Another one to add to the tab

Looks like there are more items Wisconsin taxpayers are on the hook for as a result of Governor Scott Walker's delusions of grandeur. Greg Neumann of Channel 27 in Madison had this report on Friday night on how the Governor stiffed his bodyguards on overtime.

WKOW 27: Madison, WI Breaking News, Weather and Sports

As Neumann brings up, this means an extra bill for the Transportation Fund that wasn't in the budget. Not a good thing when we're already borrowing between $500-$850 million in this budget for DOT expenses we haven't taxed for.

This OT payback is also on top of a significant increase of taxpayer-funded security for Walker over the last 3 years, as Neumann's report and associated web article brings up.

The cost for Gov. Walker's security detail jumped from $1.6 million in 2011 to $2.4 million in 2014. The out-of-state portion of that 2014 tab was $89,454, a number which is expected to jump up exponentially in 2015 with his run for the GOP presidential nomination.

Rep. Katrina Shankland (D-Stevens Point) and Sen. Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) unveiled a new legislative proposal earlier this week that would require any state elected official who is running for - or even considering running for - higher office to submit a monthly travel form with the Government Accountability Board that explains what costs were incurred and who paid for them. Any campaign costs incurred by taxpayers would have to be reimbursed in a timely manner.

Of coruse, many of those expenses have been the result of Walker's self-promotion and fundraising for both his elections for governor, and in trying to hype up his 2016 bid for the president. In addition, workers at the DOT unit charged with protecting Walker and other "dignitaries" were given a $4 an hour increase earlier this year, making taxpayers pay even more as Walker embarrasses the state by the day with his foolish statement to GOP primary voters.

So add this to list of foolish Walker actions that we the taxpayer have to shell out for. Just this month, there's the $10 million paid out to Talgo for trains that will never be built or operated in Wisconsin, and $2.2 million to ignore a consultant's findings on the proposed casino in Kenosha.

And you can bet there are more of these types of wasteful expenses to uncover in the months and years to follow. And what needed services and state aids will end up being cut as a result of the imperial, arrogant behavior from a Governor's Office that clearly does not believe they will pay a price for their irresponsible actions?