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WISCONSIN ADDS PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS AND REVENUE NUMBERS INCREASE
New quarterly census job count data shows our state gained almost 40,000 private-sector jobs from March 2014 to March 2015, including almost 6,300 jobs in manufacturing. Wisconsin’s quarterly wages by covered private-sector employers grew by 4.5 percent over the same quarter in 2014. Data based on actual job reports from over 135,000 Wisconsin employers covering the first quarter of 2015 showed:
Wisconsin added 39,652 private-sector jobs from March 2014 to March 2015
Quarterly wages by covered private-sector employers grew by 4.5 percent year over year
Wisconsin’s manufacturing sector added close to 6,300 jobs over the 12-month period
Construction wages grew by 11.5 percent from the first quarter of 2014
The state took in $71.4 million more during the 2014-15 fiscal year than the Legislative Fiscal Bureau had projected in January. LFB Director Bob Lang said the preliminary collection numbers for the fiscal year are in line with what the agency projected in May. Then, LFB declined to revise estimates for the 2015-17 biennium, noting any bump in 2014-15 could be offset by the economic uncertainty over the next two years.
The Department of Revenue reported preliminary general fund tax collections of $14.54 billion in 2014-15, an increase of 4.3 percent over the previous year. Income and insurance taxes came in below the LFB's January estimates. But that was more than made up by bumps in corporate, excise, cigarette, sales and other taxes.
Final general fund tax collections for 2014-15, along with departmental revenues and expenditures, will be available in mid-October when the annual fiscal report is released.
The original LFB memo on the numbers said part of the additional revenue from 2014-15 would go to the budget stabilization fund. But Lang put out a follow-up memo noting the tax cut package lawmakers approved in early 2014 included a provision suspending transfers to the budget stabilization fund for the rest of the 2013-15 biennium.
DHS TO HOLD IRIS/FAMILY CARE HEARINGS
The Department of Health Services Secretary Rhoades wanted to make you all aware of upcoming public hearings scheduled for the month of September where DHS would like to gather feedback from Wisconsin residents as the department prepares to develop the Family Care/IRIS 2.0 programs as passed in the recent budget. You can find information on upcoming hearings at our website: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/familycareiris2/index.htm
Please see below for information on hearings scheduled in Green Bay and Wausau. Additional locations with dates and times will be coming soon. Please let me know if you have any additional questions.
AG GRANTS AND FINANCIAL OPTIONS WORKSHOPS
FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL
It's a hot week for the first week of school, but I wanted to wish the best of luck for families and children as the begin a whole new year of education.
Wisconsin continues to be recognized for how we prepare our students. Recently, our state was ranked second nationally for its average ACT score. Those results came from the graduating class of 2015. Our state tied with Iowa and was behind Minnesota by just five-tenths of a percentage point. This is great news, and I'm excited to see what comes from this class of Wisconsin students at all levels!
LABOR DAY WEEKEND
Happy Labor Day to everyone! For those of you looking for something fun to do this weekend, the Annual Taste of Madison event is going on downtown at the Capitol Square. It begins Saturday morning and extends until Sunday night, with food, music, and a lot of fun activities for all ages. This year, Taste of Madison features food from over 80 participating restaurants with over 200 menu items, 26 beverage stands, 3 stages, and over 35 live musical performances. For more information, click here or go to the following link: http://www.tasteofmadison.com/.
OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS IN THE DISTRICT
Fun District Events
September 7-19, 2015
September 7th
Randolph Community Corn Carnival
Features: Come out and celebrate the famous Randolph Corn Carnival. This year’s festival theme is honoring emergency service personnel. The local FFA chapter will be serving an early breakfast at 6:30 am at the Randolph High School cafeteria. Then, the annual parade starts at 10 am and that’s followed by food, fun, and entertainment in the park.
When: 6:30 am - 2:00 pm
Location: Randolph Park (Located at Stroud & Second Streets), Randolph, WI 53956
September 12th
Pardeeville Watermelon Festival
Features: Come out and enjoy the 48th anniversary this festival. It is the home of the U.S. Watermelon Speed-Eating and Seed-Spitting Championships, and filled with family fun activities, including free sliced watermelon, kid’s games, entertainment, craft vendors, and watermelon contests.
When: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Location: Chandler Park, Chandler Park Dr., Pardeeville, WI 53954
September 19th
Sorghum Fest Savanna Oaks
Features: Come out and participate in the Sorghum Fest featuring numerous activities from a pancake breakfast from 7:30 to 10:30 am to kid’s games and crafts with the live band Soggy Prairie Boys from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, and a farm and flea market. Free admission and free parking!
When: 7:30 am - 3:00 pm
Location: Savanna Oaks Community Center, Hwy 16 & Savanna Rd., Fall River, WI 53932
CONTACT ME
As in the past, I would continue to encourage you to contact my office with ideas for this next legislative session and on individual pieces of legislation. Now more than ever your ideas and opinions need to be heard, so we can begin to get Wisconsin back to work. Please contact my office at 608-266-3404 or email me at Rep.Ripp@legis.wisconsin.gov, or stop by my Capitol office at 223 North. I look forward to hearing from you. As always, I will continue to work across the aisle to find common ground and move legislation forward.
Please share this update with your friends and neighbors within the 42nd Assembly District and if there is anyone you know who would like to be included, please respond to this email with their email address.