An amendment by Senator Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay) to the venture capital bill before the Senate Today (SB 169/AB 181) makes the commonsense move of actually linking the public investment to job creation. It says fund managers should be chosen based on demonstrated experience making job creating investments, and the investments themselves should be selected based on job creation potential.
Despite repeated claims by supporters of the bill that it is a job creation measure, Senator Hanson’s amendment actually tying the money to job creation was rejected on a largely party line vote.
“It is a sham that the venture capital bill has been touted as a job creation initiative without any language in the actual bill directing that investments be made for that purpose,” said Robert Kraig, Executive Director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. “As the troubled history of WEDC shows, it is highly irresponsible to spend precious job creation dollars without real accountability for creating a tangible expansion of economic opportunity for Wisconsin’s hard pressed working families.”
For our 100th episode of the Battleground Wisconsin Podcast we welcome back original panelist Tanya Atkinson, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood of WI. We discuss the GOP's bill (SB 206) to mandate medically unnecessary vaginal ultrasounds for women seeking abortions. We also cover the latest on the Walker BadgerCare scandal, more turnover at Walker's failed jobs agency, the GOP tax cut for the wealthy and tax increase for disabled Vets, a new campaign finance bill that increases legal bribery, and the undemocratic limits to the fair use of WisconsinEye videos of state legislative proceedings.
Low-wage workers across the country are taking dramatic action to improve their wages and working conditions. In New York and Chicago, fast-food and other service-sector workers went on strike demanding a minimum of $15 an hour and the right to form a union free from the threat of employer retaliation. Emboldened by such militant steps, Milwaukee workers have voted to create a new union of their own.
Governor Walker wants to reject billions of dollars in federal health care reform funds to fill the holes in BadgerCare. This decision, which can be overturned by the Legislature, endangers lives and denies needed funds to Wisconsin communities. Access to affordable health care is a necessity in modern society, and families without it do not have a fair shot at the American dream! Tell your State Legislators not to let Gov. Walker take affordable health care coverage away from Wisconsin families - Sign Petition
