Economic Summit II - Remarks and Speeches

Wisconsin's Economy at the Crossroads:
Building Higher Paying Jobs for the Future

November 26-27, 2001
Midwest Express Center, Milwaukee

"Build Wisconsin"
Governor Scott McCallum
Monday, November 26, 2001

THANK YOU, JAY ((SMITH)). I WANT TO THANK JAY FOR HIS WORK AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN BOARD OF REGENTS IN ORGANIZING THIS ECONOMIC SUMMIT.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN PRESIDENT KATHARINE LYALL, BOTH FOR HER CONTRIBUTIONS TO MAKING THIS SUMMIT HAPPEN AND HER WORK IN LEADING ONE OF OUR NATION'S BEST UNIVERSITY SYSTEMS.

AND I WANT TO COMPLIMENT EACH OF YOU FOR CARING ENOUGH ABOUT WISCONSIN'S FUTURE TO ATTEND THIS SUMMIT -- PARTICULARLY MANY OF THE NEW PLAYERS AND LEADERS OF THE NEW ECONOMY.

THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME FOR AN ECONOMIC SUMMIT…. BECAUSE WE ARE AT A CROSSROADS IN WISCONSIN. WE ARE FACING IMMEDIATE CHALLENGES ACROSS THE STATE IN THE WAKE OF SEPT. 11. MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT …. WE ARE IN A TERRORIST ECONOMY THAT HAS IMPACTED EVERY BUSINESS SECTOR ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

IN THE COMING WEEKS, I WILL WORK WITH THE LEGISLATURE ON IMMEDIATE SOLUTIONS….. BUT IT REMAINS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP OUR EYE ON THE LONG-TERM, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS SUMMIT IS ALL ABOUT.

PRESIDENT BUSH RECENTLY SAID THAT THE FURTHER BACKWARD YOU LOOK, THE FURTHER FORWARD YOU CAN SEE. WE MUST NOT IGNORE OUR PAST… BUT WE MUST CAREFULLY WEAVE THE BEST OF THE PAST INTO A COORDINATED STRATEGIC PLAN FOR OUR FUTURE.

FOR DECADES, MANUFACTURING, TOURISM AND AGRICULTURE HAVE DOMINATED WISCONSIN'S ECONOMY.

THESE SECTORS HAVE SERVED US WELL, AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE PART OF OUR FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM TONIGHT RECOGNIZES THAT WISCONSIN'S WORKFORCE WILL NEED TO UPGRADE ITS SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE BASE TO BE COMPETITIVE IN OUR REGION, IN OUR NATION AND IN THE NEW GLOBAL ECONOMY.

WHAT DO I MEAN BY THE NEW ECONOMY? THE NEW ECONOMY MEANS THAT:

COMPETITION IS RELENTLESS
TECHNOLOGY IS HERE TO STAY
KNOWLEDGE BUILDS WEALTH
PEOPLE ARE STILL OUR MOST IMPORTANT RESOURCE
ALLIANCES AND PARTNERSHIPS ARE THE WAY TO GET THINGS DONE

SOME DEFINE THE NEW ECONOMY AS A SHIFT FROM TRADITIONAL MANUFACTURING TO KNOWLEDGE-BASED BUSINESSES. I DO NOT SHARE THAT DEFINITION.

IN WISCONSIN, THE NEW ECONOMY WILL BE DEFINED AS AN ALLIANCE BETWEEN OUR EXISTING ECONOMIC BASE AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES.

THOSE IN THE MANUFACTURING, TOURISM AND AGRICULTURAL SECTORS SHOULDN'T FEEL THREATENED BY THE NEW ECONOMY. INSTEAD, WE SHOULD EMBRACE TECHNOLOGIES NOT ONLY FOR PRODUCTION BUT ALSO TO SELL, MARKET AND DISTRIBUTE OUR PRODUCTS.

AND THE OPENING OF NEW MARKETS FOR WISCONSIN PRODUCTS AND SERVICES SHOULD BE DONE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

KEEPING WISCONSIN COMPETITIVE IN A GLOBAL ECONOMY WILL CONTINUE TO BE A MAJOR FOCUS FOR ME, AND I WILL CONCENTRATE ON WISCONSIN'S ABILITY TO BE GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE NEXT WEEK WHEN I LEAD A TRADE MISSION TO MEXICO. THIS IS A MAJOR EFFORT TO BUILD ON …. AND EXPAND… THE COMMERCIAL, CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WISCONSIN AND MEXICO.

