Mary Burke Needs to be Honest with Wisconsinites About Act 10

How Would She Save Taxpayers Nearly $3 Billion?

June 16, 2014

For Immediate Release
Contact: Nick Novak, 608-237-7290
nnovak@maciverinstitute.com

[Madison, Wisc…] During a recent interview with the Wisconsin State Journal, gubernatorial candidate Mary Burke announced she would work to restore the ability of government workers to collectively bargain. Burke said she supports making wages, hours, benefits and working conditions mandatory subjects of collective bargaining for public employees.

She also claimed she could have found the same savings that Act 10 achieved from health insurance and pension contributions through the use of collective bargaining.

Brett Healy, President of the John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy, released the following statement after Burke’s comments to the State Journal:

“Mary Burke’s recent comments about Act 10 and the cost-saving collective bargaining reforms passed in 2011 should be unnerving to Wisconsin families and taxpayers.

“Act 10 has saved state and local taxpayers nearly $3 billion, and the savings continue to add up today. In fact, Wisconsin families have saved nearly $1,200 on average thanks to Act 10.

“The reforms made government more efficient, protected vital services and saved thousands of jobs. But, it seems like Mary Burke wants to go back to the days when a Madison bus driver made over $100,000 a year, correction officers were calling in sick for one shift and getting paid time-and-a-half for the next shift and many school districts were stuck buying over-priced health coverage from WEA Trust, the union’s preferred health insurance provider.

“What spending cuts would Burke make or what taxes would she raise to make up for the lost savings?

“Act 10 has been an overwhelming and unquestioned success for Wisconsin taxpayers. Wisconsinites deserve an honest debate on this issue so critical to our state’s future and taxpayers deserve an honest plan from Burke, not just empty rhetoric.”