The Observatory (https://observatory.journalism.wisc.edu/category/fact-checks/wisconsin/page/2/)
In response to Gov. Scott Walker’s State of the State address in January, Milwaukee attorney and Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Matt Flynn released a statement claiming that “Wisconsin still lags behind the rest of the country in wage growth. Adjusted for inflation, median wages today are lower than they were before (Walker) was elected.” The Observatory rates this claim as Verified.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mahlon Mitchell claims that the state spends more on its prison system than on the University of Wisconsin. We find his claim to be true.
Madison Mayor Paul Soglin has called for a moratorium on new liquor licenses downtown to reduce alcohol-related problems. He says Madison has a drinking problem. A national survey and local statistics show Soglin is right.
Currently, BadgerCare is reserved for poor residents of Wisconsin. Gov. Scott Walker claims everyone under the federal poverty level in Wisconsin is covered by the program. We find that claim to be true.
State Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, D-Alma, says wages in Wisconsin are low, child-care costs are high and we are the worst in the country for creating new businesses. We examine her claims, and find them true or mostly true.
In a Feb. 21 tweet from his personal Twitter account, Wisconsin state Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna, responded to FOX6 Milwaukee political reporter Theo Keith, writing, “The truth is school shooters almost exclusively have passed background checks.” We found that claim to be Mostly True.
Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke claims Wisconsin has some of the toughest regulations in the nation for protecting wetlands. Is that true? The Observatory investigates.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says Wisconsin has one of the best health care systems in the country. We dive into national rankings to check out his claim.
Gov. Scott Walker touted “historic” investments to K-12 funding in Wisconsin’s 2017-19 budget. However, state Sen. Janet Bewley, D-Ashland, immediately pushed back against Walker’s claim. We check her facts.
In September 2017, Gov. Scott Walker signed the Wisconsin state budget for 2017-19. State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, tweeted “we made historic investments in k12 education, with increases of over $200 per pupil each year totaling over $630 million.” The Observatory decided to fact-check Fitzgerald’s claims.