Wisconsin’s written consumer complaints down in 2009 despite increases nationally

Auditors released a report Wednesday documenting state employees’ misuse of state credit cards on 131 charges totaling nearly $75,000, including a fox fur stole, pricey airline tickets to Europe and $16,686 in inappropriate purchases by a state worker who subsequently resigned.

The offer by Rep. Bill Kramer (R-Waukesha) comes after a collaborative report on Gov. Jim Doyle’s failure to properly document his spending.

At a Milwaukee event, the governor declined to respond to our report showing deficiencies in his reporting of travel expenses.

In response to reporting by the Center, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and University of Wisconsin-Madison students, Republican lawmakers are asking for hearings on travel by state elected officials.

In 2007 and 2008, Gov. Jim Doyle and his staff did not always file travel expense reports as required by state policy.