Contact: Laurel Patrick, (608) 267-7303
Racine – Governor Scott Walker speaks with local officials and business leaders at the annual Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce meeting this evening. Governor Walker discussed the importance of growing key industries like manufacturing and developing our workforce.
“Manufacturing is a vital part of Wisconsin’s economy and part of our heritage,” Governor Walker said. “Our budget proposal continues to invest in worker training to get people the skills they need for the family supporting careers available to them. We will continue to hold the line on property taxes for working families and small businesses as part of our efforts to continue to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars.”
Founded in 1982, Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce (RAMAC) represents businesses of all sizes from Southeastern Wisconsin. RAMAC provides its members with a number of community programs and training initiatives aimed at improving the success and quality of life for the greater Racine area.
Economic Highlights of the 2015-17 Proposed State Budget:
Growing the Economy
Governor Walker’s budget proposal builds upon the successes of the first term and advances progress to ensure freedom and prosperity across Wisconsin. The unemployment rate is down to 4.6 percent, new business ventures are up 5.3 percent through March compared to 2014, and from December of 2013 to December of 2014 Wisconsin experienced its greatest year of private sector job growth since 1999.
Developing Our Workforce
Governor Walker’s Freedom and Prosperity plan invests more into the successful Wisconsin Fast Forward program to helps people get the skills they need to succeed through technical college courses, apprenticeships, and training programs, as well as working on ways to help our military veterans find employment or even start a business of their own.
Property Tax Relief
Budget reforms over the past four years reduced the burden on the hard-working taxpayers of this state by $2 billion, and Governor Walker’s Freedom and Prosperity plan continues reforms, so the property tax bill on a typical home will be even lower during the next two years. Property taxes on a typical home were $131 lower in December of 2014 than they were four years ago. As Governor Walker promised, property taxes by the end of 2016 will be lower than they were in 2014, which means lower property taxes for six years in a row.
