Walker cited concerns about the “way things were left by the last administration.” Those concerns could be supported by a state audit released last week, which found accounting errors under former Governor Jim Doyle inflated state financial reserves by over $45 million last year.
State Senator Alberta Darling (D-River Hills), who co-chairs the Legislature’s budget committee, says it was irresponsible of Doyle to hold back information showing how bad the financial problems facing the state actually are. She says that could lead to some tough choices to help close the remaining budget gap.
Darling says areas lawmakers could look at to help balance the current budget include cutting back on labor costs or stopping pending expenses the state hasn’t actually paid out yet.
Walker says he expects to have a better idea of what fiscal troubles are facing the state’s current biennial budget, along with possible solutions, by the time he gives his State of the State address next week.
