Walker proposes $100 million jobs bill
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Scott Walker says he wants to invest nearly $100 million to develop the state’s work force and give workers skills to find jobs.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Walker’s plan would include money to build a faster system to track jobs data and it would tie funding for technical schools and universities to filling high-demand jobs. It also would require food stamp recipients who are able and don’t have dependent children to enroll in worker training programs.
The sweeping proposals are part of the Republican’s 2013-1015 budget to be announced Feb. 20. Some proposals are being introduced as legislation Monday.
There could be bipartisan support for many ideas. But Democrats who blame part of the work force skills gap on Walker’s higher-education cuts likely won’t be placated.
Walker announced news conferences in DePere, Eau Claire, Prairie du Chien and Rhinelander on Monday to discuss the initiatives.
The lengthy text of Walker's announcement, with minor editing, follows:
Madison—Today, Governor Scott Walker announced a near $100 million investment of new state funds, with a total investment of $132 million, in workforce development aimed at equipping workers with the skills they need to find jobs in the modern workforce. Governor Walker’s workforce development plan includes two parts: separate legislation, which will be introduced ahead of the budget, and substantial budget investments and reforms.
“Our goal is to help our state and our workers become among the most prosperous and innovative in the country. My workforce development plan is a multi-faceted approach providing flexible solutions from up-to-date labor market information to getting people on Food Stamps employment training. The plan is designed to help workers get the skills necessary for jobs available across the state today,” said Governor Walker.
“We will make smart, targeted investments in our UW-System, the Wisconsin Technical College System, and traditional K-12 education to ensure our citizens have the skills needed for the jobs of today and tomorrow,” Governor Walker added. “Beyond just traditional educational investments, my proposal provides worker training grants in areas of immediate need, including items like training for healthcare-related jobs in rural and high poverty areas. My workforce development package provides a hand up to those who are able to work—not simply a hand out.”
As a part of the workforce development plan, Governor Walker will request passage of LRB—1162 in advance of the Budget. LRB—1162 contains funding for:
-- Labor Market Information System: Develops a state-of-the-art Labor Market Information System through the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) to track job vacancies and link unemployed workers to openings they are qualified to fill or to training they can complete to become qualified, helping the unemployed return to the workforce faster. In addition, the system will provide high school students and guidance counselors with up to date labor market information helping inform students about career opportunities and the training they would need for currently in-demand jobs.
-- Worker Training Grants: Funds $15 million GPR over the biennium for DWD grants to both public and private organizations, such as technical colleges, Workforce Investment Boards, regional economic development organizations, and Wisconsin businesses, providing training to new and incumbent workers. These grants may require some matching funds from businesses requesting the training to ensure businesses, as well as the state, are invested in the outcome of the worker training programs funded. Other states, including Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana, and Texas, currently have state-funded worker training programs; and Wisconsin not having one puts us at a competitive disadvantage.
-- Office of Skills Development: Creates the Office of Skills Development at DWD and funds 4.0 full-time positions to administer the worker training grants. With the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, the Technical College System, economic development agencies, and businesses, the Office will nimbly and quickly adjust training grants to current and changing workers’ skill needs and emerging skill clusters, providing workers with a responsive, flexible, and valuable training resource.
Among the economic development programs and initiatives funded in Governor Walker’s next budget are:
Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) Workforce Development Initiatives:
-- Increased Aid and Flexibility for Workforce Training: Increasing state aid to technical colleges by $5 million in general aid, as well as giving flexibility over $22 million in existing worker training-related funds. WTCS can use these funds to incentivize training program expansion in areas of high-demand for worker training needs. It also requires performance and results be tracked to allow WTCS to adjust curriculum based on future skills gaps.
-- Performance-Based Funding: In addition, the budget will phase in performance funding for all of the state aid given to technical colleges. It will begin at 10% in 2014-15 and would eventually total all $88.5 million general aid through performance by 2020. This would be roughly one-tenth of WTCS school operational budgets. The funding formula would be developed by WTCS with DOA oversight. The formula would be required to have a focus on job placement and programs focused in high demand fields.
Department of Workforce Development Initiatives:
-- Apprenticeship Program: Fund the Apprenticeship program with state dollars when federal funds run out in FY14 at $1.8 million. This funding will be ongoing so the Apprenticeship program will not risk losing funding in the future.
