So just yesterday I posted about some of the ahem peculiar things we're learning about what Scott Walker has been doing in (to?) Wisconsin. One of those items was:
And, finally, in an unrelated but also curious move, Walker's WEDC -- the purpose of which is to create jobs in the state -- is giving a Wisconsin company a 6 million dollar tax credit to build headquarters in the state -- with the okay to lay off 1,900 employees (half its workforce), and with no new job creation requirements. Because, you know, it's all about the jobs and workers. Just not the ~2000 who are going to lose theirs, apparently.
Well, wouldn't you know it, within a month of getting Walker's goody bag...Ashley Furniture's owners felt moved to
donate $20,000 dollars to Scott Walker's campaign.
About two weeks after the WEDC vote, on Feb. 17, Ronald and Joyce Wanek of St. Petersburg, Florida, and Todd and Karen Wanek of Arcadia, each gave $5,000 to Friends of Scott Walker, state campaign finance records show.
Ronald Wanek is founder and board chairman of Ashley. His son Todd is president and CEO of the company, which is privately owned.
Also worth noting?
The company and city of Arcadia have received 10 awards from WEDC and the Department of Commerce since 1988, but the $6 million tax credit approved in January would total more than all the others combined.
In the words of One Wisconsin Now's executive director, Scot Ross:
“They just got a $6 million tax break that allows them to cut half their jobs and two weeks later they give Walker $20,000. I think it speaks for itself."
Originally posted at Rachel's Hobbit Hole