Yesterday, Governor Scott Walker and Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch hosted Wisconsin small business owners, executives, and entrepreneurs in roundtable discussions in Rothschild at the seventh annual Governor’s Small Business Summit. Governor Walker began hosting the event his first year in office to ensure business owners and government officials can directly engage each other and discuss opportunities for developing Wisconsin’s successful business climate. Governor Walker also announced his Small Business Agenda, a four-step approach to helping and strengthening Wisconsin small businesses.
Step One: Reduce business costs
- Lower property taxes
- Stop unemployment fraud
- Streamline regulations
- Reduce frivolous lawsuits
Step Two: Prepare the workforce
- Invest in K-12 education
- Increase worker training
- Expand opportunities in our technical colleges
- Strengthen ties between the UW System and the workforce
Step Three: Remove barriers to work
- End public assistance benefits cliffs
- Require able-bodied adults to work or receive employability training
- Require able-bodied adults to pass a drug test before receiving public assistance
- Target specific populations – veterans, people with disabilities and ex-offenders to enter the workforce
Step Four: Attract new talent
- Market workforce opportunities within Wisconsin