Author: Correspondent

Just as there is a partisan split at the top of Wisconsin’s state government, partisan divisions remain a major force that influences public opinion across the state, according to a recent Marquette Law School Poll. The findings are also likely to support criticisms and reinforce the establihed polarization. The first poll since the November election finds voters split generally along party lines on state issues such as whether Wisconsin should drop out of a lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act, often known as Obamacare, increase the minimum wage or prioritize increasing school spending over holding down property taxes. However,...

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) has invited Wisconsin companies that want to establish or expand their export efforts to participate in a global trade venture to China from April 5 to 17. The trade venture will include visits to Chengdu, Shanghai, and Beijing, which are markets of particular opportunity for Wisconsin companies. In each city, participating companies will be scheduled for customized business meetings with potential local partners. “China represents a market that cannot be ignored for Wisconsin, especially in the areas of medical and scientific instruments, industrial machinery and electrical machinery,” said Katy Sinnott, vice president of...

Foxconn Technology Group did not create enough Wisconsin jobs in 2018 to immediately claim state tax credits. Foxconn failed to create enough jobs last year to qualify for the first round of tax credits under a nearly $3 billion package the Walker administration negotiated with the Taiwanese manufacturer to build a plant in southeastern Wisconsin. The company could still qualify for the first year of credits under its contract if it hits future goals. The company reported on January 17 to Mark Hogan, CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), that it created 178 jobs that met the...

Governor Tony Evers recently requested the creation of a committee on entrepreneurship and innovation at the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. Wisconsin currently lags in small business creation, which is where most family-supporting jobs are created. Governor Evers knows that we must invest in and support small businesses, local companies, and entrepreneurship to create middle-class jobs and grow the economy. “Entrepreneurial traits like diversity, creativity, and resilience are critical components of success in our constantly-evolving global economy,” Governor Evers said. “In order for Wisconsin’s economy to thrive, we must foster a culture that supports entrepreneurship and innovation. Today’s announcement that...

Martin Luther King III, son of the late Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., criticized Vice-President Pence on January 21 for invoking his father’s memory, to pitch President Trump’s immigration proposal and push for a wall along the US-Mexico border. “The vice president attempted to compare the president to Martin Luther King Jr. My father was a bridge builder, not a wall builder,” said Martin Luther King III according to statements. It was widely reported that King’s son rejected the comparison while speaking at a National Action Network MLK Day breakfast. Pence quoted the civil rights leaders’s “I...

Two legal cases against the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) were certified to the State Supreme Court on on January 16, highlighting the high stakes challenges for preserving clean water in the region. The Wisconsin Supreme Court now has the future of the State’s water management in their hands. Both cases require the court to decide whether water will be protected for public benefit, or overused and polluted for the private gain of a handful of corporate farms. The first case concerns DNR’s authority to consider the negative impact that groundwater withdrawals have on surface waters when issuing...