MADISON — Governor Walker, Attorney General Van Hollen and Secretary of the Department of Financial Institutions Peter Bildsten, will announce - - that Wisconsin has formally joined a landmark $25 billion joint federal-state agreement with the nation’s five largest mortgage servicers over foreclosure abuses and fraud, and unacceptable nationwide mortgage servicing practices.  The proposed agreement provides Wisconsin an estimated $140 million.

“The settlement being announced today will help bring relief to Wisconsinites who were harmed by unfair mortgage practices and help prevent future deception from occurring,” said Governor Walker.  “Thanks to the work of Attorney General Van Hollen, the state of Wisconsin and others, Wisconsinites are being helped and mortgage lenders who deceived the people of our state are being held accountable.”

Madison–Tonight Governor Walker delivered his State of the State address saying, “We are turning things around.  We are heading in the right direction.”

In his remarks, the Governor discussed how the decisions made this year benefit the state now and in the future.  He noted that in his first year in office, the state balanced a $3.6 billion budget deficit while avoiding mass layoffs and billion dollar tax increases.  In fact, K-12 property tax rates are down for the first time in years.