July 18, 2012

How much taxpayer money is being spent moving Wisconsin state senators' offices around after the recall election?

Although Governor Scott Walker won his recall election, one state senate seat shifted from Republican to Democrat, and that created a Democratic majority, which triggered massive office moves in the Capitol building. Although it's summer vacation time and the majority is likely to shift back to the Republicans after the November elections, "it appears roughly one-third of the 33 senators are going to move to different offices."
There’s the cost of moving phone lines, which the last time I wrote an article about this topic cost the state $41 an hour, plus the cost to re-letter office doors and change the locks on the doors....

20 comments:

MadisonMan said...

This "problem" could be fixed permanently if party "leaders" didn't get a special perk-y office.

Ann Althouse said...

I wonder if any of the Democrats exercising this right to relocate (I know some are required to relocate) are up for reelection in November in non-safe districts? The opponent should calculate the dollar amount of that choice and use it in ads.

Anonymous said...

It's so good to use other people's money to stroke one's ego.

Tim said...

Democrats being Democrats.

Keep voting for Democrats.

Government doesn't waste enough of your tax dollars on vanity projects and programs.

edutcher said...

It's not "taxpayer money".

All money is due the government.

(I'm just a Poli Sci guy, Ann; I shouldn't have to tell you this stuff)

garage mahal said...

For the year, Duffy - considered the state's most vulnerable House incumbent - billed taxpayers a little more than $225,000 to flood the mailboxes of his constituents with mass mailings, placing him in the top 20 among all U.S. representatives for 2011.

Within the Wisconsin delegation, Republican U.S. Reps. Paul Ryan of Janesville and Jim Sensenbrenner of Menomonee Falls finished second and third last year, charging taxpayers $189,790 and $171,682, respectively.

U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin - a Madison Democrat running for U.S. Senate - was the most frugal, spending nothing on the taxpayers' dime last year to send bulk mailers to people in her district.


Damn, nearly 600k from only 3 Reps, for mailers? That's looking out for the taxpayer!

pfennig said...

An underreported part of the whole story about the Dems taking control of the State Senate is that in the spring elections, Sen. Coggs got elected City of Milwaukee Treasurer. He should have resigned from the State Senate to take his new seat, but instead, he is holding both positions. This allows the Democrats to maintain their majority and also lets Coggs double dip!

Anonymous said...

"If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen."

If you’ve got money — you didn’t make that. Somebody else, i.e. the govt., i.e. ME, your Dear Leader who made that happen, i.e. all your money is mine.

Kevin said...

Hey garage, where was this hatred of the franking privilege when former Cong. Steve Kagen was leading the pack?

Farmer said...

This is still one of the silliest criticisms of the recall I've run across. "It cost money!" So does everything, and somebody's got a beef which each one of those things. So what?

leslyn said...

Silly. Cost of doing business. This ALWAYS happens.

It's better than putting your desk in a doorway because the governor won't open the capitol.

BarrySanders20 said...

Leslyn, Does it always happen that the office changes occur when the legislature will not even be in session until after the next election which may change them back again?

This is close to the broken window fallacy. Yet Obama thinks there is a multiplier effect for all government spending, so if you buy that, then this spending is good for all of us.

This is nothing but symbolism for the recall movement to show the effort was not -- really not -- a ridiculous waste of time, money and effort. But symbols and chants are all the idiot left has anymore, so here's another.

BarrySanders20 said...

FRANCIS: It is symbolic of our struggle against oppression!

REG: Symbolic of his struggle against reality.

[Trumpets]. [clap clap clap].

Bryan C said...

The job of a legislator should come with a shared cubicle, wifi, and mobile phone. If they don't like it, they can work from home and commute when there's a vote.

Known Unknown said...

Damn, nearly 600k from only 3 Reps, for mailers? That's looking out for the taxpayer!

Good luck getting the legislature to reform franking privileges. Those have been around for eons.

traditionalguy said...

Maybe it's like stimulating the economy by breaking windows. Everybody gets to work again.

Marcus Carman said...

If this makes them feel better about themselves I'm all for helping bolster a child's self-esteem.

leslyn said...

Barry Sanders20,

This is nothing but symbolism for the recall movement to show the effort was not -- really not -- a ridiculous waste of time

Oh bullshit. It has nothing to do with the "recall movement." What, do you think the "recall movement" is a person directing the action from behind the curtain, like the Great and Powerful Oz?

IT'S BUSINESS AS USUAL--meaning, NOT politics, just the housekeeping the legislature does.

Trying to make a political issue out of it is downright pitiful.

Known Unknown said...

Trying to make a political issue out of it is downright pitiful.

My point of view is simple: you needn't rearrange everything depending upon which party is in power.

It's an ego-massage for whomever has the most votes any given election.

And it is an incredible waste of resources and taxpayer money, no matter whom is doing it.

Biff said...

It reminds me of one of my pet peeves: changing all of the signs on highways when a new governor or mayor gets elected. How about we just skip putting their names on signs in the first place, and save a few bucks along the way?