Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Wisconsin recall elections cost strapped taxpayers $16 million

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Needed public municipal "work gets put on the back burner.""

May 2012, "Fox 11 News report: Recall elections will cost $16 million," ibWisconsin.com

"Just in case you’re wondering how much the forthcoming recall elections will cost the state and local municipalities and counties, a Green Bay television station has an updated figure.

Fox 11 News is reporting the gubernatorial recall elections will cost taxpayers about $16 million.

The station, quoting Reid Magney, a spokesman for the state's Government Accountability Board in Madison, said the primaries and the general election would each cost approximately $8 million.

In Green Bay alone, Mayor Jim Schmitt said the total cost could climb to $80,000, money that could be put to better use.

“Well there's a lot of things, it's a tight budget, so $70,000 to $80,000 is significant,” said Schmitt. "You look at anything from improvements to infrastructure, to adding more things to police, fire.”

The report said Brown County’s share of the costs of running an election is estimated at $150,000, which will have to come from the county’s general fund. The money would pay for programming voting machines, hiring election workers, printing ballots, and other costs associated with holding an election.

In addition, it means “projects are maybe put on the back burner," said Tracy Flucke, administrator of the Village of Allouez, who pegs the cost of the recall at $20,000 for the village. “Grants are put on the back burner or whatever. Water-related work gets put on the back burner.""


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