott Walker created WEDC in 2011 to serve as the state’s chief job creation agency. The most recent and accurate federal jobs numbers available show Wisconsin ranked 44th in the nation in job creation, down from 11th when Walker took office.
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