OVER A THIRD OF WISCONSIN'S EXPORTERS ARE DOING NEARLY 700 MILLION DOLLARS OF BUSINESS IN MEXICO… AND THERE IS EVEN MORE POTENTIAL WAITING TO BE TAPPED.

THAT IS WHY I AM A LEADING A DELEGATION OF 31 INDIVIDUALS REPRESENTING 25 WISCONSIN BUSINESSES ON A TRADE MISSION TO MEXICO FROM DEC. 5 THROUGH THE 9TH, … MAKING THIS THE LARGEST TRADE DELEGATION IN RECENT HISTORY.

9-11 CHANGED OUR LIVES, BUT THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF NOT LETTING THE TERRORISTS WIN…. WE WILL FORGE AHEAD.

THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE TRIP WILL BE MEETINGS WITH PRESIDENT VICENTE FOX…. AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS A PERSONAL TIE TO WISCONSIN AND IS A REAL FRIEND OF THE BADGER STATE. I ALSO WILL MEET WITH CABINET SECRETARIES REPRESENTING THEIR ECONOMIC AND AGRICULTURAL SECTORS, AND WE WILL DISCUSS REGIONAL OPPORTUNITIES WITH MEXICAN GOVERNORS..

THE TRIP WILL CAP A VERY EVENTFUL YEAR FOR THE YOUNG MCCALLUM ADMINISTRATION. SINCE TAKING OFFICE JUST 10 MONTHS AGO, MY ADMINISTATION HAS EMBRACED AND INTRODUCED DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO FIT NICELY WITH A CHANGING WORLD.

I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MINUTE TO HIGHLIGHT THEM FOR YOU:

THE MARQUETTE INTERCHANGE IS THE ECONOMIC GATEWAY FOR THE ENTIRE STATE. REBUILDING THE INTERCHANGE WILL BE THE LARGEST TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT EVER UNDERTAKEN IN WISCONSIN, AND WE HAVE STARTED THIS PROCESS WITH LISTENING SESSIONS AND A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

I RECENTLY DIRECTED MY DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO CREATE THE WISCONSIN ANGEL AND VENTURE CAPITAL ASSOCIATION THAT WILL ORGANIZE A FRAMEWORK FOR NETWORKING AND SHARING INFORMATION AMONG QUALIFIED INVESTORS.

I PROPOSED, AND THEN SIGNED INTO LAW, AN AIRLINE HUB TAX EXEMPTION FOR WISCONSIN-BASED AIRLINES TO HELP KEEP JOBS IN WISCONSIN AND MAINTAIN OUR EXCELLENT AIRLINE CONNECTIONS.

MY BIOSTAR INITIATIVE WILL RECEIVE 27 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE FIRST OF FOUR UW BUILDING PROJECTS THAT WILL KEEP WISCONSIN AT THE FOREFRONT IN BIOTECHNOLOGY.

THE TECHSTAR INTITIATIVE WILL PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM TO CONDUCT RESEARCH RELATED TO EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES THAT PROMOTE INDUSTRIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN.

I INTRODUCED LEGISLATION THAT CREATED NINE TECHNOLOGY ZONES TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION OF HIGH-TECH BUSINESSES ACROSS WISCONSIN. WE WILL BEGIN IMPLEMENTING THE ZONES IN JANUARY.

I INTRODUCED A STATE ENERGY PLAN THAT ENCOURAGES GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION INFRASTRUCTURE, ENSURING A HEALTHY MIX OF FUELS AND CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY MEASURES. PARTS OF THIS PLAN ARE NOW BEING IMPLEMENTED.

AND MY ADMINISTRATION IS COMMITTED TO THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE MENOMINEE VALLEY RIGHT HERE IN MILWAUKEE.
THESE INITIATIVES, WHEN TAKEN COLLECTIVELY, HAVE PROVIDED MOMENTUM…. AND WHILE MY OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE REMAINS OPTIMISTIC, MORE MUST BE DONE IF WE ARE TO SUCCEED.

WE NEED TO EXPAND AWARENESS OF THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES FACING WISCONSIN…. TO DEVELOP REALISTIC AND DO-ABLE STRATEGIES FOR ADDRESSING THESE CHALLENGES TO BUILD STATEWIDE CONSENSUS FOR BOLD ACTION.

