GOVERNOR SCOTT WALKER, SMARTER THEN A 5^TH GRADER!

(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Frazer Chronicle)

 

I read with interest an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about how Governor Scott Walker now has the power to sell Wisconsin state heating plants, highways, and other properties. It got me to wondering how this practice of a state’s governor acting as a real-estate agent worked in other states. After all, as I recall, privatization of services in some instances hasn’t really worked out that well, I seem to remember some sort of parking meter deal not working out for the city of Chicago.

 

Parts of the Indiana and Illinois toll roads have been leased to private overseas companies with somewhat mixed results, and portions of toll way 80 in Ohio was being considered as a foreign company clambered to get on board as a an American toll way executor, but that has sense been put on hold.

 

The Chicago parking meter system with almost 36,000 meters seems to have run into ownership, leasing prices, that the lease of $974 million dollars for the system was less than the system cost brand new. In addition, some sour grapes seems to have been slung around because William Blair, and Morgan Stanley.

 

It seems that William Blair & Company suggested the move to Mayor Daley and that LAZ Parking, the company to run the parking system was a company formed by Stanley Morgan. Could there be double dipping here, I don’t know, and it’s for sure I’m not saying that there is…..but…..one never knows.

 

So now, here in little old Wisconsin, we have a Governor, Scott Walker, who is ambitious, and seems to be seeking national attention, and we discover that presto, he can now sell government buildings, and other assets that in other states has caused at the least some frayed feelings.

 

MY INITIAL REACCTION

My initial reaction is an easy one…..why, why would a governor need to have the ability to arbitrarily almost yard sale off state assets. Exactly what is going on here, yet another power grab by good ol “Sleepy” Walker?

 

Let’s see a list of these power plants, and parcels of properties that might be sold off and how are they might affect the land, the environment, the people, and possibly the artistic and historical stability of an area. Who is going to make the decisions regarding these places and things, some bureaucrat, or real estate agent, or a private developer?

 

In a worst case scenario, land, neighborhood and a historical area might be pushed out of the way for some sort of progress regardless whether it’s a street, a sewer line, a high-rise, or an office building. And what about cronyism, will doing favors friends come into play?

 

Also I can’t ever get comfortable with the idea that Walker, in an interview said that “his main focus was on selling properties such as power plants and he would not sign off on deals that were not advantageous in the long term.” “If it doesn’t make sense, we won’t do it.”  HUM. I wonder what municipality and school teachers would say to that last part?

 

Walker talked about the accountability under the requirement that any deals would need approval by Wisconsin’s Building Committee, and legislature’s Joint Finance Committee. “I can’t just arbitrarily do it; this finance committee is still a safeguard.

 

WHY WOULD ANYBODY NEED A SAFEGUARD FROM GOVERNOR WALKER

Whenever an elected official seeks to grab additional authority or power, they invariably talk about checks and balances. “Don’t worry; this committee will keep everything on the up and up, and for the voting public at large. That would be great if that committee always did their job in a bipartisan way…..but we all know how that works out.

 

I guess in the final analysis one need to question why Governor Walker feels the need to become a real estate agent; I thought those people needed to go to some sort of a school? A bigger and more serious reason is that short term benefits don’t always equate into overall good for the state.

 

I’m not going to get into all sorts of real estate situation that I don’t understand, and I think that Walker shouldn’t either. Oh I understand that Scott Walker wouldn’t be pulling the trigger on any sales situation, he’d have advisors just like the rest of us…..if were smart when buying property.

 

But I think the biggest issue whenever there is any transaction involving state owned property is what the deal might mean in 20, 30 or 40 years out. And I’m not saying that Governor Walker doesn’t have the best interest of Wisconsin at heart…..but…..one never knows. I’d say that any real estate transaction where the governor is involved, any governor, the situation needs to be watched.

 

HAVE A NICE DAY!