-- Veterans in Piping: Maintain the Veterans in Piping program with $300,000 state GPR dollars and one FTE. The program provides 20 weeks of training to veterans and was formerly funded with WIA dollars and a Veterans Assistance Foundation grant. This funding will be ongoing so the Veterans in Piping program will not risk losing funding in the future.
K-12 Initiatives:
-- Explore, Plan, ACT, WorkKeys: Fund $11.5 million over the biennium for the ACT, the WorkKeys (which measures work readiness), and the precursor Explore and Plan tests to help parents and teachers understand which students are ready for college or a career by 11th grade. Using these tests will allow schools to provide these students with opportunities to begin taking AP and other advanced course work, while ensuring 12thgraders who are behind get the remedial education they need to catch up. These tests are vital to measuring student academic growth in high schools for the purposes of state school report cards.
-- Readiness Council: Give every child the opportunity to create an academic and career plan based on his or her interests, beginning in 6th grade. These individualized plans, developed with and frequently revised by parents, teachers, and guidance counselors, will help make sure our children are on track to graduate with a diploma and a plan. Approximately $1.1 million will be provided to school districts to fund this effort beginning in the 2014-15 school year.
University of Wisconsin System Initiatives:
-- Incentive Grant Program: Invest $20 million to support initiatives increasing economic development, addressing employer needs through development of a skilled workforce, and improving affordability.
-- UW Flexible Option: Fund $2 million to support start-up costs to develop additional programs and course offerings in the new UW Flexible Option degree program.
-- Core Credit Transfer: Ensure students, who have earned credits in general education courses, get to keep those credits, even if they transfer to another school. Require the UW and Technical Colleges to develop a core set of 30 credits transferrable between all institutions, while giving private and tribal colleges the option to participate as well.
-- Wisconsin GI Bill Tuition Remission: Align standards under the Wisconsin G.I. Bill with state veterans benefit programs in other states and eliminate an arbitrary time limit for spouses of veterans, who were disabled or killed in the line of duty, to use educational benefits.
-- Reforming FoodShare Employment and Training Program (FSET): Invest nearly $17 million GPR and almost $33 million in all funds in worker training for able-bodied adults without dependent children, who receive FoodShare benefits. Federal law requires able-bodied adults without dependent children to meet work or job training requirements as a condition of eligibility for FoodShare benefits. Currently, 46 states, including Wisconsin since 2002, have waivers exempting certain populations from this eligibility requirement.
Since 2008, Wisconsin has offered FSET services on a voluntary basis. In August 2012, the department informed the USDA it intends to enforce the work/training requirements for able-bodied adults without dependent children beginning July 2013.
Able-bodied adults without dependent children will be required to enroll in employment and worker training programs offered by the Department of Health Services, Department of Children and Families or Department of Workforce Development. If able-bodied adults without dependent children choose not to enroll in these employment programs, they will be subject to federal time limits on nutrition assistance benefits.
Participation in employment programs for adults with dependent children, the elderly, and people with disabilities will remain voluntary.
-- Improving Rural Access to Health Care: Multiple studies identified a growing need for health care professionals, which will only increase as the population ages. Governor Walker’s budget investment aims to train health care professionals for these in-demand jobs of the current and future workforce in geographical areas of high need, such as rural and impoverished urban areas. This will provide much-needed jobs and better access to primary health care for Wisconsinites in rural areas.
Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW):
-- Family Medicine Residency: Provide $1.75 in state funding to MCW to expand their family medicine residency by 12 additional slots.
-- Create Community Medical Education Program: Invest $7.4 million in GPR bonding for MCW to build two new campuses in the Wausau and Green Bay areas for MCS’s new Community Medical Education Program initiative. This unique program will place MCW medical students at the Wausau and Green Bay campuses for all four years of their training, with a goal of 25 graduates per year at each campus.
University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical School: WARM & TRIUMPH Expansion: Provide $3 million to expand the medical school’s Wisconsin Academy for Rural Medicine (WARM) & Training in Urban Medicine and Public Health (TRIUMPH) programs. The medical school will also use these funds to establish special scholarships for WARM & TRIUMPH students based on financial need and upgrade technology to allow for increased distance learning opportunities for students.
