The numbers Mark Neumann cites for Milwaukee County spending include capital bonding of $251 million paid-off over 15-20 years. In Mark Neumann’s analysis of Governor Doyle’s state spending, he conveniently failed to include $2.9 billion in bonding.

In summary, Mark Neumann is comparing apples to oranges in his campaign’s budget comparisons between Scott Walker and Jim Doyle. Thus, one can only conclude this is an attempt by Mark Neumann to manipulate the facts for political gain.

Scott Walker’s proposed Milwaukee County budgets increased spending only 9% in that time period, below the rate of inflation of 9.6%, giving the residents of Milwaukee County a spending reduction in adjusted dollars.

Base 2005
$1,180,178,561 Total
$52,109,251 Bonded Capital
$1,128,069,310 Total Without Bonded Capital

2006
$1,246,150,622 Total
$82,124,711 Bonded Capital
$1,164,025,911 Total Without Bonded Capital
3.2% Pct Change

2007
$1,263,292,227 Total
$57,676,348 Bonded Capital
$1,205,615,879 Total Without Bonded Capital
3.6% Pct Change

2008
$1,329,536,055 Total
$55,905,593 Bonded Capital
$1,273,630,462 Total Without Bonded Capital
5.6% Pct Change

2009
$1,426,815,877 Total
$75,331,066 Bonded Capital
$1,351,484,811 Total Without Bonded Capital
6.1% Pct Change

2010
$1,481,577,120 Total
$251,819,208 Bonded Capital
$1,229,757,912 Total Without Bonded Capital
-9.0% Pct Change

Total 2005-2010
$7,927,550,462 Total
$574,966,177 Bonded Capital
$7,352,584,285 Total Without Bonded Capital

2010 vs 2005
9.0%

July 14, 2010 - Mr. Mark Neumann

Dear Mark:

It has been more than five weeks since I wrote to you requesting that you return the contributions Shirley and I made to your campaign. I asked for the return since you had assured us that you would run a positive campaign focusing on the Doyle-Barrett record. You haven’t done that. Even in these last weeks you have expanded your negative attacks beyond your primary opponent to everyone else.

Your campaign treasurer, your son Matt, told me that you would return my contribution if I refuted your claims about your opponent’s record as County Executive. You echoed those comments as well. The numbers you cite for Milwaukee County include capital bonding of $251 million which is expended over a three year period and paid-off over 15-20 years. (This was done to obtain better interest rates) Your analysis of Jim Doyle’s spending did NOT include bonding (which is considerable under Doyle).

You should know, but apparently don’t, that much of what a county government does is mandated and partially funded by either the federal or state government. County government has no control over increases/decreases in such funding. A care management organization is funded at $256 million entirely with state-federal Medicaid dollars.

You fail to mention the substantial reduction in the number of county employees under Walker’s watch. In 2000 county employees on an FTE basis numbered 7,263; in 2010 the number is 5,256. This substantial reduction indicates increased efficiency in Milwaukee County government and a savings to taxpayers.

The bottom line is you aren’t comparing apples to apples; rather your analysis is somewhat akin to fruit salad. By the way you should know, but apparently choose to ignore, that the county executive vetoed increased spending every year; these vetoes were overridden by the county board with the result of increasing spending.

You have used these misrepresented figures to claim that the county budget has increased 26% since 2006 while the state budget has increased 19%. In reality, Milwaukee County’s budget has increased 9% below the rate of inflation of 9.6% which gives Milwaukee County residents a spending reduction in adjusted dollars.

Please return our contributions.

James R. Klauser

Wisconsin appears likely to have competitive races for both Governor and the Senate this fall. What it doesn't appear likely to have is closely contested primaries for who the Republican candidates will be in those contests. Scott Walker and Ron Johnson are both well ahead in their respective races.

Walker leads Mark Neumann 58-19 in the Gubernatorial primary. He is both better known and a lot better liked than Neumann is. 64% of GOP primary voters have a favorable opinion of him to only 10% with a negative one. There's considerably more division in how voters feel about Neumann, with 33% rating him positively and 27% saying they see him unfavorably. 40% of Republicans have not yet formed an opinion about Neumann compared to only 26% who are ambivalent toward Walker.

Walker's lead is built on overwhelming support from conservative voters. He and Neumann are running basically even among moderates, but Walker has a 65-13 lead with conservatives. If Tom Barrett's going to win this fall one place he may have an opportunity is trying to sway the moderates who are planning to vote for Neumann in the primary to come over to the Democratic side when their candidate more than likely is defeated.

Neither of the candidates on the Senate side are particularly well known yet but Ron Johnson has made a much more positive first impression on Republican primary voters than Dave Westlake and consequently holds a 49-11 lead. Westlake is completely obscure with 80% not offering an opinion about him and those who do breaking down negatively with 7% seeing him favorably and 13% negatively. Johnson is also an unknown to a majority of those planning to vote in the primary but he's showing appeal to those who are familiar with him- 39% have a positive opinion to only 8% who see him negatively.

It's a pretty safe bet the matches in Wisconsin this fall will be Tom Barrett against Scott Walker for Governor and Russ Feingold against Ron Johnson for Senate.

June 7, 2010

Mr. Mark Neumann; Nashotah, Wisconsin, 53028 (by post and e-mail)

Dear Mark:

The last time I wrote you I stated it was time to coalesce around the Republican candidate best able to be elected governor in November 2010. While I appreciate you may have a different view, time has validated my judgment. Earlier in 2009 when I considered your candidacy you told me that you would conduct a positive campaign with ideas that could address Wisconsin’s problems. You assured me that you would run a positive campaign; that you would adhere to Ronald Reagan’s 11th commandment not to attack a fellow Republican.

Today I write to you as I am aghast at where your campaign has gone. You are violating the Reagan commandment. The event you "staged" at the Republican convention was phony and hollow. I watched in amazement your shallowness and contrivance. You well know, since you were the Republican candidate in 5 elections (2 you won, 3 you lost), that guests are allowed "inside" if they register and pay the appropriate fee. At this convention I arranged for several people to so observe. Your claim of outsider, not being allowed in, was staged and phony. Now I see you are holding press conferences to attack your primary opponent. As a math teacher you know that your criticism is contrived. All this for media attention; to mislead the voters.

My dad always told me to sell myself; not to knock down the other fellow. I expect yours did as well. You’re not following that sage guidance I hope you stop; you are only helping the democrats. It is time for you to leave the field before your integrity is permanently besmirched. In any event I must ask you to return the contributions which Shirley and I have made to your campaign. You obtained them under the false pretense that you would run a positive campaign focusing on the Liberal Democrats. You haven’t done that.

Sincerely,

James R. Klauser