5-9-15 economic development audit

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker has abruptly scrapped plans to merge his flagship job creation agency with an agency that hands out low-interest housing loans in the wake of a scathing audit.  Walker’s state budget calls for merging the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation with the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Agency. Republican legislators have introduced a stand-alone bill that would accomplish the merger at Walker’s request as well.  But state auditors released an audit Friday that found the troubled WEDC is still struggling to compile job creation data and hasn’t complied with state law.  Walker issued a statement Friday that he has asked legislators to remove the merger language from the budget and to give up on the bill.