WARM was started 5 years ago with the goal of admitting students who intend to practice rural medicine and, ultimately, helping increase the number of physicians who practice medicine in rural Wisconsin.
TRIUMPH was started in 2008 with the goal of enrolling students who intend to serve urban populations to reduce health disparities. The program integrates clinical medicine and community and public health in a 3rd and 4thyear curriculum.
-- Create the Graduate Medical Education Consortium Funding Pool: Invest $4 million for grants to aid rural hospitals in building infrastructure and increasing volume in order for them to obtain national accreditation. The $4 million investment requires a 50/50 match by applicants. Hospitals must be accredited in order to offer medical residencies. This investment will allow rural hospitals to pool their resources and apply for accreditation as a consortium saving them vital time and money, while allowing them to draw medical residents to rural areas in need.
-- Creation of Medical Residency Grants for High Need Medical Professionals: Invests $1 million to provide grants to hospitals to help offset the high costs of medical residencies in five key areas: family medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, general surgery, internal medicine.
-- Marquette Dental School Expansion: Provides over $500,000 for dental education contracts at Marquette to allow for 20 additional dental student slots per year.
-- Wisconsin Health Information Organization (WHIO): Invests $5 million in WHIO to jumpstart the organization's ability to produce consumer-focused health care cost and quality data. The funding will also support statewide consumer health literacy programs and give providers and insurers access to meaningful data to support quality improvement activities and provider payment reform. This investment will increase the transparency of cost and quality data, allowing individuals and businesses to become educated consumers of health care.
In total, Governor Walker’s plan invests $96 million of state taxpayer resources and $132 million total dedicated to developing Wisconsin’s workforce.
Feb 12, 2013 at 7:53 a.m.
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"Bring the Keystone to WI?"
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That is just stupid. Before you make a comment like that, research the record of the first Keystone pipeline. I don't think 12 spills in 12 months is ANYTHING we want in WI!
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http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/aswift...
Feb 12, 2013 at 5:05 a.m.
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LAR80- You say."The liberals are complaining.
.That Gov Walker is doing exactly what a liberal would do.But they are liberals and so should approve." That is a misconception talking point pounded into you brain that you take hook line and sinker and regurgitate. There is a pool of tax money. When spending, the left likes to see it go to the people-the 99 percent. The right, controlled by the 1 percent, wants the money to get put into their already bloated pockets. Boil it down. It is all about who ends up getting the middle class tax dollars. If it was a smart plan the left would like it. But Walkers silly idea that wasting a bunch of tax dollars to train people for non existent jobs won't create jobs. Especially after he gutted school funding too. Now he wants to spend on training? What a hypocrite. That is what people are getting at.
Feb 12, 2013 at 4:15 a.m.
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Gov. Walker should talk to Canada and bring the Keystone Pipeline to WI. That would create a lot of jobs. If WI builds refineries,there would be more jobs. It beats letting other states get the jobs. If Patoka, IL can have a refinery, why can't WI?
Feb 12, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.
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The liberals are complaining.
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That Gov Walker is doing exactly what a liberal would do..
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But they are liberals and so should approve.
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But their partisan hate is so great that even though the governor is doing exactly what they want... They will still oppose it because their party isn't in the lead.
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What a pittiful sack of manure these people can be.
Feb 12, 2013 at 12:08 a.m.
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I'm wondering what turkey the Democrats are going to run in two years on the platform: "We dragged our heels and did our best to block every job creation effort the Republicans tried during Walker's term."?
Feb 11, 2013 at 10:48 p.m.
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This is nothing more than government spending to "create" jobs. Like seeing people that claim conservative "values" cheer on a 100 million dollar bill that will really do nothing in the way of creating any new jobs.
So wait the mining bill will make a huge difference in growth in Wisconsin? Trying to remember how exactly will 700 jobs turn a state of 4 million people with bad jobs nubers around?? The mining bill is nothing more than another handout to a large company, allowing them to write the regulations? Makes a ton of sense. There are laws inplace, you people act as if mining is illegal in Wisconsin, hardly. This or any company can mine in Wisconsn, just as Republicans say, follow the laws in the books. What I find so funny and hypocritical about any political partisan is that their values change when THEIR team tells you spending is necessary for jobs. When its the other team they are a socialist. LOL
Eagle, congrats on being an individual. At least you stick to your beliefs. The rest of you that defend frivolous government spending by your TEAM and chastize the other side, should be ashamed of yourselves. I like wislady's tactics of changing the subject to Act 10.
