Dan, Scott Walker is on the line

Just last week we blogged about Scott Walker's Republican County Executive colleague to the south, Bill McReynolds. At that time we pointed out how Mac apparently didn't get the Walker talking points against the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (federal stimulus). Mac, sent out a press release bragging about how the federal stimulus was actually going the help save Racine County taxpayers money. Given Walker's extreme and ever changing positions on the Recovery and Reinvestment Act he has now painted himself into a lonely corner that even his Republican counterparts in government have avoided. First it was Mac and now it appears that even the leader of the most Republican county in the state needs a brow beating call from the Walking failure from Wauwatosa.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting that now even Waukesha County Executive Dan Vrakas is getting in on the stimulus action. He released his five-year capital plan Tuesday and it increases spending on critical projects mainly due to the funding provided in the Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The federal funds account for a huge $32.6 million of the $111 million he has designated for needed spending. Looks like Dan ignored the Walker memo on trashing everything about the stimulus. It looks like Vrakas, unlike Walker, is going to make sure that Waukesha County taxpayers get a full return on their federal tax investment.

Here are some of the projects that will be funded with the help of the Recovery and Reinvestment Act:

• $1.5 million to pave the county's Lake Country Trail.
  
• $1.5 million for energy saving projects.
  
• $6.4 million for improved bridges and other road projects.
  

I'm sure that Walker may not consider the people that will drive on these roads and bridges and those that are employed to carry out these projects as "real people" but obviously Dan Vrakas disagrees with that kind of extreme thinking. In fact he pointed out while talking about the federal stimulus funding that it would actually save the county money longer term.

"When you build a new road, you have less maintenance, you're not filling potholes, it's more efficient, it helps economic development. When you build a new building and equip it with energy savings, those are one-time costs that reduce our budget next year for operations."

I couldn't have said it better myself, it's a very rational approach. Unfortunately, Dan, Scott Walker is on the line and he has been about the furthest thing from rational when it comes to the Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

UPDATE: Bill McReynolds and Dan Vrakas are not the only ones loving the federal stimulus right now, apparently so is the U.S. Economy. Sorry Scott, your talking points are empty.

Now Read: "U.S. Economy, Scott Walker is on the line"