I'D LIKE TO BEGIN TONIGHT RIGHT HERE, AND ASK YOU, IN THE COMING WEEKS, TO HELP ME TAKE THIS MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE OF WISCONSIN.

SINCE TAKING OFFICE FEB. 1, THE MCCALLUM ADMINISTRATION HAS FOCUSED ON GROWING OUR ECONOMY AND BUILDING ON THE ECONOMIC SUCCESSES OF THE THOMPSON ADMINISTRATION.

MY FOCUS IS ABOUT CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE AND COORDINATED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT VISION. MY FOCUS WILL BE ON CREATING A STRATEGY THAT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON EVERYONE WHO LIVES IN WISCONSIN.

TOGETHER, WE MUST DEVELOP AN ECONOMIC STRATEGY THAT WILL PROVIDE MORE OPPORTUNITIES AND INCREASE SALARIES FOR WISCONSIN WORKERS….

…. A STRATEGY THAT WILL HELP KEEP MORE OF OUR COLLEGE GRADUATES LIVING AND WORKING IN WISCONSIN.

…. A STRATEGY THAT WILL HELP PROVIDE AN EVEN HIGHER STANDARD OF LIVING AND A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR GRANDCHILDREN.

LAST YEAR'S SUMMIT PROVIDED A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR THIS NEW STRATEGIC VISION. THE CHALLENGE WAS FINDING A WAY FOR LEADERS IN STATE GOVERNMENT… EDUCATION… BUSINESS … AND ORGANIZED LABOR TO WORK TOGETHER TO TURN GOOD IDEAS INTO AN ACTION-BASED STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH IN WISCONSIN.

IF WE ARE TO SUCCEED, WE NEED ALL OF THESE SECTORS WORKING TOGETHER WITH A COMMON PURPOSE…. TOWARD A COMMON END… AND FOR THE COMMON GOOD.

IN JULY, I NAMED A CABINET-LEVEL WORKING GROUP CONSISTING OF LEADERS IN THE AREAS OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, COMMERCE, AGRICULTURE, TOURISM, BUSINESS AND EDUCATION TO DEVISE THE FRAMEWORK THAT WILL BRING TOGETHER ALL THE GROUPS WORKING TOWARD ECONOMIC GROWTH.

I DIRECTED THIS GROUP TO TAKE THE FIRST STEPS TOWARD A COORDINATED BUSINESS PLAN FOR WISCONSIN.

I WANT A STATEWIDE BUSINESS PLAN THAT PAVES THE WAY FOR US TO BUILD ON WISCONSIN'S CURRENT ECONOMIC BASE AND TO DEVELOP STRATEGIES THAT EXPAND OUR BASE…

THAT INCREASE WAGES FOR WORKERS…

THAT INCREASE BUSINESS AND INDIVIDUAL PRODUCTIVITY…

THAT INCREASE INVESTMENTS IN THE STATE…

THAT POSITION WISCONSIN FOR HIGH-TECH GROWTH…

AND THAT ADDRESS REGIONAL ECONOMIC NEEDS BY HELPING LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THRIVE AND GROW.

TONIGHT, I AM TAKING THIS EFFORT TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH A BOLD NEW INITIATIVE I CALL BUILD WISCONSIN .

BUILD WISCONSIN IS THE BLUEPRINT FOR A COMPREHENSIVE AND COORDINATED APPROACH TO ENSURING THAT WISCONSIN'S ECONOMY STRENGTHENS AND GROWS AS THE STATE SAILS DEEPER INTO THE 21ST CENTURY AND THE NEW GLOBAL ECONOMY.

AND BUILD WISCONSIN WILL, FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, BRING TOGETHER ALL PLAYERS IN THE WISCONSIN ECONOMY WITH THE GOAL OF CREATING A COORDINATED, VIBRANT AND REALISTIC BUSINESS PLAN FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF THINGS THAT A STATE, COUNTY OR CITY CAN DO TO IMPACT ITS ECONOMIC FUTURE. WHAT'S MISSING IS A STRATEGIC ANSWER TO THE QUESTION OF: WHERE DO WE FIT IN TO WISCONSIN'S ECONOMIC FUTURE?

