FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Scott Fitzgerald
January 18, 2012 (608) 257‐8039

Recalls to Cost Over $477,000 for 13th Senate District

Juneau, WI... Elections officials are bracing for an extra recall election in 2012, but the
taxpayers should be the ones concerned. In the counties, cities, villages, and towns
represented by Senator Scott Fitzgerald (R‐Juneau), taxpayers are going to have to dig
deeper and cough‐up almost a half‐million dollars, regardless of whether they support
the recalls or not. And these costs may nearly double if primary elections are necessary.

According to data provided to the Government Accountability Board by county and
municipal clerks, estimated recall expenses are as follows:

Columbia County              $13,450
Dane County                    $158,700
Dodge County                  $22,830
Jefferson County              $32,713
Waukesha County            $111,730
SD13 Municipalities           $137,879*
      *excludes the Town of Shields
TOTAL                              $477,302

"The Madison elites and the big‐money unions want a do‐over of an election they didn't
like, and they are forcing the Average Joe on the street to pay for it," said Fitzgerald.
"But keep in mind, if the Democrats prevail in the recalls, a half million dollars in recall
taxes will be the least of the taxpayers' worries."

The Wisconsin Government Accountability Board requested estimates from county and
municipal clerks to assess potential costs of a recall election. Statewide, the final price
tag of the recalls is expected to be between $9 million and $17 million, on top of the
$2.1 million already sunk into last summer’s recalls. These are in addition to the costs
for regularly scheduled spring and fall elections.

The recalls have taken a toll on Wisconsin's business climate as well, according to the
state's largest business group. A statewide survey by the Wisconsin Manufacturers and
Commerce found that business leaders are increasingly worried about the real‐world
effect of the Democrats' unnecessary recall elections. WMC President/CEO Kurt Bauer
said, "Uncertainty inhibits job creation, and the constant threat of recalls undermines
not only our democracy but our economy."

"Sadly, the Democrats don't seem to care about the cost to the taxpayers, or the cost to
Wisconsin's business climate. More politics isn't going to get Wisconsin back on its feet,
but that's all the Democrats are offering," Fitzgerald said.

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