Scott Walker used to like referendums!

Scott Walker is opposed to the County Board's proposal to put a sales tax increase referendum on the ballot in February. The unspoken and obvious reason is because he fears he would lose his rightwing bonafides if it passed.

Which would throw cold water on his dream of running for governor.

Which was. of course, the only reason he took on this whole county exec gig in the first place.

Walker says he opposes the sales tax because the doesn't trust the county board to use the money for its declared purpose -- parks, transportation, etc. Which is tantamount to saying he doesn't trust the voters -- who after all threw out Tom Ament when he raised their ire -- to hold the  board accountable.

But the thing is, Scott Walker was all for referendums and listening to the voice of the people back in 2002 when he first ran for office.

Remember how, when he ran for county exec in 2002, he talked about how he had introduced legislation in the state Assembly on whether to eliminate the position of county exec?

"The people should have a chance to vote on this before the next election for county executive," he declared in the 3/24/2002.

Elsewhere in the interview he waxed highfalutin about his love for the voice of the people:

...I will take this vision for the future directly to the people. Instead of working deals in a backroom in the executive's office, I will take our agenda on the road to senior citizen clubs, civic organizations, church groups, and anywhere else people are willing to listen. Positive change must come through the support of the public and this will force the board to act on our reforms.

Scott: Why are you afraid to take the sales tax directly to the people? If they should have had a chance to vote on the future of the county executive position, why shouldn't they have a chance to vote on a tax that would cost them a couple bucks a year and help preserve one of the county's greatest resources, its park system?

Then again, given that he  now takes his agenda on the road when most people are working, that shouldn't be surprising.

Comments

[Zach W.]

I honestly can't see Scott Walker ever being a viable gubernatorial candidate after the debacle that was his previous campaign. I think it's far more likely we'll see Walker running to replace Jim Sensenbrenner once he's ready to retire.

[Dan]

I agree. The vote will be about 65% rejecting the tax increase.