12-10-14 gudex says he wants to get politics out of wedc

Republican state senator Rick Gudex says he looks forward to chairing the Senate Economic Development and Commerce Committee for another year.  The chairmanship was one of several committee assignments handed out last week.  Gudex says he is also looking forward to serving for the first time on the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation board.  “I certainly do not intend to bring a political twist to that board.  I intend to bring an economic development, private sector avenue to that board,”  Gudex told AM 1170 WFDL’s Between the Lines program.  “I don’t think that board is meant to be politicized.  Unfortunately in the past it has been politicized simply because there are people want to see this economic development fail.  I think its a great tool.”    An audit found the WEDC repeatedly failed last year to follow basic standards in state law for ensuring clear and proper use of millions of dollars in taxpayer money. The WEDC has been criticized for poor financial controls since Gov. Scott Walker and lawmakers created the quasi-public authority in July 2011 as a replacement for the Department of Commerce.