Walker will win his next election? Hmmm I guess that all depends on the candidate that runs against him. The Democrats have several candidates capable of beating Scott Walker. He will now have to run on his record inneffective policies, popular with the Right wingers that will vote for him no matter what he does. His record of Job growth and divisive politics is a very bad thing for him. If this so-called jobs bill doesnt work (I hope it does, probably won't) he is in even bigger trouble in his bid to get re-elected.
916- ou dont think that the 2012 presidential/senate elections didn't open his eyes? High turnout bad results for Repubs. Unlike the congressional districts ou cant gerrymander the state borders and Scott Walker knows it, he is afraid, and he should be. The thing is, he will make so much more money as a lobbyist and working for Karl Rove, why does he need four more years to screw things up here even worse?
Feb 11, 2013 at 10:29 p.m.
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Study says people are escaping WI...way to go scooter....
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http://www.channel3000.com/news/Study-fi...
Feb 11, 2013 at 7:28 p.m.
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It's easy for republicans to say stop spending when they are not in charge. When they get in charge, and realize that government spending helps create jobs, suddenly they are willing to spend. They prefer that the economy doesn't grow when they are not in charge, only when they are.
Feb 11, 2013 at 1:12 p.m.
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The states with the best economic growth in the US right now are states that are using their natural resources, but yet the Dems are blocking everything that has to do with the mining bill. Good Job dems. badger, can you list your sources, because I can't find the information anywhere.
Feb 11, 2013 at 1:05 p.m.
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What is wrong with "paying your fair share" like most of the workers in Wisconsin?
I am a taxpayer too, and I don't whine about funding it.
Wisconsin unemployment is low enough now, that the Feds have removed the "extended" unemployment payments. Why is that?
Feb 11, 2013 at 12:19 p.m.
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badger2--Please point out specific legislation that Walker has pushed that has been detrimental to our economy and has led to the "fiscal disaster" you speak of......Thanks!
Feb 11, 2013 at 12:16 p.m.
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anal......Huh?? How in any way did you come to the conclusion that I implied that? You asked what we were doing to fund the jobs bill, I gave a direct answer. The bill is funded with state taxpayer dollars. Many of us pay the state in quite a bit in taxes though income, sales, etc. We are doing our part....
Feb 11, 2013 at 12:08 p.m.
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@916- Are you implying that teachers and other public workers don't pay taxes? They very much do but they are now paying way more than you. Do your part.
Feb 11, 2013 at noon
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The data speaks for itself. In the last 2 years Wisconsin has dropped to 50th in U.S. in economic growth, 42nd in job creation and saw the States debt increase the largest percentage per capita in the country! Walkers jobs bill is at least trying to correct all his mistakes but the fiscal disaster thats been created will be hard to dig out of
Feb 11, 2013 at 11:50 a.m.
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"What are YOU doing to help fund it?"
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Paying state taxes? Duh......
Feb 11, 2013 at 11:47 a.m.
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"wislady - RE: Your post-
Feb 11, 2013 at 9:46 a.m.
Happy Taxpayer and Public Employee Liberation Day
Happy 2 Year Anniversary, Act 10!"
You have to be kidding me. Every teacher in the state is now funding his idiotic "jobs bill". What are YOU doing to help fund it?
Feb 11, 2013 at 10:19 a.m.
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Ah there goes those fiscal Conservative Republicans, amazing I guess walker is no different than Ryan afterall, very dissapointing.
Feb 11, 2013 at 9:46 a.m.
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Happy Taxpayer and Public Employee Liberation Day
Happy 2 Year Anniversary, Act 10!
Feb 11, 2013 at 9:20 a.m.
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Nothing you say can justify the money that Walker has wasted on projects that have FAILED.
Feb 11, 2013 at 8:43 a.m.
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Is Walker using Federal Stimulus money, like Doyle did (in addition to money Doyle stole from the transportation fund)?
Nothing you say can justify the money that Obama has wasted on projects that have FAILED.
Feb 11, 2013 at 8:21 a.m.
