Governor candidates Walker, Barrett offer competing plans to create jobs in Wisconsin

Walker, Barrett offer plans to create Wis. jobs

MADISON, Wis. — Two high-profile candidates for governor on Tuesday outlined proposals to spur the economy, with one offering an ambitious but nonspecific plan that he said would create 250,000 jobs, and the other suggesting tax credits for companies that create jobs.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, a Democrat, and Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, a Republican, spoke in separate appearances at the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce business day in Madison. Another GOP candidate, former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann, was invited but unable to attend.

Walker said he would create a quarter-million jobs and 10,000 new businesses by 2015 by reducing government interference in the state’s business climate. He said he would improve the business environment through six steps, which include lowering or freezing a range of taxes and limiting state regulations.

“We’ll do it by getting government out of the way so that you, the employers of the state, can put more people back to work,” Walker said. His comment drew applause from the audience of several hundred people.

Walker’s plan also includes ending frivolous lawsuits and improving education, health care and infrastructure.

He offered few specifics of how each point would be measured and achieved. He said he would release more details in coming months.

“We just thought it was important today … that we lay out what our goals and objectives are,” he told reporters afterward. “We’ll be having this conversation throughout our campaign.”

Barrett addressed the audience earlier in the day. He spoke of his family’s deep roots in Wisconsin and said he’s running for governor because it’s time Madison “had some adult supervision.”

The mayor said his focus would be on jobs, repeating the word five times for emphasis. Barrett said he would rely on the same strategy he used when he persuaded Republic Airways to keep 800 jobs in Milwaukee County and bring hundreds more after it acquired Midwest Airlines: tax credits.

It’s a practical concept, it’s an important concept,” he said. “I think what the people want from the governor is someone who will work to create jobs in the state whether the ideas come from Democrats or Republicans.”

Each candidate also positioned himself as a responsible spender who could make the tough decisions necessary to keep spending under control.

Barrett said as mayor he covered an unexpected $49 million pension expense by making cuts, often unpopular, in other areas. He could have done the simple thing by paying the cost through borrowing, but that would have just shifted the burden to taxpayers’ kids and grandkids, he said.

Walker told the audience he’s famous for spending taxpayer money as frugally as he does his own money and promised to do the same as governor.

Before Walker spoke, the event moderator read a statement from Neumann, who had scheduling conflict.

“Folks, you’ve all done great work and are a very important part of keeping great jobs in Wisconsin,” the statement said. “As governor I look forward to working closely with your organization.”