BUILD WISCONSIN IS THE VEHICLE TO PROVIDE THOSE ANSWERS.

I WANT TO SAY RIGHT UP FRONT THAT BUILD WISCONSIN IS NOT A TYPICAL STATE GOVERNMENT PROJECT. FOR STARTERS, IT IS BASED ON THE BELIEF THAT GOVERNMENT WILL BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION TO ECONOMIC GROWTH IN WISCONSIN…. NOT A BARRIER TO GROWTH.

STATE GOVERNMENT CAN, AND WILL, PROVIDE THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO CREATE A DETAILED STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

TO BE SUCCESSFUL, OUR BUSINESS PLAN MST BE BASED ON SOLID ANALYSIS AND A REALISTIC APPRAISAL OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO SPUR ECONOMIC GROWTH.

STATE GOVERNMENT CANNOT CREATE WEALTH, AND STATE GOVERNMENT CANNOT CREATE JOBS.

BUT I WILL DO ALL I CAN TO CREATE THE RIGHT CONDITIONS FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO GROW AND PROSPER IN WISCONSIN.

I WILL DO ALL I CAN TO CREATE A CLIMATE WHERE HIGH-WAGE AND HIGH-SKILL JOBS ARE PROMOTED.

I WILL DO ALL I CAN TO HELP FUEL SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGHOUT ALL SECTORS OF OUR ECONOMY AND IN ALL REGIONS OF THE STATE.

A COORDINATED APPROACH TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MUST, BY ITS VERY NATURE, ADDRESS NUMEROUS ISSUES AND CHALLENGES.

FOR INSTANCE, WISCONSIN CURRENTLY DOES NOT HAVE A FOCUSED OR SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO ASSESS OR ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF "BRAIN DRAIN."

BUILD WISCONSIN WILL ADDRESS, HEAD ON, WHAT I PREFER TO CALL "BRAIN GAIN."

TONIGHT, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, I AM ANNOUNCING THE FIRST OF MANY INITIATIVES THAT WILL SURFACE FROM THE BUILD WISCONSIN PLANNING PROCESS.

IT'S CALLED "WISCONSIN JOBS FOR WISCONSIN GRADS!"

DEVELOPED INITIALLY BY UW SYSTEM CAREER COUNSELORS ACROSS THE STATE, "WISCONSIN JOBS FOR WISCONSIN GRADS" WILL UTILIZE A SPECIAL INTERNET LINK OFF THE UW SYSTEM AND INDIVIDUAL CAMPUS HOMEPAGES.

THE PROGRAM, SCHEDULED FOR IMPLEMENTATION EARLY NEXT YEAR, WILL OFFER WISCONSIN EMPLOYERS A FREE JOB POSTING OF ANY POSITION THEY HAVE FOR COLLEGE GRADUATES.

THE UW SYSTEM WILL PROVIDE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN STUDENTS AND ALUMNI ACCESS TO THE SITE TO SEARCH FOR JOBS.

WHAT'S EXCITING IS THAT IT WILL BE A SYSTEM-WIDE SERVICE. COMPANIES ONLY HAVE TO POST THEIR JOBS IN ONE LOCATION TO HIT ALL OF OUR UW CAMPUSES AND ALUMNI.

UNLIKE MOST OF THE CURRENT EMPLOYMENT INTERNET SITES, "WISCONSIN JOBS FOR WISCONSIN GRADS" WILL BE FREE TO WISCONSIN BUSINESSES.

WE WILL HEAVILY PROMOTE AND MARKET THIS EXCITING PROGRAM AMONG OUR STUDENTS AND ALUMNI. OUR GOAL IS SIMPLE: KEEP OUR GOOD STUDENTS WORKING IN WISCONSIN AND, HOPEFULLY, BRING HOME THE MANY ALUMNI WHO WANT TO MOVE BACK TO WISCONSIN.

ANOTHER "BRAIN GAIN" INITIATIVE WILL BE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A STATE OFFICE OF STUDENT RETENTION RESPONSIBLE FOR CONDUCTING A YEAR-ROUND CAMPAIGN TO CONVINCE GRADUATES OF WISCONSIN'S PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLEGES TO ESTABLISH THEIR CAREERS AND FAMILIES AT HOME.

BUT REVERSING WORKER SHORTAGE AND CREATING A "BRAIN GAIN" IS JUST ONE INITIATIVE OF BUILD WISCONSIN.

