MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is proposing hiring 710 new state employees over the next two years.
Walker proposed the additional hiring in the budget he delivered to lawmakers on Wednesday.
The Department of Health Services would see the biggest increase with an addition of 280 positions. The governor says 117 are needed to meet mandates under the federal health care overhaul law, 85 are needed to improve Medicaid "integrity and efficiency" and 78 are needed to expand community-based mental health services.
There would be 218 new workers at the Department of Transportation. Of that, 180 would be new engineering and engineering support positions who are expected to reduce government's costs for hiring outside consultants by $5.6 million annually.
He's also proposing adding 67 new auditors and investigators at the Revenue Department.
