Politics & Government

Barrett Says He'll End 'Scott Walker's Civil War'

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett campaigned in downtown Waukesha on Thursday, days before the historic recall election where he is looking to oust Republican Gov. Scott Walker.

While delivering jabs at Gov. Scott Walker for a “John Doe” investigation that’s led to felony charges against Walker aides and saying Walker’s budget reforms aren’t working, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett visited with supporters in downtown Waukesha days before Wisconsin’s historic recall election.

“We have seen over the past several months, Scott Walker has started this political civil war where his pitting people against each other — neighbor against neighbor, coworker against coworker,” said Barrett before a crowd of supporters at “I will end Scott Walker’s civil war.”

Barrett, a Democrat who faced Walker during the 2010 gubernatorial election, is looking to oust Walker from the governor’s seat in a special recall election on Tuesday. The controversial Republican governor is facing the recall because of his legislation that limited collective bargaining for public employee unions.

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“He says his reforms are working. His reforms are not working for the middle class,” Barrett said. “Ask those students who are paying more for college in tuition and fees, ask those seniors who are on a fixed income who saw the cuts that he made to the homestead tax credit. Ask many people who are still looking for work. They are not working for the middle class.

“They are working, probably, for those corporations that aren’t paying any taxes and the owners of which are giving him hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions, but they are not working for the middle class.”

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Barrett said, in contrast, he will focus on job creation, ensuring young people can go to college, and “not pushing people off of BadgerCare.”

“Those are where my priorities are,” Barrett said.

While campaigning in Waukesha, where voters are predominantly Republican, Barrett urged his supporters to vote on Tuesday.

“People have asked me why I am coming to Waukesha County,” Barrett said. “I will tell you why I am coming to Waukesha County. Because there will be a lot of people who are going to vote for Tom Barrett in Waukesha County on Tuesday.”

Waukesha Water

If Barrett is elected governor on Tuesday, he would be the governor to approve and forward the City of Waukesha’s water application to other Great Lakes states. Waukesha Patch asked Barrett in an exclusive interview how he would be fair in reviewing that application given Milwaukee’s interest in selling Lake Michigan water to Waukesha.

Waukesha is looking to the Great Lakes to solve problems with its water quantity and water quality in its ground water wells, but in order to purchase Lake Michigan water, it needs approvals from all Great Lakes states. Waukesha is looking at Milwaukee, Oak Creek and Racine as potential water suppliers.

“I am confident that we can make sure whatever we do is right for the people of Waukesha, of Milwaukee and of the whole state,” Barrett said.


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