The Milwaukee Post

18 • Milwaukee County Post • September 12, 2014 By MATT MASTERSON Conley News Service PEWAUKEE — Gov. Scott Walker said he was not surprised Monday by a new report that esti- mates the state's budget to have a deficit of nearly $1.8 billion by the middle of 2017. The report comes from the state's Legislative Fiscal Bureau, which projects the general funds necessary for a balanced budget for the 2015-17 biennium to be approxi- mately $1.76 billion — or roughly half of what it was when Walker was elected in 2010. In speaking at Waukesha County Technical College Monday, the governor said the report did not factor in any growth from the state over the upcoming two-year period, which he believes will be more than enough to eliminate any deficit. "In the last decade, even in the tough times during the recession, Wisconsin's average growth would more than make up for that," he said. "Our policies we have in place will, at a minimum, allow us to hit that 10-year average, which wipes out that impact in the future." According to the report, the most recent update comes from actual tax collections in 2013-14 being $281 million less than what was projected. Walker said the Legislative Fiscal Bureau simply extrapolated that figure out through the rest of 2014 and into the next two-year budget. Democratic gubernatorial can- didate Mary Burke, however, said the shortfall comes from Walker's "irresponsible approach" and "failed stewardship of a lagging economy." In a statement, Burke claimed Walker has spent money the state doesn't have, and if he had created this sort of mess as a CEO in the business world, he "would be fired." Walker, however, sees Democrats at fault for leaving the state with the deficit to begin with. "These are the people that gave us a $3.6 billion budget deficit. This is selective amnesia on their part," he said. "The bottom line is, we inherited something much, much greater than what we are talking about now." Walker also spoke about the "Blueprint For Success" — an extension of last year's Fast Forward program — which pro- vides workforce training grants to technical colleges. Last week, the Department of Workforce Development announced a pair of grants totalling nearly $250,000 to two Oconomowoc-based business- es. The money will be used to sup- port the training of high school students in partnership with WCTC, local school districts and other local businesses. Walker said the grants are given on a regional basis, so that specific needs in each different area can be met — and in Waukesha, that means welding and manufactur- ing. "Almost not a day goes by where I am not at a manufacturer," Walker said. "(Fast Forward) is not just workforce development or worker training or career develop- ment — this is economic develop- ment." Contact Matt Masterson mmasterson@conleynet.com Walker: Not surprised by new budget deficit estimate Cites Democrats' 'selective amnesia' about economy Photo by Matt Masterson/Conley News Service Gov. Scott Walker speaks alongside state Department of Workforce Development Secretary Reggie Newson at Waukesha County Technical College on Monday. Post Staff MILWAUKEE — The 24th annual Milwaukee/NARI Fall Home & Remodeling Show will be held Sept. 19 through Sept. 21 at the Wisconsin Exposition Center at State Fair Park in West Allis. The Milwaukee/NARI Home Improvement Council Inc. has set "A Season for Change" as its show theme. There also will be daily educa- tional presentations and demonstra- tion by home improvement special- ists in the Design Gallery, presented by Kohler and Gerhards — The Kitchen & Bath Store, an area at the show that will feature designers doing room design computer presen- tations. The show also will feature chefs preparing their favorite recipes on the Culinary Kitchen Stage, with Chef Alamelu Vairavan of "Healthful Indian Flavors with Alamelu" on PBS as this year's spe- cial guest. He will appear Sept. 20. More than 300 booth spaces in the Wisconsin Exposition Center will feature providers of home improve- ment and remodeling products and services, including design/build, kitchens, decks, cabinets, windows, wall covering, bathrooms, lighting, landscaping, roofing, painting, fire- places and more. Special attractions at the event are the "Future Trends" display, the Milwaukee/NARI Resource Center, a 50/50 cash raffle presented by the Milwaukee/NARI Foundation Inc., a refurbished door display, a Kids Zone, featuring the ABC Supply Indy race car, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Zoo Interchange model display, and more. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 19 and Sept. 20, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 21. Admission is $4 in advance and $7 at the door. Tickets for sen- iors 60 and older are $5, with a spe- cial price of $4 for seniors at the door Sept. 19 for Callen Construction Senior Day. Children 12 and younger and active and retired military personnel with mil- itary identification are admitted at no charge. For more information, visit www.milwaukeenari.org or call the Milwaukee/NARI Home Improvement Council at 414-771- 4071. Milwaukee/NARI Fall Home Show next weekend By BRIAN HUBER Conley News Service WAUKESHA — A New Berlin man is headed toward trial on six counts of making fraudulent writings in a case where he allegedly promised to help people procure modified home loans but failed to deliver either the loans or refunds. Brian Jennings, 53, appeared in Milwaukee County Circuit Court on Sept. 3, where he waived a preliminary hearing and entered a plea of not guilty. Defense attorney David Geraghty said the next day that Jennings "denies the allegations vig- orously," and he expected the case would proceed to trial. Jennings was charged with the six felony counts in July, after several people complained that they went to his place of employment, Freedom Financial Group in Milwaukee, upon see- ing advertising in 2009 that claimed they could get loan modifications. In these cases, Jennings allegedly guaranteed a loan modification that would drop people's interest rates and monthly mortgages significantly for a fee of about $1,200. In each of the six cases, the complainants said they received neither loan modifications nor refunds. The complaint against Jennings added that a longtime loan processor told investigators there is "no way" a provider of any financial serv- ice can guarantee future loan modifications with favorable rates from any lender, as there are vari- ables in things like customer credit scores and income, debt levels, property value and more. Jennings is the third man to be charged in recent weeks from the same Freedom Financial Group. Early last month, Stuart Nisenbaum of Milwaukee was charged with 11 counts of issuing fraudulent writings, based on allegations of con- duct similar to that in the Jennings case. Robert Garcia, 39, also was charged with four counts of issuing fraudulent writings. Their cases are pend- ing in Milwaukee County. Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said in a recent statement that the actions stem from a joint federal and state sweep that extended across 15 states. "If you are promised a lower mortgage pay- ment in exchange for payment, you should contact authorities to find out if the offer is legitimate," Van Hollen said in the statement. If convicted, each defendant faces up to six years in prison and $10,000 in fines on every count. Contact Brian Huber bhuber@conleynet.com New Berlin man charged in county for alleged mortgage rescue fraud Man allegedly failed deliver loans or refunds to several clients

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