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stimulus spending to improve the economy...so Obama was right, then... :)
Feb 11, 2013 at 6:57 a.m.
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".......Even you hard core Walker lovers have got to be embarrassed by his lack of results and failed policy."
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Hardly embarrassed! In the first half of his administration, Walker managed to push though legislation that the Republican base has been asking for for decades. What is really embarrassing is how the state's democrats do everything and anything to halt the implementation of Walker's policy(running and hiding in neighboring states/frivolous and never-ending lawsuits) then cry and whine about how "it isn't working"! The left is anything but predictable:) Despite what the left constantly cries about, Walker is doing fine, the state is doing fine and I'm sure that will continue to be the case when Walker wins his next election......
Feb 11, 2013 at 6:42 a.m.
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"Weren't the Repubs preaching that government didn't create jobs?"
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No, the Republicans were preaching that the government is responsible for creating favorable conditions that would allow businesses to create jobs. A little bit of a difference there--no??:)
Feb 11, 2013 at 6:37 a.m.
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"When all else fails throw in the Obama red herring."
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Why not? It offers up an excellent example of the hypocrisy of the left, doesn't it?
Feb 11, 2013 at 5:45 a.m.
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*****The "SCOTT WALKER TRUST" on December 31, 2012 transfered $40,000 from his campaign funds to his legal defense fund for the FBI JOHN DOE INVESTIGATION.*****
{-->"The payments were made on the final day of 2012"}
Read about which lawyers are helping in the investigation & related details of the FBI John Doe Investigation - it is not over!
http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/noquart...
Feb 11, 2013 at 5:38 a.m.
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"VOS FINDS NEW WAY TO HIT UP LOBBYISTS"
http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/noquart...
Feb 11, 2013 at 5:33 a.m.
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Walker - Where are the 250,000 jobs...lol
Feb 11, 2013 at 5:25 a.m.
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A N D ---> Mr. "Divide & Conquer" and the ReFIBlican Lemmings are ALSO working in RETALIATION against those that stand up against them.
"Senate Moves To Strip Officials's Power"
http://www.wiscnews.com/news/local/artic...
The stench of WI politics continue under the Governor, but the FBI John Doe investigation is not over.
"John Doe Investigation Still Open"
http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/j...
Feb 11, 2013 at 4:48 a.m.
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vegas1- You said, "So spending creates jobs... interesting." Good point. Weren't the Repubs preaching that government didn't create jobs? And if you got government out of the way jobs would come? Looks like they are starting to waffle.
Feb 11, 2013 at 1:27 a.m.
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What is wrong with a single man on food stamps having to go to back and get an educatioon to continue to recieve food stamps? The best thing this state ever did was instituting welfare to work, the worst was eliminating welfare to work.
Feb 11, 2013 at 1:07 a.m.
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Oh grand master you still want to make an issue of spelling? Answer the question what would you find wrong with what Walker proposed.Or are you just like some of the others that because Walkers name is mentioned it is automatically wrong. I dont care about spelling I want to know what the almighty Poo has to say
Feb 11, 2013 at 12:10 a.m.
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joker said, "Oh so sorry grand master Poobah a miss spelling."
The correct word is "misspelling" and not "miss spelling." And it wasn't a misspelling, but rather the use of incorrect words.
Feb 10, 2013 at 11:56 p.m.
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Oh so sorry grand master Poobah a miss spelling. now start you spin on the comment. Oops you can't.
Feb 10, 2013 at 11:41 p.m.
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joker said, "buiding a road to know where. I dare you to find one thing wrong with this."
OK, it is "nowhere" and not "know where."
Feb 10, 2013 at 11:24 p.m.
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Have any one of you looked at the classifieds in the gazette. degree required even if it is an associates. This is better than Doyle giving millions to GM to retrain workers that are already there. buiding a road to know where. I dare you to find one thing wrong with this. That Obama has not done 100 times over.
Feb 10, 2013 at 10:18 p.m.
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@Vegas - As much as I almost always disagree with wislady - spending actually does create jobs. It's that old saying- in order to make money- you have to spend money. Problem is- this Gov does not know what he's doing and is willing to grant money to corporations who want to create low wage/ no benefit jobs. That is NOT what we want or need.
Feb 10, 2013 at 9:51 p.m.
