Gov. Scott Walker and his cabinet spent twice as much in 2017 on taxpayer-funded flights as the governor was gearing up for his re-election run than in 2015, when he was running for president, records show.
The guv and his cabinet spent a total of $391,372 on state plane use across Wisconsin and the nation in 2017, compared to $190,016 in 2015. Spending on flights in 2016 was $376,806.
Walker‘s spending on flights in 2017 was his highest since taking office. And it came at a time Walker travelled regularly as the state budget process dragged on into late September of that year.
Flight costs for the guv and his cabinet have steadily risen from $184,088 in 2011, although those numbers compiled by DOA do not include the lieutenant governor.
Walker‘s frequent flights first became a point of controversy during his 2014 re-election campaign. Taxpayer-funded air travel has been a sticking point for previous governors, including both Democrat Jim Doyle and Republican Scott McCallum, whose trip from Madison to Janesville in 2002 drew ire from some Dems.
Walker occasionally has taken similar short flights — previous records show he used state planes to make trips as short in duration as a 30-mile haul from Milwaukee to Burlington.
Now, a WisPolitics.com check of the guv’s flight records from the past three years shows he and his cabinet have continued making short flights, including frequent 60-mile forays from Madison to Waukesha and occasional 40-mile hops to nearby Monroe. Those trips, however, were almost always part of multi-stop tours, and the guv’s office emphasizes his trips are intended to connect with residents.
“Governor Walker makes it a priority to travel across the state and hear from people about the issues that matter most to them, because he believes it’s a vital part of his job. The governor has held listening sessions in every county, visited more than 75 schools, and participated in hundreds of events in communities across our state,” said Walker spokeswoman Amy Hasenberg.
Hasenberg underscored conversations with constituents led to the passage of bills to enhance school funding and safety, cut taxes, stabilize health care markets and overhaul welfare programs.
But a top Dem criticized the governor’s frequent use of state planes especially to far-flung destinations like Washington, D.C., where he could fly commercial like Wisconsin’s congressional delegation.
Walker has flown frequently in the past three years.
The guv was on board state planes for 105 flights in 2017, costing $326,705; 113 flights in 2016, costing $322,279; and 40 flights in 2015, costing $111,091. Those figures don’t include flights where the lieutenant governor or cabinet members were the only passengers on board.
WisPolitics.com used DOA’s methodology in counting an individual flight, which entails a round trip or multi-stop tour that begins and ends in the same city. An individual flight could entail a long-distance trip from Madison to Washington, D.C. or a short jaunt to Kenosha, explaining why more flights in 2016 cost less than fewer flights in 2017.
Wisconsin law allows public officials to use state-owned planes and other vehicles as long as they are not used exclusively for campaigning. If officials do campaign while using the plane or vehicle for state affairs, they must pay the state a fee of at least 50 percent of the total cost of the trip.
Walker flew on state planes just two times when he was running for president from July 13 to Sept. 21 of 2015. During the same time frame in 2016 he flew on Wisconsin Air Services planes 24 times and in 2017, 22 times.
For comparison, former Gov. Jim Doyle and his cabinet’s flights totaled $208,000 in 2010 and nearly $240,000 in 2009, according to previous WisPolitics.com reports.
Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch also travels frequently on state business. She often requires Wisconsin Air Services to fly from Madison to Waukesha to pick her up to fly to other parts of the state, and drop her off back in Waukesha before the plane returns to Madison.
Those trips add about 120 miles or at least $600 to $900 each time she flies.
“That’s ridiculous,” said Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Martha Laning. “I think the lieutenant governor has plenty of time to be able to get to Madison and save the taxpayer those funds.”
Wisconsin Air Services charges $7.15 per mile for use of its King Air 360 and $4.76 per mile for use of its PC-12 plane, plus $60 per hour during wait time and additional costs.
In one instance on a multi-stop tour, Kleefisch took a state plane to Menomonie where she then went by car to Woodville for a scheduled appearance. While the plane flew on to Eau Claire, where the lt. guv had an appearance later that day, she was not on board — she instead elected to go by car from Woodville to Eau Claire, where she would board the plane back to Madison.
Kleefisch spokesman Alex Lech said that arrangement was most efficient. He defended the lt. guv’s flights, arguing they help her represent all corners of the state and meet with constituents to generate ideas for Wisconsin’s future.
“We view the state plane as one tool to expand the Lt. Governor’s time and reach across Wisconsin, ensuring that no part of our state is left out or forgotten by their government. Using the plane, including sometimes departing from or returning to Waukesha, allows us to minimize travel time and maximize time with constituents statewide,” Lech said.
Laning, mirroring previous Dem criticism, questioned the governor’s use of taxpayer-funded air travel given state budget constraints that have prevented further funding of transportation, schools, broadband and other provisions.
“When you have such a constrained budget, it would be fiscally responsible to be looking at every way that you can save money,” Laning said.
Laning said she understands the governor’s time is valuable and that some flights, like those between Madison and Superior, make sense. She questions the shorter flights — like those to Kenosha — and decisions to take state planes to Washington rather than fly commercial.
“To be booking a private plane with only three or five people on it at a cost of over $11,000 is not fiscally responsible. There are plenty of flights from Madison or Milwaukee to Washington, D.C., and our congressionals take them regularly,” she said.
Flight records show the guv has taken several flights in the last three years of the type Laning criticized.
For instance, Walker and two staff members in June 2016 flew from Madison to Waukesha to give remarks at Waukesha Memorial Hospital before flying to Lake Geneva — about 30 miles away — to speak at a high school before flying on to Wisconsin Rapids to end the day. The total cost of that trip was $2,796. Each 30-mile trip the guv takes likely costs anywhere from $200 to $300.
Combined travel by car between those destinations would equal about 6 hours and 23 minutes, according to Google maps.
In August 2016, Walker flew to Burlington — about 60 miles one way or 1.5 hours by car — to meet with veterans at a cost of $749. And in August of 2017, the guv flew from Madison to Kenosha to tour a factory, then flew to Milwaukee — about 30 miles or just under an hour drive — to visit Marquette University and the State Fair.
Walker also travelled from Madison to Monroe — about an hour’s drive — to visit Pecatonica High School on a multi-stop tour.
Walker‘s use of state planes for long haul flights to Washington, D.C. — which cost about $11,000 roundtrip — has increased in recent years.
He used state planes to fly to the nation’s capital six times in 2017, costing $69,683. Walker was typically accompanied by two to four members of his staff on such occasions. One roundtrip weekday flight from Madison to D.C. via commercial airlines costs around $570, while a flight from Milwaukee costs about $370.
The Walker trips usually entailed high-profile meetings. For example, Walker took an $11,409 roundtrip flight to Washington on July 26, 2017, with two other passengers to join President Trump in announcing Foxconn’s decision to build its factory in Wisconsin.
And he joined Trump on June 15 of that year for a workforce roundtable discussion.
Another flight to D.C. for a 2016 Governors’ Delegation cost taxpayers $21,369 — double its usual amount.
That’s because the Wisconsin Air Services plane flew from Madison to D.C. Dec. 5 to drop Walker off for his next flight abroad to visit Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan and Germany. The trip was made to see Wisconsin National Guard and Reserve service members as part of the delegation. Walker‘s plane flew back to Madison that day, and again returned to Washington Dec. 9 to fly him back to Wisconsin upon his return to the U.S.
See the flight records:
http://www.wispolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/stateplanerecords041318.pdf
Riley Vetterkind 