Weekly Radio Address: Concrete Bipartisan Proposals
Statement
Today Governor Walker delivered the weekly radio address that is titled "Concrete Bipartisan Proposals."
Transcript below:
Hi this is Scott Walker.
Last week I talked about why I called the Legislature into special session. I've heard from people all across our state that they want us to work together and focus on jobs. That's what our special session is all about. We want to work across party lines to pass proposals that make it easier to create jobs in Wisconsin. Today I want to share with you some of the details of the bills I'm asking the Legislature to consider.
Earlier this week I listened to employers at a roundtable discussion in Eau Claire; I previously held similar meetings like this in the Green Bay, La Crosse, and Milwaukee areas. At each discussion I hear employers say they need help with accessing capital, finding skilled employees, navigating Wisconsin's complex regulations, easing the burden of taxes, and lowering the threat of lawsuits.
I've heard those concerns throughout my visits to various other areas of the state over the last few months. We've been listening and receiving great, honest input on what's been done so far and what we have to do to help employers in the private sector put more people back to work.
After hearing from job creators I specifically asked the Legislature to pass bills that:
· Make the early seed and angel investment tax credits refundable, this will make investing in new businesses -- businesses that really grow jobs - even more attractive;
· We're also asking for an entrepreneurial tax credit to be used for equity in financing packages for small businesses--this will make acquiring capital a little bit easier for small companies that need a little bit of help to grow;
· We've also proposed making modifications to the small business loan guarantee program, which will help with the expansion of a business, or the start-up of a new one;
· We also want to improve Wisconsin's agricultural production and loan guarantee programs to help secure more capital for agricultural development;
In addition:
· We also would like to improve our workforce so we're proposing to Increase the state's investment in advanced manufacturing skills grants, which help companies grow, expand and create new jobs, and helps employees improve their skills and compete for the jobs of tomorrow by training workers at technical colleges;
· And the last proposals I want to highlight include encouraging a healthy workplace and the use of public transportation. We included legislation to create a tax credit for businesses that initiate workplace wellness programs which can eventually lower healthcare costs; and we included legislation to create an individual income tax exemption for the cost of a public transportation pass provided by an employer, this will help make public transportation more appealing to employers and employees;
These are just a few highlights of the more than 25 bills I have asked the Legislature to pass. Some of these proposals were first discussed by Democrats and some by Republicans, either way they are all focused on improving our business climate and encouraging job growth. Even more specifically many of these bills are aimed at small businesses, which economists predict will create the majority of the new jobs in the future.
In the coming weeks, months and years I will remain laser focused on moving our state forward, getting people back to work and ensuring we have an economic climate that allows the private sector to create 250,000 new jobs by 2015.
The state has partnered with the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association to produce and distribute brief radio address once a week. Audio files and a written transcript of this radio address can be accessed on http://www.wi-broadcasters.org and http://walker.wi.gov/section.asp?linkid=1761&locid=177. To download an mp3 file you can visit http://walker.wi.gov/section.asp?linkid=1761&locid=177, right click the radio address link and click "save link as."
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