State Democratic leaders announced Tuesday a package of nine job bills designed to help alleviate unemployment and economic problems within the state by expanding technical school programs.
Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, a sponsor of the jobs package, said technical colleges are vital to the training of skilled workers in the state at a press conference Tuesday.
The bills focus on different aspects of local job growth associated with technical colleges and training programs. One bill would set up a grant system technical colleges could use to expand their programs and to communicate with local businesses.
Another bill would connect youth and unemployed people to open positions in the agriculture industry.
"Every single week you have business owners come forward, and the major issue they bring up is trying to make sure there is a good match between the skills that people have and the jobs that they are offering," Barca said.
Barca said the legislation will likely be introduced in January.
Also at the press conference, senate Minority Leader Mark Miller, D-Monona, said giving large corporations more money will not create jobs.
"What [corporations] need is demand, and for that demand we need to get people back to work to get their pockets filled with money they will spend in the economy," Miller said.
But Mike Mikalson, spokesperson for state Rep. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, said the legislation does nothing for graduates who cannot find jobs.
"The only way you address [the issue of unemployed degree holders] is by creating jobs in the private sector," Mikalsen said. "[The legislation is] an attempt to buy votes of tech college employees for Democrats."
-Jack Casey
