Gov. Scott Walker
Op Ed

Wisconsin Is a Top 10 State

For reducing tax burden, ACT scores and high school graduation rate.

By - May 21st, 2017 10:22 am
Gov. Walker.

Gov. Walker.

Good news! Wisconsin has the highest number of people employed in state history.

More good news – the unemployment rate for April is down to 3.2 percent. That is the lowest the unemployment rate has been in Wisconsin since February of 2000 (and close to the all-time record low unemployment). The report also showed that 7,500 private sector jobs were created, and our state led the nation in significant job gains along with Texas and Minnesota last month.

Plus, the percentage of people working in our state went up to 68.6 percent, which is 5.7 points higher than the federal rate. We are a Top 10 state for the percentage of our adults in the labor force.

Wisconsin is in the Top 10 in other areas, too.

Our students are in the Top 10 for ACT scores in states where all of the students take the exam. Wisconsin ranks in the Top 10 for high school graduation rates.

In my budget plan, we include the largest actual dollar investment in K-12 education ever. We increase state aid for our technical colleges and the University of Wisconsin System. And we continue to hold the line on tuition to make college more affordable for students and working families.

We are in the Top 10 states for reducing our overall tax burden. Specifically, from 2010 to 2014, we outranked 43 other states in this area.

In my budget plan, we continue our tax relief. Property and income taxes will both be lower in 2018 than they were in 2010. In fact, we actually eliminate an entire tax. If approved, the state tax on your property tax bill will be gone.

We are in the Top 10 for fully-funded pension systems. Wisconsin ranks in the Top 10 for the lowest outstanding long-term debt.

In my budget plan, we have the lowest level of transportation bonding since the 2001-2003 state budget and the lowest overall bonding in 20 years. On top of that, our rainy day fund is 178 times larger than it was when we first took office.

We are in the Top 10 for access to health care coverage for our citizens. In fact, the Kaiser Family Foundation said we had no insurance gap and Wisconsin is the only state that did not take the Obamacare expansion that is in the Top 10 for coverage. Wisconsin’s health care systems also rank in the Top 10 in the nation.

Recently, Wisconsin moved into the Top 10 rankings for places to do business. In 2010, Wisconsin ranked 41st in the nation for business according to the rankings of Chief Executive Magazine. In 2017, for the first time ever, we moved up to the Top 10.

As the economy continues to improve here in Wisconsin, we must do more to build a strong workforce. Last week alone, there were more than 100,000 jobs openings on our state website JobCenterOfWisconsin.com.

Our budget helps to build a strong workforce by investing in student success. We reform welfare to reward work. And we make government more accountable so we can continue to lower the tax burden on our hard-working taxpayers. If these are goals you share, I ask you to contact your state Representative and your state Senator. Let know that your values are reflected in the priorities of our budget.

Scott Walker is the governor of the State of Wisconsin.

Categories: Op-Ed, Politics

14 thoughts on “Op Ed: Wisconsin Is a Top 10 State”

  1. jlnatty says:

    This is BALONEY SAUSAGE! The official measurement of unemployment ONLY measures claims filed for unemployment compensation insurance. Once you run out of benefits, you are official OFF the unemployed list and you cease to exist for statistical purposes. Tell the unemployed in Milwaukee that they should be happy because instead of 25 to 30% unemployment they are officially at 3.8%, whoop whoop. Tell the same filthy lie to the unemployed across northern Wisconsin. As for “access” to health care coverage – what good is access if you can’t pay for care? Scott Walker is a filthy, rotten liar and the only reason he is STILL in office is because he quashed the John Doe investigations into his criminal activities and those of his buddies. Then the Wisconsin Legislature, taken over by Republicans, passed a series of law shielding them from liability for various crimes committed while in office and preventing prosecution for such crimes after they leave office. Nice, heh? How would you like a “don’t go to jail for your criminal acts” card for free?
    2018 can’t come soon enough. Walker’s disapproval rating is at an all-time high, and he and many of the Republican criminals will be thrown out of office with him, if he dares to run. Hey Scotty, how’s that redistricting plan coming along, hmmmm??? You know, the one the U.S. Federal Court ordered you to redo because of blatant gerrymandering to destroy the voting power of Democrats. Yeah, that one, the one the state paid Michael Best & Friedrich millions of dollars to put together…

