Every January the tradition begins where we make resolutions for ourselves to follow. Some vow to pay off their debt, some to watch less television, and others join a gym. This year, my resolution is to do everything thing we can to move Wisconsin forward and get our fellow citizens without jobs back to work. Below is a brief list of bills that will help me keep this resolution.

Mining Legislation:

With our reputation as a leading dairy state, it is easy to forget that we also have strong roots as a mining state. Right now we have an opportunity to not only protect our environment, but to reinvigorate our mining industry. In Iron County there lies the potential to create thousands of family sustaining jobs not only up north, but also right here in Southeastern Wisconsin.

This bill would update our states mining laws, which were written in 1974, to reflect the different methods of iron ore or taconite mining. What is happening is current laws are designed as a one-size-fits-all solution to mining, causing companies who want to develop here to go through an uncertain, time-consuming, open-ended permitting process which has held Wisconsin back from realizing our full potential.

Opponents drum up imagines of the Crandon mine to draw comparisons. Mines like Crandon used harsh chemicals; taconite mining involves magnets. Since not all mines have the same concerns attached to them, we can safely streamline the process for iron mining, while safeguarding the needs of the environment.

Venture Capital:

Next, we must focus our efforts to get businesses off the ground and one of the biggest missing links right now for entrepreneurs is acquiring access to capitol when they first begin.

One way for a start-up to access capital is to find a company or a group of people willing to invest in their idea. What a venture capital group does is pool these monies and invest it in industry specific start-ups that they are familiar with, like bio-tech, that traditional banks may not want to invest in.

The venture capital legislation currently being worked on would lure more of these venture dollars to Wisconsin through various tax incentives. Having these firms invest more of their dollars in Wisconsin will help our start-ups turn that next great idea into a flourishing Wisconsin business.

Wisconsin Wins:

Another exciting idea that has been moving through the legislature would give unemployment claimants the chance to take on a part-time training job with an interested employer while maintaining their benefits. The individual could would work part-time in a high demand industry for up to six week while continuing to receive regular unemployment benefits and an additional stipend. This allows the employee to gain valuable real-world experience that could lead to a job, while also giving the employer a chance to see how dependable and reliable a person is before they hire them full-time.

This unique training program is modeled off the successful Georgia Work$ Program. The Georgia Department of Labor reported that of the 23,000 participants, nearly 25% were hired by the business that trained them and 60% found employment within 90 days. Wisconsin Wins will not only help people find a job, but save millions in additional business taxes by reducing future unemployment claims.

By no means is this a complete list of ideas that you will see in the coming months. As I continue to meet with constituents and business leaders every day, legislation will continue to surface on how we as a state can continue to move forward. Rest assured, as long as I am on the job, I will continue to push forward a pro-jobs agenda.

From the desk of Kurt Schuller, State Treasurer of Wisconsin

(MADISON) – State Treasurer Kurt Schuller and his staff are starting off 2012 how they ended 2011: returning hundreds of thousands of dollars in record amounts of time.

In just 2 days, Treasurer Schuller has returned $358,192 and processed 355 claims.

“Just because we broke the 2010 record by nearly $1 million in 2011 doesn’t mean our job is complete,” Treasurer Schuller said. “We will continue returning money faster in 2012 but we will also be adding some new initiatives when it comes to unclaimed property.”

In 2011, claims examiners returned a record $33,641,807 in missing money and assets to more than 26,000 people and businesses. The 2010 record was $32,836,258. In 2011, the Office of State Treasurer had 5 months where claims examiners returned more than $3 million each month. There were also three days where they returned $1 million each day!

You can search the unclaimed property database 24/7/365 by logging onto www.wismissingmoney.com or you can call 877-699-9211 Monday through Friday, 8am-4:30pm and a claims examiner will be happy to help you.

A few weeks ago I had the privilege to meet to meet Marcus, a student working at the Children's Hospital in Milwaukee.  Marcus is involved in the Project SEARCH program. This program is a unique collaboration between the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Easter Seals, and Project SEARCH, which helps offer classroom and work experience for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities starting their senior year of High School.

During the tour, Marcus showed me how quickly he was able to master disassembling and sterilizing a variety of hospital equipment, like isolets.  I was impressed by how fast he worked and his mentor, Mika, said that she is always impressed by the way Marcus interacts with patients and staff when he makes deliveries.