OTHER TOPICS IN OUR STRATEGIC VISION THAT WILL BE ADDRESSED INCLUDE:

HIGH-TECH BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
BUSINESS OUTREACH
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
TAX POLICY
INFRASTRUCTURE
CAPITAL AND INVESTMENT
INTERNATIONAL MARKETING AND EXPORTS
ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICES
AND PROMOTING WISCONSIN'S IMAGE

LIKE EVERY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS PLAN, EACH COMPONENT WILL HAVE SPECIFIC STRATEGIC INITIATIVES THAT WE WILL IMPLEMENT NEXT YEAR AND BEYOND. FOR ME, THE KEY WORD IS IMPLEMENT!

I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OTHER INITIATIVES THAT WILL BE PART OF THE FINAL BUILD WISCONSIN PLAN.

WE MUST ENHANCE TARGETED, HIGH-IMPACT INDUSTRY CLUSTERS. AS PART OF THIS APPROACH WE WILL TAKE STEPS TO CREATE A FOREST PRODUCTS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OFFICE TO ACCELERATE PRACTICES THAT IMPROVE COMPETITIVENESS, ARE MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.

WE WILL ACCELERATE PLANS TO CREATE A SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT - OR A "ONE-STOP SHOP" FOR WISCONSIN BUSINESSES AND STATE GOVERNMENT TO ASSIST EXISTING INDUSTRY AND ADDRESS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AS THEY ARRIVE.

WE MUST ESTABLISH A COORDINATED, ONE-STOP PERMIT PROCESS FOR BUSINESSES.

WE WILL WORK WITH OUR FRIENDS IN ORGANIZED LABOR TO CREATE NEW INCENTIVES FOR WORKER TRAINING.

THE EXISTING "WISCONSIN REGIONAL TRAINING PARTNERSHIP" BETWEEN THE TECHNICAL COLLEGES AND LABOR IS A GOOD STARTING POINT FOR DISCUSSIONS.

THIS NATIONAL MODEL LINKS EDUCATION WITH LABOR TO UPGRADE WORKFORCE SKILLS FOR DIFFERENT SECTORS.

THE THEME OF SUMMIT II EXPLORES WAYS TO RAISE INCOMES OF WORKERS, AND THE MCCALLUM ADMINISTRATION SHARES THAT GOAL WITH LABOR LEADERS ACROSS WISCONSIN.

WE MUST ALL UNDERSTAND THAT GOOD RELATIONS BETWEEN LABOR AND MANAGEMENT MAKES FOR BETTER PRODUCTIVITY, MORE JOBS… AND ULTIMATELY, HIGHER WAGES FOR WORKERS.

BUILD WISCONSIN WILL BEGIN AN AGGRESSIVE MARKETING CAMPAIGN TO IMPROVE WISCONSIN'S IMAGE. WE WILL TARGET JOBS IN CHICAGO AND MINNEAPOLIS, AND AGGRESSIVELY GO AFTER THEM WITH NO-HOLDS BARRED!

BUILD WISCONSIN WILL BEGIN TO IMPLEMENT THE WISCONSIN TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL'S STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH IS COMMITTED TO ESTABLISHING, GROWING AND RETEAINING SCIENCE-BASED AND TECHNOLOGY-BASED BUSINESSES.

I'D LIKE TO THANK TODD LINSTROTH, CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL. THE COUNCIL'S STRATEGIC VISION IS A STRONG PIECE OF WORK, AND I WILL PROVIDE THE RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT THE FOLLOWING INITIATIVES ARE IMPLEMENTED IMMEDIATELY:
WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR, I WILL PURSUE FEDERAL FUNDING TO ESTABLISH A NATIONAL CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN WISCONSIN….

THE MCCALLUM ADMINISTRATION WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE IDENTIFICATION AND ORGANIZATION OF CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE WITHIN THE STATE AND LEAD THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SECTORS….

I WILL PURSUE INCREASED VENTURE CAPITAL TO WISCONSIN-BASED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BUSINESSES. MY GOAL IS THE CREATION OF PROGRAMS THAT WILL INFUSE AT LEAST 100 MILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR IN VENTURE CAPITAL FIRMS THAT ARE WISCONSIN-BASED OR HAVE OFFICES LOCATED IN WISCONSIN…

I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO RECRUIT OUT-OF-STATE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED VENTURE CAPITAL FIRMS TO LOCATE OFFICES IN WISCONSIN…

I WILL WORK TO OBTAIN MORE DIRECT AIR FLIGHTS FROM SAN FRANCISCO AND BOSTON TO MILWAUKEE, MADISON AND OTHER WISCONSIN CITIES SO WE CAN IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY TO VENTURE CAPITAL….

