Expresso :: Issue of the Week: Walker Killing Jobs, Then and Now :: The Shepherd Express: Milwaukee's best guide to events, music, news and dining

Plus Hero of the Week

It's no secret that Gov. Scott Walker has been killing jobs in Wisconsin since taking office in January. The state lost more jobs in October than any other state in the nation.

But Walker also achieved the singular feat of killing jobs even before he took office. That happened when he refused to accept $810 million in federal funds for high-speed rail that eventually would have linked Wisconsin with the rest of the Midwes.

Last week was the one-year anniversary of Walker's shortsighted, ideological rejection of federal funds.

Walker's rejection garnered him attention from FOX News and other conservative pundits, putting him on the shortlist for vice presidential—and possibly presidential—contenders.

Now Walker is facing a historic recall effort.

And his high-speed rail folly is still a huge economic blow to the state.

According to figures from the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau, requested by state Rep. Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee), the state is on the hook for between $65 million and $84.4 million in costs to our current rail line that would have been covered by the federal funds. More importantly, the state would have gained up to 11,000 train-related jobs in six years.

Now we're left holding the bag and not seeing any job growth from this once-in-a-generation federal investment.

Even worse? Illinois is adding jobs at a furious rate while Walker's Wisconsin is shedding them.

"We can't compete with other Midwest states if we don't upgrade our train system the way Republican governors in Michigan and Indiana are doing," Richards said in a press release. "We are falling further behind because of Walker's extremely backward policies."

The loss of high-speed rail is one reason Wisconsin lags in job growth, but Walker's historic cuts to public education and health care also make the state look like a bad bet for investors. Look for a more severe brain drain in the coming years as young, highly skilled people realize they can't launch a decent career in Wisconsin.

Not only has Walker killed high-speed rail jobs in the short term, but he's killing Wisconsin's economic progress in the years ahead.

Heroes of the Week: Grand Avenue Club Volunteers

Milwaukee's Grand Avenue Club (210 E. Michigan St.) provides adults who have experienced mental illness with assistance and opportunities to recover, integrate into society via work and education, and lead lives that are vocationally productive and socially satisfying.

A coalition of community organizations founded the Grand Avenue Club (GAC) in 1991, and since then it has offered life skills and vocational training among its many programs. Volunteers tutor GAC members academically, work alongside members in the GAC resale shop and assist staff with other functions and duties.

Readers interested in volunteering at the GAC, as well as employers seeking to hire GAC members, are encouraged to call 414-276-6474 or visit www.grandavenueclub.com.

Event of the Week: 1290 WMCS/Salvation Army Christmas Family Feast

In the spirit of the season of giving, 1290 WMCS and the Salvation Army are hosting the 22nd annual Christmas Family Feast on Christmas Day. Santa Claus will make an appearance and there will be live entertainment, dinner and gifts. It's free and all are welcome. The feast will be held 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 25, at the Frontier Airlines Center, 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. For more information or to volunteer, go to www.1290wmcs.com.

REPLY TO THIS COMMENT

anonymous

Nobody is building any high speed rail systems in the Midwest. Where is there a high speed rail line? Where is there one even under construction? So far all talk and no train. Like they say in Texas, all hat and no cattle. Walker tried to get the Milwaukee - Chicago line upgraded and the Feds turned him down. Now that was one route that people actually use. Walker is trying to add thousands of mining jobs to Wisconsin but the psycho liberal extremists don't want the jobs because it would make Walker look good before the recall election. There are help wanted signs plastered everywhere. Once we repeal all the liberal extremist Wisconsin Fairness Employment Law, businesses will feel better about hiring even ore people. The Wisconsin Fair Employment Act (WFEA) prohibits employment discrimination based on age, ancestry, arrest record, conviction record, creed, color, disability, marital status, military service, national origin, race, sex, or use or non-use of legal products during non-work hours off the employer’s premises. The WFEA also generally prohibits genetic testing and honesty testing in employment situations. WE NEED TO REPEAL THIS KIND OF STUPIDITY. When you make it easier to fire, you make it easier to hire.

So much petty regulation. I'm working with a group that is currently seeking improved employment in the state by eliminating rules on:

Unemployement Insurance Reform Repeal of Wisconsin Act 20 Hiring and firing felons

Yes, if we can make it easier to fire worthless employees we can hire more deserving people. Just way too many rules and regulations.

Chris

One year ago the unemployment rate in WI was 7.6% This month, it is 7.3% The last three years of corrupt governing under Doyle and the left, Wisconsin LOST 150,000 jobs. Had a budget deficit even after using one time "stimulus" money from Washington AND illegally stealing money from the state's Patients Compensation Fund. Shepard Ex only reports one side of these issues. The 60 mph "high speed train" was on track to be riden by 1 to 3 % of Wisconsin residents and yet be funded annually by taxpayors from the entire state. It was a joke AND... it was certainly part of the campaign meaning, that the majority of voters agree with Scott Walker's common sense approach to governing and getting corruption out of government. BTW, Illinios has laid off thousands of state employees because the IL budget is still negative... luckily we avoided the same fate by electing Walker. Sorry for reporting in this comment... the truth. This paper should try it sometime, the truth will set you free :)

The worst thing about that train was it was a boondogle funded by the government. If the train was so great, the railroads themselves would be lining up to run and build it. What good is a job if its just a phony make-work job that doesn't really produce any profit?

This state has not gone belly-up financially! That is a major win all because of Gov Walker!! Is everyone in the state employed no. Some because their type of job no longer exists anywhere some because they just might be very comfortable on unemployment, along with many other factors.

Richard

Actually Walker is NOT the one killing jobs in Wisconsin. The protesters and the libs are the guilty parties. Walker is attempting to make the state more attractive for business to move to Wisconsin or increase existing jobs in Wisconsin. By having a 24/7 recall/election arena, there is no stable environment for job creation. What businessman in his right mind, would spend his money or his investors money to expand or create new jobs in an environment where there is no clue as to what the future might be? Until these issues are resolved, until the recall is over, there will be no business expansion of any kind. And if Walker is recalled and we revert back to the spending way of Jim Doyle, I would hope that the last one out of the State of Wisconsin, turn off the light.

I just attendend the UWM commencement for winter grads. I knew several students graduation with degrees in business. All of them have jobs lined up at good salaries. They had no problem at all getting a good job. All good grade, clean cut, no tats or piercings, and no bad 99% type attitudes. There are always plenty of good jobs for good people. Belieive me, the competiton for a job is not as bad as you think. Then I was shock to see that UWM graduates students from the School fo Social Welfare. Seriously? You can major in Welfare!!! What is the world coming to? And you would put that on a resume? One of the welfare grads had a fan sitting behind us stinking of Vodka and cigarettes. that kept screaming her name for a hour hoping she would look up. I don't know kind of classes you take if you major in Welfare but it seems they could come up with a more politically correct name for that major.

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Issue of the Week: Walker Killing Jobs, Then and Now

Plus Hero of the Week

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