Governor Walker kicks off statewide tour

GREEN BAY - Governor Scott Walker says he wants your input on the direction the state should head for the next two years.

For an hour Tuesday afternoon, employees at ACE Marine on Green Bay's west side had the chance to ask questions and give ideas to the governor.

It was the first stop of the governor’s Talk With Walker Tour. The tour is aimed to receive input on the state budget.

Discussion at ACE Marine ranged from education, healthcare, and a number of other topics.

“It gives us a chance to come in a more comfortable environment to get a real random sample of people from across this region and to get their feedback on things,” said Walker.

Green Bay Education Association president Lori Cathey says the governor should have started his tour with a different audience.

“His decision to kick off the tour at ACE Marine with only the employees, it's not a big sampling of what's actually happening,” said Cathey.

Cathey says she would have gone to Walker's event if it were open to the public. 

Walker says he plans to diversify who he meets with, but indicated these will not be public events. 

“What I found in the past is you get them dominated by special interest groups either in the political spectrum,” said Walker. “I think this gives us a more random sample of folks from across the state.”

Walker says the main points he'd like to focus on during the sessions are creating jobs, developing the workforce, education, reforming government and investing in infrastructure. Walker says those areas will be key to the budget he introduces in February.