Wisconsinites who have entered the state are familiar with the above sign; just as astute observers of politics will recognize the moniker "Wisconsin is Open for Business," made famous by Governor Scott Walker.  Personally, I do not think it would be a bad idea to change the  "Open for Business" sign that is found at each of Wisconsin's borders, to one that reads "Help Wanted."

Our state's positive business climate, coupled with the pro-growth reforms enacted by Governor Walker and Republicans in the legislature, have been so profound that Wisconsin is suffering from a shortage of skilled workers.  At this writing, there are more than eighty-thousand jobs posted on JobCenterofWisconsin.com that need to be filled.  There is no question that the demand for additional skilled workers will increase exponentially in Wisconsin, as technology continues to evolve.  If you have ever thought about pursuing a trade, there is no better time than the present.

Workforce development is an issue that receives little attention from journalists, as it does not sell newspapers.  Wisconsin, as noted, is suffering from a skilled worker shortage, causing many in manufacturing and the trades to panic.  In his recent State of the State address, Governor Scott Walker made workforce development and assisting Wisconsinites in obtaining the skills necessary for our twenty-first century workforces, his foremost priorities.  In the last two legislative sessions, Republicans in the legislature have devoted additional resources to preparing citizens for the workforce of tomorrow. 

The majority of job openings in Wisconsin are a direct result of retirements, as fifteen percent of the state's workforce is sixty-five years of age or older.  In less than twenty years, half of the counties in the northern quadrant of our state will have more than a third of their population past retirement age.  What is more, eleven percent of the state's population will be seventy-four years of age or older.

The number of people projected to be sixty-five years of age or older (2015; 2035)

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development estimates that the average annual job openings through 2024 are nearly one-hundred-thousand.  However, our high schools are graduating less than fifty-eight thousand students every year.  We must continue to bring more talented individuals to our state and work more diligently to ensure that students who graduate from Wisconsin institutions of higher learning remain in the state following commencement. 

I look forward to working with my colleagues on legislation to attract Wisconsin youth and provide them with the skills necessary to excel in today's rapidly-changing, technologically-advanced workforce.  Last session, the Speaker's Task Force on Youth Workforce Readiness developed recommendations for increasing the number of skilled laborers in Wisconsin.

Tax Relief and Transportation

Assembly Republicans, last week, announced a comprehensive framework for the upcoming budget that includes at least $300 million in tax relief, an initial step towards fixing transportation funding. Because of the positive economic condition of our state, the Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau has projected that our state will have $2 billion over the current base budget in the next budget cycle.  This opens up a great opportunity for tax cuts and reforms.

The Assembly Republican caucus is calling for at least $300 million in permanent tax reductions. This will be coupled with transportation reforms and a corresponding increase in transportation revenue to address the long-term solvency in the transportation fund.

This proposal meets the criteria established by Governor Walker who has indicated that he would not support increasing taxes or fees to pay for highways unless corresponding tax reductions are made elsewhere in the budget.  The Assembly Republican proposal would allow for stabilization of the general fund and consistent funding for other priority areas such as education and workforce readiness.

The proposal is a win-win situation for everyone, including Governor Walker, who is able to keep his promise of not raising taxes on hard-working Wisconsin families.

These projections help illustrate that our reforms are working for Wisconsin.  The legislature has cut taxes by nearly $5 billion since 2011 and our economy continues to grow.  You can be confident that we will continue to make the right decisions for Wisconsin in the next budget by investing in education, expanding worker training programs, and working to find long-term solutions for the issues facing our state.

This week in the district

This week, I had the opportunity to welcome a number of constituents representing the Wisconsin Credit Union Association, Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Professional Insurance Agents of Wisconsin, to my office.  As always, if you are visiting the Wisconsin State Capitol, do not hesitate to schedule a time to meet with me.

Meeting with Sixtieth District constituents who were visiting the Wisconsin State Capitol for the Wisconsin Credit Union Association's annual legislative day.

My staff and I had the opportunity to invite a Cedarburg High School student to the Wisconsin State Capitol, for a job shadow opportunity.

I recently received the Wisconsin Dairy Business Association's Legislative Excellence Award

I was humbled to receive the Dairy Business Association's Legislative Excellence Award, last week.  I strongly support and will continue to vote in favor of legislation that promotes Wisconsin's dairy industry.  Wisconsin's dairy farm families are a driving force behind the state's economic success.  After all, Wisconsin is "America's Dariyland."

Have a great week,