The perfect time for massive capital improvement projects is coming to an end as interest rates continue to rise. But rather than take advantage of common sense long term financing, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker has put off necessary projects with the knowledge that they’ll have to be done later but with the hopes that he’ll be in the Governors mansion when it comes time to pay the bills.

Today’s Journal-Sentinel’s story, County tries to take back ski hill land, focuses on the poor relationship the County has with its tenant that runs the Crystal Ridge Ski hill.

But the real story that should have received more than a passing mention is that once again County Exec Scott Walker has tried to pass responsibility for paying for infrastructure needs (and consequently taxing for them) to the next Exec.

In the story, County tries to take back ski hill land, Dave Umhoefer of the Journal-Sentinel writes:

This much is certain in the unfolding adult version of “king of the hill”: The county faces a multimillion-dollar tab to finish capping off one waste area on the site at the insistence of state environmental officials but did not budget any money for 2006 to do the job.

Did you catch it? Using passive voice… “The county… did not budget any money for 2006 to do the job” Who? Who is the county? Who does the budgeting? Who submits the budget?

IT’S THE EXEC ! IT’S WALKER.

There’s not some some phantom call “the county”. There’s not some whispy little spirit floating through the coridors of the courthouse, pocket protector equipped, wielding a calculator and freshly sharpened pencils.

Now we know where the blame is going for screw ups — it’s some etherial sprite. Perhaps Echo has emerged from mythology to burst forward and claim responsibility. How ridiculous.

So when there’s a press release and something good happens, who will get credit? Ok, hold your breath. Let’s pull the Journal-Sentinel’s logic together. Good = Walker, Bad = “The County”. Now let’s all just sit in a lotus position pinching together our middle fingers and our thumbs and…

breathe.