  2. tom says:

    Walker is a liar and a master of deception — similar to scumbag Trump. Our university system was far better off before Walker and the ACT scores were among the best long before the liar Walker took office. How many jobs has Scotty added? He’s still not even close to his promise which is proof that Walker is a liar.

  3. Frank Galvan says:

    Just think how strong the Obama Recovery from the Bush Depression would have been if not for the obstructionism of this Sam Brownback clone/Cock Bros. errand boy!

  4. Wisconsin Conservative Digest says:

    Walker took a disastrous situation and turned it around, or we would be Illinois.

  5. Vincent Hanna says:

    More rankings that for some reason Walker left out. #50 for startups. #36 in private sector job growth. #10 for number of people leaving the state.

  6. Mary Kay Wagner says:

    Walker crows about 7,500 private sector jobs created. Amazing. Where are the 250,000 he promised before the end of his first term. Of course he never mentions the 14,000 jobs he destroyed in Milwaukee inner city when he ended light rail or how that cost the state huge legal fees and settlement for breech of contract. He doesn’t mention that Minnesota has out paced Wisconsin in job growth and economic development for the last 6 years and that they are spending more on education and getting a better return for their money. Or how Wisconsin has been last in economic growth in the Great Lakes region for the last 4 years behind even Illinois and Michigan. It seems the only success he can tout is lower taxes. Except the only group that has seen a significant reduction in their taxes are large corporations (not the average small business person) and the very wealthy. The rest of us have seen little tax relief and what’s more, have seen a significant reduction is state services. Our health care costs are significantly higher than states that did implement the ACA including Minnesota. All in all, average Wisconsinites pay more and get less for their money. Even President Trump said Wisconsin is a mess.

  7. Vincent Hanna says:

    “Or how Wisconsin has been last in economic growth in the Great Lakes region for the last 4 years behind even Illinois”

    WCD always fails to mention that when he praises Walker for not making us like Illinois (which is like praising Mike McCarthy for not making the Packers as bad as the Browns).

  8. Michael Schwister says:

    A lot of statements. No proof. Most claims have nothing to do with him personally. And every one seems to ignore the fact that years of credit card budgets will come due soon. Meanwhile we continue to lose democracy,have the worst roads in the nation, we’ve lost local control of our school boards and their ability to fund education, our rights to Wisconsin’s resources have been sold to the highest bidder, public money to for profit corporations to satisfy the people who financed his ascent in politics. Pay particular attention to the benefits of the Bradley Foundation Board members who generously supported his campaigns. Let’s face it. Propaganda works.

  9. Jeff w. says:

    Walker is just so delusional. All tax giveaways to his rich buddies. That’s all he cares about.

  10. WashCoRepub says:

    Fantastic news! No wonder the Dems can’t find anyone willing to run against him. How do you fight that kind of success?? I do admit it’s amusing watching them try, though.

  11. Vincent Hanna says:

    Hey Captain Sycophant. Are you a paid GOP staffer? You have to be. That or being related to Walker are the only explanations for your posts.

  12. Richard Nwabuzor says:

    Even if Wisconsin was Democratic, minorities in Milwaukee would still suffer

  13. Ken says:

    I just wish both sides could be honest. Nothing in the article addressing the multitude of problems in our state’s largest city. The governor didn’t create the problems, but to not even acknowledge them or come up with ideas? So sick of both sides and their one-sided facts. Most of us could care less about Republican or Democrat, we want real ideas and plans to address the crime, joblessness and lawlessness that happens here in Milwaukee where over 10% of the state lives.

  14. Jason says:

    Wisconsin is also in the Top 10 in helping disabled citizens find jobs.

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