Little did anyone know that Gov. Scott Walker was such a huge fan of recycling.

Just look at his latest jobs announcement.

Walker recently took credit in a widely reported press conference for creating 125 jobs at a state manufacturing plant, even though then-Gov. Jim Doyle announced the same new jobs back in December.

"It's great to see Gov. Walker supporting one of the economic development projects of the Doyle administration," said former Commerce Secretary Aaron Olver, a Doyle appointee who is now working for the city of Madison.

Last week, Walker traveled to Curt Manufacturing near Eau Claire to award a $625,000 transportation grant to the second largest manufacturer of trailer hitches and towing products in the United States.

"This project directly creates 125 new jobs and indirectly creates 129 jobs, resulting in $12.6 million in annual wages right here in Wisconsin," Walker said in a news release. "By providing these funds, we are bringing quality jobs to Wisconsin while improving road access to Curt Manufacturing's expanded facility."

Consider it one more hurdle cleared by the first-term Republican governor in his quest to fulfill his campaign promise of creating 250,000 jobs in four years.

But wait a second.

Didn't Doyle announce the creation of 125 new jobs at the same business late last year?

Indeed he did.

In a Dec. 16 news release, the Department of Commerce announced the Doyle administration was awarding Curt Manufacturing $400,000 in tax credits and $11 million in tax-free bonds under a program created by the federal government's 2009 stimulus package. In addition, state commerce officials said Altoona was receiving a $256,545 grant to upgrade a city road next to the company.

Doyle said the project would create 125 jobs and result in $12.8 million investment to the community.

"I am pleased that we could assist the City of Altoona and Curt Manufacturing in this expansion project," Doyle said in his release. "It is great to see them work together to increase economic vitality and create jobs in Wisconsin."

So 125 new jobs created by Walker and 125 new jobs created by Doyle at the very same plant.

Does that mean Curt is hiring 250 new people as a result of its expansion project?

"That's unfortunately not accurate," said Jim McKissick, spokesman for the company.

The firm is constructing a 150,000-square-foot warehousing and logistics building next to its existing 165,000-square-foot plant. As a result, Curt has committed to adding 125 positions by 2014.

So which governor deserves credit for the increased employment?

"It's both of them," McKissick said.

Now there's a company that knows how to work politicians for grants, loans and bonds.

Walker's office was even less interested in divvying up the credit.

Asked if it was fair to use the transportation grant to recycle a five-month-old jobs announcement, Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie responded by calling the governor the state's "#1 jobs cheerleader."

"Our announcement of this supplemental TEA grant highlights the expansion of Hwy 12, which will play an important role in supporting Curt Manufacturing's new jobs," Werwie said via email.

Commerce Secretary Paul Jadin acknowledged that the previous administration had a hand in the project - even if the governor's press release didn't. (Jadin will soon oversee the new Wisconsin Economic Development Authority, a non-profit that Walker hopes to fund by diverting money from the state's recycling program.)

In the final weeks before leaving office, Jadin said, Doyle staff members took the unusual step of pumping out a number of press releases on various projects. Jadin noted that the transportation grant for Curt Manufacturing wasn't finalized until this year, when Walker had taken office.

Besides, Jadin said, it's the company's call as to when something is announced publicly.

"Generally, the press releases or press conferences are tied around when the company wants to do something," Jadin said. "Obviously, they want to do it with a governor present. That's probably what occurred here."

Or not.

Company President Curt Tambornino said last week's news conference was initiated by the current governor.

"Walker's office had called and said they wanted to do this final presentation with a press release in front of the media," Tambornino said Friday.

The manufacturing boss said he submitted his applications for state help last summer.

But Tambornino declined to pick sides when saying which governor was primarily responsible for the new jobs, even though he acknowledged that he's a Walker supporter and lifelong Republican,

"Nevertheless, I respect whoever is in office," said Tambornino.

As long as the corporate welfare dollars continue to flow.

Ratcheting up the rhetoric

State Sen. Alberta Darling, co-chairwoman of the Joint Finance Committee, is calling on state Rep. Tamara Grigsby to apologize or demand a retraction for recent comments Grigsby made regarding the budget hearing at State Fair Park.

Grigsby told No Quarter that she believes some committee members have a "real fear about being in Milwaukee" and especially don't want to be in the city after dark. The state rep was upset that the hearing was scheduled to end at 6 p.m., shortly after most people get off work.

In a letter to Grigsby, Darling said she was deeply offended by the comments in the column.

"I do not believe that your insinuations of racism have any place in civil discourse," Darling wrote. "We must focus on building our institutions with civility and respect, instead of tearing them apart with reckless comments."

Darling said in an interview that Grigsby, a Milwaukee Democrat, told her privately that she never made the remarks.

"I want to hold her accountable," said Darling, a River Hills Republican.

But she is going to be disappointed in the response.

Grigsby said last week that she sees no reason to apologize or to ask for a retraction.

"I'm not going to do either one," she said.

Grigsby said she told Darling that she was upset with what she felt was a sensationalistic headline on the column. But she said she never told Darling that her remarks were fabricated.

Personally, Grigsby said she still thinks it is wrong that the two committee leaders shut down the hearing early, even though many people still wanted to speak.

But she doesn't think Darling and state Rep. Robin Vos, co-chairman of the budget-writing panel, are racist. She said she does have "some concerns" about many of the policies Republicans are pushing because they have a disproportionate impact on minorities, women and the elderly.

"If you want to have a candid conversation, let's just be honest: They are facing some political challenges right now, including her," Grigsby said of Darling, who is being targeted for a recall election. "You know, whatever you can grab onto to try to make it a story, I think that's what they're doing."

Daniel Bice can be contacted by phone at (414) 224-2135 or by e-mail at dbice@journalsentinel.com.