BUT I'M NOT GOING TO WAIT FOR THE COMPLETION OF OUR BUSINESS PLAN TO MOVE INTO ACTION. EARLIER TODAY, I DIRECTED COMMERCE SECRETARY PHIL ALBERT TO CREATE A TOP-TIER TEAM WITHIN HIS DEPARTMENT WHOSE SOLE MISSION IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENCE- AND TECHNOLOGY-BASED BUSINESSES IN WISCONSIN.

I ALSO HAVE NAMED SEC. ALBERT TO HEAD THE ENTIRE "BUILD WISCONSIN" EFFORT.

AND FINALLY, EARLIER THIS YEAR, RIGHT HERE IN THIS BUILDING, I ANNOUNCED THE APPOINTMENT OF REBECCA HEIDEPRIEM AS THE STATE'S FIRST CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER AND HEAD OF THE NEW DEPARTMENT OF E-GOVERNMENT.

IN THE COMING YEAR, I WILL AGGRESSIVELY PURSUE LEGISLATION AND I WILL USE EXECUTIVE ORDERS TO ENHANCE GOVERNMENT'S ABILITY TO RESPOND TO THE E-CUSTOMER.

ALL OF THIS SOUNDS LIKE A FULL PLATE, AND IT IS…. BUT IT'S ALSO JUST THE BEGINNING OF WHAT WE MUST DO TO ENSURE FUTURE ECONOMIC SUCCESS. BUILD WISCONSIN WILL SPUR INNOVATION IN AGRICULTURE AND HELP FARMERS EXPAND FROM COMMODITY PRODUCTION TO VALUE-ADDED FOOD AND NON-FOOD ENTERPRISES.

BUILD WISCONSIN ALSO WILL HELP FARMERS IMPROVE FARM PRODUCTIVITY AND ENHANCE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE.

BUILD WISCONSIN WILL REFINE MY FEDERAL FAIR SHARE INITIATIVE…. AN INITIATIVE THAT TOOK ROOTS RIGHT HERE AT LAST YEAR'S ECONOMIC SUMMIT.

I AM COMMITTED TO INCREASING THE FLOW OF FEDERAL DOLLARS INTO THE STATE AND BUILD A FEDERAL AGENDA TO LEVERAGE WISCONSIN'S INTERESTS.

MY FEDERAL FAIR INITIATIVE IS BASED ON THE GOAL OF GETTING THE SAME PERCENTAGE OF FEDERAL DOLLARS AS WISCONSIN'S POPULATION IS TO THE U.S. POPULATION.

BECAUSE WE REPRESENT 1.9 PERCENT OF THE U.S. POPULATION, I WANT US TO RECEIVE AT LEAST THAT PERCENTAGE OF FEDERAL FUNDS.

TO DO THIS, I AM FOCUSING OUR EFFORTS IN TWO WAYS:

FIRST, I HAVE CREATED A FEDERAL ISSUE AGENDA THAT CONTAINS 14 POLICY ISSUES THAT REPRESENT MY MAIN PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF CONGRESS. THE AGENDA, WHEN IMPLEMENTED, WILL IMPROVE WISCONSIN'S SHARE OF FEDERAL FUNDING IN PROGRAMS THAT AFFECT AGRICULTURE, HEALTH CARE, CHILD CARE, EDUCATION, THE ENVIRONMENT, COMMERCE AND THE WORKING POOR... TO NAME A FEW.

THESE ISSUES ARE OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITY AND CONCERN TO WISCONSIN CITIZENS, AND REPRESENT FEDERAL PROGRAMS FROM WHICH WISCONSIN BENEFITS IN UNIQUE WAYS.

I AM COUNTING ON THE EXPERIENCE AND DEDICATION OF WISCONSIN'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO PROMOTE AND SELL OUR PRIORITIES IN WASHINGTON.

THE SECOND PART OF MY FAIR SHARE INITIATIVE IS TO GET MORE PROCUREMENT AND GRANT DOLLARS TO WISCONSIN.

