By Andy Szal
WisBusiness.com
Two top candidates for governor, one Democrat and one Republican, told a Tuesday gathering of hundreds of state business leaders about their plans for the state economy if elected.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, a Democrat, said the state can’t afford to be an “island” among the rest of the country on energy, while Republican rival Milwaukee County Exec Scott Walker promised to cut taxes toward a goal of creating 250,000 new jobs and bringing 10,000 new business to the state by 2015. A third top gubernatorial contender, Republican Mark Neumann, had agreed to appear at the event but had to cancel after the conference schedule was changed.
Barrett went first before the annual Business Day in Madison meeting, suggesting a more regional approach to energy efficiency could better achieve the goals laid out in legislative Dems’ global warming bill, known as the “Clean Energy Jobs Act.”
“We have to be more energy efficient … but also keep our eyes on the prize, which is jobs,” Barrett said.
Barrett — who said last week he couldn’t support the bill in its current form — stressed that he supports legislation to increase energy efficiency and conservation while lowering the state’s dependence on outside energy sources. He added that the bill has room to be improved, asking lawmakers from both sides to reach a compromise on renewable energy goals, rather than enacting a mandate.
The mayor drew applause from the audience when he said California shouldn’t set Wisconsin’s emission standards, adding the state at least has a vote when Congress deals with energy policy.
Barrett also took veiled shots at Walker, criticizing the management of the county’s pension payments and noting that “another candidate” called the formation of the regional group Milwaukee 7 “putting lipstick on a pig.”
Barrett lauded the M-7’s accomplishments, noting the consolidation of Republic Airlines in Milwaukee and the announcement of a new plant by Spanish manufacturer Ingeteam in the city’s Menomonee Valley. He said he noticed in Congress that successful cities were regional in nature, with varying communities working together to create jobs.
“I am the only candidate in this race that for the last six years has been working to create jobs in this state,” Barrett said. “This is not something that comes new to me.”
To that end, Barrett vowed to get the state’s fiscal house in order, in part by examining every state agency, including economic development programs in the Department of Commerce and the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Alliance.
“If a program is working, we’re going to put more meat on its bones,” Barrett said. “If it’s not working, we’re going to scrap it.”
Speaking later, Walker promised the audience he would lower the tax burden on employers, income, property and retirement income.
He also discussed his pledge to create 250,000 jobs by 2015.
“It is fundamentally based on getting government out of the way,” Walker said.
He stressed the need to change the regulatory environment for state agencies, enact tort reform and alter health care to lower costs.
Walker also bemoaned the state’s regulatory burden and praised WMC for keeping liability changes out of the budget.
“Just playing defense is not enough,” Walker said. “We need specific tort reforms so we can lower our health insurance costs.”
The Milwaukee county exec added that Wisconsin would need stronger education systems and transportation infrastructure to fully realize his goals. Walker has been hesitant to back the impending high-speed rail line from Milwaukee to Madison, suggesting he would try to stop the project if it affected taxpayers or the state’s transportation fund too much.
Walker added that his plan includes giving the UW System the tools to operate more like a business to pursue economic development.