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So spending creates jobs... interesting.
Feb 10, 2013 at 9:43 p.m.
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That's what wislady gets paid for.
Feb 10, 2013 at 9:15 p.m.
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When all else fails throw in the Obama red herring.
Feb 10, 2013 at 9:12 p.m.
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So, wislady, at that rate the $100 million of taxpayer dollars Walker wants to spend on his stimulus program would yield about 25 jobs. That's almost as many as he's added in his first two years in office, isn't it?
Feb 10, 2013 at 9:05 p.m.
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CBO: Obama stimulus may have cost as much as $4.1 million a job
http://www.aei-ideas.org/2012/05/cbo-oba...
$9 Billion in ‘Stimulus’ for Solar, Wind Projects Made 910 Final Jobs -- $9.8 Million Per Job
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/9-billio...
Feb 10, 2013 at 9:01 p.m.
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Really Poobah! Nothing in Governor Walker's plan was acceptable to you? Amazing and disheartening to me. Hate the man if you will, but quit hating the message. Peace
It is a pretty good plan from what I have read. But, alas, the Dem's will never support anything with Walker's name on it. Sad but true.
Feb 10, 2013 at 9:01 p.m.
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Onelife LOL he had a plan for 250,000 jobs and FAILED. To continue to cut school funding and MORE JOBS will be LOST and where is that in getting the Idiot any jobs that he promised YOU people he would do and I say you as I did not vote for the smuck nor did I buy his LIES. Keep drinking the kool-aid and do the math as he does, It still does not add up. Walker the kool-aid man
Feb 10, 2013 at 8:24 p.m.
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Walker mentioned nothing about it costing $100 million when he made his campaign pledge to create 250,000 new jobs, 10,000 new businesses and to make Wisconsin open for business.
I'd imagine this new Walker taxpayer-funded stimulus bill will end up costing as much per job as some of the federal stimulus programs. Well, so much for jobs and businesses flocking to Wisconsin under a Walker administration...
Feb 10, 2013 at 8:16 p.m.
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It is a crossroad. The Democratic controlled public education system meets a Republican based business system. In order to do business today, technology is involved. From a simple web page design to an Internet accessible accounting/pay system to computerized machining.
the almost $11,000 a year it costs for each child in the public system is far and away a bigger drain on our economy for the simple reason, we are not getting enough educated kids out the door after 12 years.
If we spend all that money for 11 years and the kid does not get a diploma, which is at about 30% right now, that money was wasted.
Just a point, Tim Tebow was home schooled, there are other options. And some of us want them, but we are up against a huge machine that is very inefficient at best. Peace.
Feb 10, 2013 at 7:42 p.m.
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Corporate welfare...nothing more. Take money from the schools and give it to the corporations. Nice.
Feb 10, 2013 at 6:36 p.m.
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Sounds like a new social program. I thought all those Repubs were against social programs? Now they are instituting them....LOL way to go Walker.
Feb 10, 2013 at 6:23 p.m.
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Sounds like he is creating a lot of state bureaucracy.
Feb 10, 2013 at 5:19 p.m.
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Onelife- you said "
I think it is a progressive plan. The key word is "plan". More than the Democratic opponents have offered." did you say that to be funny or do you not know that democrats are helpless in the Senate and Assembly? The democrats offer ideas and plans, but Walker and his Republican Lemmings control the whole mess and vote strictly on party lines. Before Two years ago the parties may not have agreed,but at least they worked together and solved problems for the good of the people of Wisconsin. Now Walker and his puppet lemming Republicans vote to pass laws to appease their corporate backers, rich folk, and personal agendas. They could care less about the average Wisconsinite.
Feb 10, 2013 at 4:55 p.m.
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Walker "The Talker" is getting desperate because the Walker Lemmings are seeing that his original promise on jobs was just another Walker BOGUS statement! Look at his lack of education for a governor and his ALEC / Koch Brother agenda. Also - Keep in mind that Walker Cut over 900 Million dollars from education & NOW he wants to start an education program. Only a fool would believe him and think he has a clue. Walker is the Inspector Clousea of U.S. governors.
Over 900 Million Cut from Education.
http://www.theroot.com/buzz/wisconsin-go...
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/41840204/ns/us...
