Download the Walker Flight Records and breakdowns here.
Download a Walker Flight Records factsheet here.
Download the original documents provided by the Wisconsin Department of Administration here and here.
Walker Flights Cost Wisconsin Taxpayers Nearly $1 Million
Pocan finds Walker flew more miles vs. number of jobs created in first term
Madison, WI — Mark Pocan released data provided by the Wisconsin Department of Administration that clearly shows Governor Scott Walker has been abusing state funded air travel. A review discovered Governor Walker has flown 128,509 miles since he took office, costing Wisconsin taxpayers nearly $1 million. The review also discovered Governor Walker used the taxpayer funded aircraft for at least 34 flights under 40 miles, and 87 “empty” flights from Madison to Milwaukee without the Governor.
This information came after Pocan launched a contest in June to see if Scott Walker had flown more miles than created jobs. The results are in – Scott Walker has flown 26,300 more miles than jobs created in his first term. Not counting miles flown campaigning for President, Governor Walker’s official travel miles totaled 128,509, while jobs created only totaled 102,195.
While the Wisconsin Department of Administration has turned over Governor Walker’s official travel records, requests made to Scott Walker’s campaign have gone unanswered.
“It is unbelievable, Scott Walker has flown the equivalent of more than 5 trips around the planet on taxpayer’s dime,” said Pocan. “After putting on more than 100,000 miles on the taxpayer funded state plane while in office, it’s pretty clear Governor Walker has thrown away his brown bag from four years ago. And unfortunately, this Governor has flown more miles than created jobs as promised, a true failure when looking at how he's abused state resources.”
While pretty much any other Wisconsinite would drive between Madison and Milwaukee, Governor Walker took 275 flights between the two cities – with nearly a 1/3 of those flights without the governor.
“Wisconsin has not seen a governor abuse his office like this since Scott McCallum,” continued Pocan. “Scott Walker has used and abused the state plane as his personal taxi service. He has come a long way from his frugal, 2010 brown bag campaign. While Scott Walker keeps up his jet setting lifestyle, he is slashing BadgerCare and other aid programs for Wisconsinites who are most in need. That just isn’t the way to move Wisconsin forward.”
Travel Facts 1/3/11 – 9/5/14
- 128,509 taxpayer funded miles flown since becoming Governor
- Equivalent to more than 5 trips around the planet
- $964,123.24 paid for by Wisconsin tax payers
- Governor flew 285 days
- Failed the Scott McCallum Test – 34 flights under 40 miles:
- Flight between Middleton and Madison (9.9 miles)
- Flight between two airports in Milwaukee (13.0 miles)
- Flights between Milwaukee and Racine (13.7 miles)
- Flights between Madison and Baraboo (34.2 miles)
- Flights between Janesville and Madison (39.1 miles)
- 275 flight legs between Madison and Milwaukee/Waukesha:
- 19,487 taxpayer funded miles flown between Madison and Milwaukee/Waukesha
- 74 miles Madison to Milwaukee
- 55.9 miles Madison to Waukesha
- 87 flights (nearly 1/3 or 31.6%) without Gov. Walker but still charged to taxpayers
- 19,487 taxpayer funded miles flown between Madison and Milwaukee/Waukesha
- Failed the Scott McCallum Test – 34 flights under 40 miles:
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