January 31, 2023

Did Scott Walker try to 'raid' the Wisconsin retirement system?

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Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker did not try to “raid” Wisconsin’s retirement system.

A satirical news article, which claimed Walker hired convicted Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen to oversee a raid on the state employee retirement system to help balance the state budget, sparked the false allegation circulated in email chains between 2011 and 2012.

Some of the fears surrounding Walker’s possible plans for pensions were rooted in real events, namely his controversial 2011 Budget Repair Bill mandating that most public employees pay larger contributions to their pensions.

Public employees did have less take-home pay, but Walker ultimately did not make additional substantial adjustments to the pension system, such as changing it from a guaranteed pension plan to a 401(k) used by many private employers — another false rumor.

The Wisconsin Retirement System has been lauded as one of the best-performing and best funded in the country.

This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

PolitiFact: A chain e-mail claims Gov. Scott Walker hired convicted Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen to raid the state employee retirement system to balance the state budget

PolitiFact: Chain email says Gov. Scott Walker supports a move to abolish the state retirement system and reduce pensions

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Walker plans no changes to state retirement system

Slate: Scott Walker lost because his war on the public sector came back to bite him.

Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds: Our Wisconsin retirement system: Strong for Wisconsin

Did Scott Walker try to ‘raid’ the Wisconsin retirement system? is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

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