FollowUp 13: Wisconsin Republican Dirty Tricks

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has a lot of problems.  One of them is the state's finances.  Despite the claims of It's Working Wisconsin, a Koch Brother's funded branch of Americans For Prosperity, breaking the back of the unions has not solved Wisconsin's fiscal woes.  The latest move to cut $123,000,000 from state agencies, including $46,000,000 from the state university system, still leaves the state more than $140,000,000 in arrears.

At the same time, President Obama's administration reached a $26,000,000,000 deal with five banks to reimburse homeowners for improper foreclosures and offset refinancing costs.  The portion that is allocated for Wisconsin homeowners is approximately $140,000,000.  A number that conveniently matches the amount Mr. Walker needs.  The homeowners funds will be administered by the states.

As Senate candidate and current Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin explains to Rachel Maddow, the Governor may have figured out how to steal much of this funding from reimbursements to homeowners from banks that cheated them before.

Ms. Baldwin discusses this and asks for Wisconsinites to add their voices to a petition at her website.  More details about the more than $25,000,000 that the Governor intends to steal from homeowners who were previously cheated by the banks is at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Wisconsin will use a chunk of its $140 million share of a national settlement over foreclosure and mortgage-servicing abuses to help the state budget rather than assist troubled homeowners, Gov. Scott Walker and state Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said Thursday.

Walker and Van Hollen said the majority of the settlement amount earmarked to Wisconsin under a $25 billion proposed nationwide agreement announced Thursday still would go to aid consumers in Milwaukee and other communities struggling with the specter of home foreclosure.

But of a $31.6 million payment coming directly to the state government, most of that money - $25.6 million - will go to help close a budget shortfall revealed in newly released state projections. Van Hollen, whose office said he has the legal authority over the money, made the decision in consultation with Walker.

"Just like communities and individuals have been affected, the foreclosure crisis has had an effect on the state of Wisconsin, in terms of unemployment. . . . This will offset that damage done to the state of Wisconsin," Walker said.

Had there not been huge tax breaks for businesses,

Walker asked for $82 million in tax cuts, including an expanded exclusion for capital gains realized on investments made in Wisconsin-based businesses. The Legislature previously approved more than $117 million in Walker-backed tax cuts that take effect later this year.

then it could perhaps be justified.  As it stands, this looks like a robbery to me.

16 November 2011, Original Pedantic Political Ponderings post.
30 November 2011, FollowUp 1.
4 December 2011, FollowUp 2.
11 December 2011, FollowUp 3.
14 December 2011, FollowUp 4.
15 December 2011, FollowUp 5.
30 December 2011, FollowUp 6.
13 January 2012, FollowUp 7.
17 January 2012, FollowUp 8.
25 January 2012, FollowUp 9.
2 February 2012, FollowUp 10.
9 February 2012, FollowUp 11.
12 February 2012, FollowUp 12.

22 February 2012, FollowUp 14.
6 March 2012, FollowUp 15.
12 March 2012, FollowUp 16.
16 March 2012, FollowUp 17.
30 March 2012, FollowUp 18.
31 March 2012, FollowUp 19.
3 April 2012, FollowUp 20.
4 April 2012, FollowUp 21.
11 April 2012, FollowUp 22.
14 April 2012, FollowUp 23.
17 April 2012, FollowUp 24.
21 April 2012, FollowUp 25.
29 April 2012, FollowUp 26.
2 May 2012, FollowUp 27.
6 May 2012, FollowUp 28.
10 May 2012, FollowUp 29.
13 May 2012, FollowUp 30.
23 May 2012, FollowUp 31.
24 May 2012, FollowUp 32.
30 May 2012, FollowUp 33.
2 June 2012, FollowUp 34.
4 June 2012, FollowUp 35.
5 June 2012, FollowUp 36.