Budgets are about priorities, and as a rural district, our priority is to make sure that our area has the resources we need to flourish and grow. I have worked to ensure that the state budget addresses the needs of all Wisconsinites – not just those of Madison and Milwaukee.  The budget recently signed by the Governor is proof that rural Wisconsin is being heard.

The highest priority is to preserve our communities and way of life.  Over the years, outward migration has negatively affected many parts of rural Wisconsin. We need to keep our friends and neighbors living and working here if our towns and villages are going to thrive. Access to employment opportunities and the educational training to prepare for the workforce is vital. To that end, I took a strong stand with other rural legislators, joining together to write a letter to the Joint Finance Committee asking for increased school funding. Working together paid off – funding will increase by $150 per student per year over the next two years, while property tax increases will be frozen– a big win for seniors and working families.

Access to reliable internet and transportation is also crucial for businesses to thrive in rural Wisconsin. This budget guarantees additional funding for broadband and roads, including a one-time allocation of $4.3 million to improve internet access for rural areas. We were able to secure a 4% increase in the General Transportation Aids mileage rate to help maintain our rural road system– a solid investment in the future.

Working families are the core of our communities, and they deserve tax relief. This budget delivers a $651 million income tax cut – one of the largest tax cuts in Wisconsin history. Overall, nearly this budget contains nearly a billion dollars of tax relief, while still providing funding for vital programs, such as statewide domestic violence victim services, which received a $1.25 million increase.

Agriculture too was an area that we worked to improve in the budget. Responding to the concerns of numerous constituents, I submitted a budget motion to remove the foreign land ownership provision from the budget. Wisconsin farmland belongs to Wisconsin farmers, and we want to make sure that it stays that way for future generations. Additionally, we were able to restore the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin grant program, which has been of great help to small family farmers.

This two-year spending plan sets the right priorities and protects essential services so that we can grow our rural economies and create family-supporting jobs. Thank you for your comments throughout the budget process and at the local listening sessions.  I will continue to work hard to make sure that our communities are the best places to live, work, and raise our families.

The forest products industry is Wisconsin's second largest manufacturing employer.  Last week, I joined Congressman Ribble and Congressman Duffy, along with fellow legislators Sen. Tom Tiffany and Rep. Jeff Mursau and Rep. Rob Swearingen, in attending the Forestry Policy Conference in Wabeno.  We focused our discussion national forest management solutions to keep Wisconsin’s forestry industry strong.

Forestry Policy Conference at Potawatomi Hotel in Wabeno

Wisconsin jumped to 20th in the nation this month, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s leading index, which was revised for April. The updated data improved Wisconsin’s ranking by nine spots.  This is the latest indicator that Wisconsin's economy is headed in the right direction:

• Wisconsin’s initial unemployment insurance claims are at pre-recession levels.
• Building permits are 22.6% higher than prior year levels.
• Wisconsin was recently ranked 5th in the nation in manufacturing job creation by CNBC.
• Wisconsin’s percent change in average weekly wage in the fourth quarter of 2012 was 12th in the nation; behind only Minnesota in the Midwest.

The leading index is a six-month forecast of economic growth in all 50 states. The index uses state housing permit data, initial unemployment insurance claims, the Institute for Supply Management manufacturing survey, and prior coincident indexes created by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.

To view this report, please click here.

I want to wish you all a happy and safe Independence Day tomorrow, as we mark the 4th of July. Enjoy the time with your families and friends, as we celebrate the freedoms that our country was founded upon.  I will be attending local parades and events throughout our area; I hope to see you there!