Lawmakers debate budget as Governor Walker travels the country; Is he leaving Wisconsin behind?
MADISON (WITI) -- State lawmakers are holding public hearings on the state budget proposal, but Governor Scott Walker has been out of the state for much of the last month.
Gov. Scott Walker to make appearance in Phoenix next Wednesday
PHOENIX (AP) — Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker will be the headline speaker at a luncheon hosted by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce.Walker is scheduled to give remarks at the Wednesday, March 25th event in downtown Phoenix.Organizers say the luncheon is part of a leadership series that features political leaders who are considering running for president of the United States.Walker is a conservative favorite thanks to his anti-union approach.
South Carolina trip: Scott Walker billing himself as the ultimate common man, a staunch conservative
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — As he chases the nation's highest office, Scott Walker is selling himself as the ultimate common man: a church-going, leaf-raking, football-watching, penny-pinching, Harley-riding preacher's son turned union-busting governor.He wants Republicans in early primary states to know he's a staunch conservative, not that anyone seems to doubt it.
"A lot of concern:" Lawmakers in Milwaukee to hear public comment on state's budget proposal
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Members of Wisconsin's budget-writing Joint Committee on Finance is traveling the state to get input on the proposed budget -- and on Friday, March 20th, lawmakers were in Milwaukee at Alverno College for their second of four public hearings.More than 500 people came out Friday to voice their opinion on the state's budget proposal.
Attorney General Brad Schimel asks Wisconsin Supreme Court to take rules case
MADISON (AP) — Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel is asking the state Supreme Court to take a case related to how much influence Governor Scott Walker can have in the state's education department.Schimel wants the Supreme Court to review an appeals court ruling from last month that found a Republican-written law giving the governor the power to block new education rules is unconstitutional.The appeals court ruled that the law essentially gives the governor veto authority over anything the elected state schools superintendent proposes, interfering with the superintendent's constitutional powers to supervise public education.The state Supreme Court is controlled by a majority of conservative-leaning justices.
“He has the training and experience needed:" Gov. Walker announces administration staff change
MADISON (WITI) -- Governor Scott Walker on Friday, March 20th announced Kurt Thiede as the new Deputy Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.“Kurt Thiede has served the people of Wisconsin well for the past 14 years,” Governor Walker said. “He has the training and experience needed to help preserve and maintain Wisconsin’s natural resources and will be instrumental in our continued work to make state government more efficient, effective, and accountable.”“I am thrilled for the opportunity and equally grateful and humbled by the trust that Governor Walker and Secretary Stepp have placed in me to continue to move the Department of Natural Resources forward along the path we have charted over the past four years,” Thiede said.Prior to his role as Land Division Administrator, Thiede worked within the Department of Natural Resources as the Wildlife Management Regulation and Policy Specialist, the DNR Liaison to the Wisconsin Conservation Congress, and a Customer Service and Licensing Program Supervisor for Southern Wisconsin.
Governor Walker arrives in early presidential primary state of South Carolina
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Governor Scott Walker is pitching himself in South Carolina as a leader with the experience to put the U.S. on a conservative course.In his first visit this year to the early presidential primary state, Walker got an enthusiastic reception Thursday, March 19th as he recounted his 2012 recall election victory and his successful efforts to weaken labor unions for public and private workers back home.
Senate Majority Leader says Walker's plan to help pay for new Bucks arena is "pretty much dead"
MADISON (AP) — The Republican leader of the Wisconsin Senate says he is looking at alternatives to Governor Scott Walker's plan to help pay for a new arena for the Milwaukee Bucks.Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said Thursday, March 19th that Walker's plan calling for issuing $220 million in bonds is "pretty much dead." Fitzgerald says he is talking with Milwaukee city and county leaders about other options that may or may not include state borrowing.Fitzgerald says he believes a deal can be reached that doesn't include state borrowing, but he'll do "whatever gets the deal done."Republicans who control the Legislature have been outspoken in their concerns over having the state borrow as much as Walker wanted to pay for a new arena.
March Madness: Governor Walker picks Wisconsin Badgers to win it all
MADISON (AP) — In what could be the safest political move of his career, Governor Scott Walker is picking the Wisconsin Badgers to win it all in the NCAA basketball tournament.Walker posted his completed bracket Wednesday, March 18th on Twitter.
Republican Budget Committee members have a new plan for the UW System
MADISON (AP) — The co-chair of the Legislature's Budget Committee and another Republican member of the panel say they want to lower a proposed cut to the University of Wisconsin System while doing away with Governor Scott Walker's plans to grant it more independence.Joint Finance Committee co-chair Rep.
Republicans say Governor Walker's UW autonomy proposal is "on life support"
MADISON (WITI/AP) — The Republican co-chairman of the Legislature's Budget Committee says Governor Scott Walker's plan to detach the University of Wisconsin System from state oversight in exchange for cuts appears to be on life support.
Headed to Governor Walker's desk: Senate passes bill that would allow liquor samples at grocery stores
MADISON (AP) — Mini-shots of hard alcohol could be offered to sample at Wisconsin liquor and grocery stores under a bill headed to Gov.
State Senate passes bill targeting cyberstalking, Gov. Walker expected to sign it
MADISON (AP) — The Wisconsin Legislature has passed a bill targeting cyberstalking.The measure approved by the Senate on a voice vote Tuesday would allow judges to issue restraining orders against people in other states.It passed the Assembly in February and now heads to Gov.
Back from trip to New Hampshire, Governor Walker talks with Wisconsin reporters, responds to criticism
LA CROSSE (WITI) -- Governor Walker was back in Wisconsin Monday, March 16th after making stops in New Hampshire over the weekend.
Report: Gov. Walker's budget would raise taxes and fees by $48 million
MADISON (AP) — An analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau finds that Gov.
Gov. Walker says he hopes to ride Harley across New Hampshire
MADISON (AP) — Gov.
Governor Walker says his sons will skip college next fall to campaign with their dad
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Although they're carefully avoiding declaring themselves presidential candidates, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush made weekend swings through New Hampshire with all the marks of White House bids.Walker says his children plan to skip college next fall to campaign with their dad, but he emphasized to a crowd of activists that he's "not a declared candidate."Bush, meanwhile, responded to questions about his policy positions with hypotheticals and the repeated line that he's "considering the possibility of running."As presidential hopefuls begin traveling to this early voting state, they're taking great pains to avoid triggering the headaches that come with being full-blown candidates.
Governor Walker plans dozen stops during first visit to early presidential voting state of New Hampshire
MADISON (AP) — Governor Scott Walker plans a dozen stops during his first visit to New Hampshire this weekend.Walker arrives in the early presidential voting state on Friday and is headlining a state Republican Party event on Saturday.Walker's political committee Our American Revival says he plans to meet with Republican leaders, grassroots activists, state lawmakers and members of the New Hampshire business community.Walker has planned meetings with former Gov.
Boys & Girls Club of Dane County leader meets with Governor Walker in wake of officer-involved shooting
MADISON (AP) — A representative for the family of Tony Robinson, the 19-year-old man shot and killed by Madison Police Officer Matt Kenny last Friday, March 6th says Governor Scott Walker promised to call the man's mother to help console her.Boys and Girls Club of Dane County leader Michael Johnson said Wednesday, March 11th he met with Walker for about 30 minutes at the governor's mansion to discuss the shooting of Tony Robinson.Johnson says he asked for the meeting and Walker agreed.
Challenging the law: As Right-to-Work heads to court, Governor Walker says he's confident it will be upheld
MADISON (WITI) -- Another controversial Wisconsin law is headed to court.