MY ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN WORKING WITH WISCONSIN'S TWO WELL-ESTABLISHED AND RESPECTED PROCUREMENT ASSISTANCE ORGANIZATIONS IN HOLDING STATEWIDE TRAINING SEMINARS FOR BUSINESSES THAT WISH TO SELL TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

I ALSO HAVE STEPPED UP EFFORTS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF FEDERAL GRANT OPPORTUNITIES AMONG LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS. SINCE THIS OUTREACH EFFORT BEGAN IN JANUARY, 3.3 MILLION DOLLARS OF ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FUNDING HAS COME TO WISCONSIN BUSINESSES.

THE FEDERAL FAIR SHARE PROGRAM IS A LONG-TERM STRATEGY TO LEVERAGE FEDERAL DOLLARS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF WISCONSIN TAXPAYERS. IT ALREADY HAS PROVEN SUCCESSFUL, BRINGING IN 255 MILLION DOLLARS IN ADDITIONAL FEDERAL MEDICAID FUNDS.

NEXT YEAR, WHEN I REPORT TO YOU AT SUMMIT 3, I PLAN ON SHARING SUCCESS STORIES FROM IMPROVING THE ECONOMY OF OUR STATE.

BUILD WISCONSIN WILL SERVE AS A "LABORATORY OF DEMOCRACY" IN THE NEW ECONOMY, BEGINNING WITH THE RESHAPING OF OUR TAX POLICIES.

WHILE WE WILL ADDRESS SHORT-TERM FLUCTUATIONS IN THE ECONOMY, THE ONLY WAY WISCONSIN WILL BE ABLE TO COMPETE IN AN INCREASINGLY COST-COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE IS TO PROVIDE A SOUND, FAIR AND COMPETITIVE TAX AND REGULATORY CLIMATE IN WISCONSIN.

EVENTUALLY, WE MUST IMPLEMENT A SINGLE SALES FACTOR IN CORPORATE INCOME TAX TO REMOVE A MAJOR IMPEDIMENT TO JOB-CREATING VENTURES IN WISCONSIN.

WISCONSIN'S ECONOMY MUST OUTPERFORM OTHER MIDWEST STATES AND THE NATION. MY EXPECTATIONS FOR BUILD WISCONSIN RAISE THE BAR SUBSTANTIALLY BECAUSE I WANT TO IMPROVE WISCONSIN'S STANDARD OF LIVING.

MY GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT WISCONSIN CREATES A CLIMATE CONDUCIVE TO OUTPACING U.S. GROWTH, MAKES FOCUSED INVESTMENTS, AND PERFORMS GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS EXCEPTIONALLY WELL.

WE WILL ONLY BE SUCCESSFUL IF EACH OF US IN THIS ROOM MAKES A COMMITMENT TO BUILD WISCONSIN. I AM COMMITTED TO MAKING WISCONSIN A BETTER PLACE TO WORK AND LIVE, AND I WILL DEMONSTRATE THAT COMMITMENT BY BEGINNING A PERSONAL COURTSHIP WITH EACH AND EVERY COLLEGE SENIOR CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE WISCONSIN COLLEGES.

MY MESSAGE TO THEM WILL BE THAT WE WANT THEM TO STAY IN WISCONSIN FOLLOWING THEIR GRADUATION.

THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO ATTEND THE BEST SCHOOLS IN THE NATION, AND I WILL NOW ASK THEY TO STAY HERE AND READ THE BENEFITS OF THE BEST EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE NATION AND TO ENJOY THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE COUNTRY.

AND I WILL SEND SIMILAR MESSAGES VERY SOON TO CEO'S, BUSINESS GROUPS, LABOR ORGANIZATIONS, ASSOCIATIONS, EDUCATIONAL LEADERS AND ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS IN WISCONSIN. I WANT THEM ON BOARD WITH BUILD WISCONSIN.

THERE IS NO MORE IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITY FOR ME AS GOVERNOR THAN TO OVERSSE THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS STRATEGIC VISION.

WE HAVE STUDIED THE MATTER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OVER AND OVER.

THE TIME FOR STUDY HAS ENDED.

THE TIME FOR ACTION HAS ARRIVED.

THANK YOU. GOD BLESS YOU, AND GOD BLESS AMERICA.