Feb 10, 2013 at 4:42 p.m.
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westorbust- Really?...then what do parents pay $10,000 a year PER STUDENT to the school system for?
Feb 10, 2013 at 4:34 p.m.
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"...If it weren't for the failure of the public school system to prepare students for the future."
That's a parental responsibility, not a school's responsibility.
Feb 10, 2013 at 4:24 p.m.
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The "training" part wouldn't be necessary if it weren't for the failure of the public school system to prepare students for the future....Something they often babble about but too often fail to fulfill their responsibility.
Feb 10, 2013 at 4:06 p.m.
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Is the $100 million coming from Walker's cronies the Koch Brothers?
Feb 10, 2013 at 4:04 p.m.
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.......Even you hard core Walker lovers have got to be embarrassed by his lack of results and failed policy.
Feb 10, 2013 at 4:03 p.m.
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As I read each one of his proposals, I realize that many of them are already in place. ie Worker Training grants ( Federal Program),Individualized Education programs
( IEP's,Credit transfer, GI Bill, Foodshare Training etc. Most of what he's proposing is already in place. Trying to make himself look good? I think so.
Feb 10, 2013 at 4:02 p.m.
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USARET-"Gov. Scott Walker says he wants to invest nearly $100 million to develop the state’s work force and give workers skills to find jobs." "The plan is designed to help workers get the skills necessary for jobs available across the state today,” said Governor Walker." Walker is talking about training people for the jobs that are here. Not training to attract business. For the sake of all of us I wish he would succeed. But his track record stinks. He promised 250,000 jobs in four years. He has about 37,000. What ever he is has done is not working. Even you hard core Walker lovers have got to be embarrassed by his lack of results,failed
Feb 10, 2013 at 3:33 p.m.
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If the workforce here isn't trained for the jobs why would those who have jobs to offer come here? It is a start. Or, are you afraid that the program might just succeed?
Feb 10, 2013 at 3:26 p.m.
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If you want to attract businesses and jobs to Wisconsin stop the Republican shenanigans. Anybody with half a brain can see Walker at the helm, with his band of Republican lemming misfits in tow, providing no stability or results. He has had every tool in his favor, he has been handing over wheelbarrow loads of tax payer cash to businesses, and we are still bottom feeders on the job creation list. There is too much uncertainty and craziness with him in charge. If I was a business I would go somewhere with a more favorable political atmosphere.
Feb 10, 2013 at 2:56 p.m.
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I know you Walker lovers are going to claim that there are 30,000 jobs in Wisconsin that aren't filled because of Walker's invented skills gap. I took the time to get an account and get on the Department of Workforce development. There are 27,972 jobs on there. They also count Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Michigan applications that are allowed to post. These out of state jobs listinga account for 7454 jobs. So, in reality there are only postings for 20,518 jobs in Wisconsin. I did a search to see how many great jobs there were in janesville. There are 20 full time job openings posted in Janesville. 19 of those average $10.14. There is one job for Lycon as some kind of manager with no wage listed. I suppose it might pay a living wage with no benefits. The point here is we need living wage jobs that are 40 hours a week. Throwing all this money at it is not going to fix the issue that there are no good paying jobs. Where are the results Walker? Do Something right, this isn't going to work either.
Feb 10, 2013 at 2:46 p.m.
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Too bad the word "jobs" was never put in the mining bill.....
Feb 10, 2013 at 2:37 p.m.
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Walker needs to go back to school and study supply and demand. We have a demand issue here. There is zero demand for jobs. We can send everyone in the state back to school with tax payer money and give them all kinds of degrees to supply the job market with skilled labor. They still won't be able to find work in Wisconsin.
Feb 10, 2013 at 2:33 p.m.
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I thought the Republicans were against big government? Looks like he is creating more government to me.
Feb 10, 2013 at 2:13 p.m.
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A big difference, it is not done by quantitative easing.
Feb 10, 2013 at 2:09 p.m.
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I think it is a progressive plan. The key word is "plan". More than the Democratic opponents have offered.
Walker haters will continue to be, but this is a pretty good start in my mind. You can not attract business unless you have workers ready to do the job. It is not the employer's job to train the employee to a certain degree. jmo
Feb 10, 2013 at 1:51 p.m.
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I think the words for this is "stimulus spending".
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