Scott Walker's Privatized Commerce Department: A Case Study in Corruption, Cronyism and Incompetence
http://www.onewisconsinnow.org/files/WisForWEDC.pdf?eml
The lack of appropriate oversight and reporting has made the success of WEDC incentives in achieving job retention, job creation and investment goals difficult if not impossible to analyze. A 2013 audit of the agency’s 2011-2012 performance found that only 45 percent of recipients of 59 awards had submitted contractually required reports on their progress toward meeting their contractual terms. The report also stated that some awards were made to ineligible recipients, for ineligible projects, and were given amounts that exceeded program limits. Further, one-third of the 30 WEDC economic development programs did not meet their expected goals.
This report investigates the link between political contributions to Governor Scott Walker’s gubernatorial campaigns and receipt of Wisconsin Economic Development Commission loans, grants, bonds, tax credits or other financial assistance to political donors. Additionally, actions of WEDC funding recipients (or their owners or members) were researched, along with potential conflicts of interest by WEDC staff and/or board members.
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1) Walker Receives More Than $2 Million Campaign Benefit from WEDC Recipients, Who in Turn Receive Nearly 60 Percent of State’s Economic Development Dollars.
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3) WEDC Recipients Feature Companies Engaged in Health and Safety Violations, Mass Layoffs and Conflicts of Interest.
More, including detail on the above points, at the link.
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