State of neglect: Representative Brostoff shares concern

Rep. Jonathan Brostoff’s Statement on the State of the State Address. “Governor Walker is not on Wisconsin’s side, so I am very concerned about the State of Our State.”

Representative Jonathan Brostoff (D-Milwaukee) expresses deep concern that the State of our State is being neglected by the Republican majority.

“Wisconsin is 32nd – dead last in the Midwest – in private-sector job growth over the past four years. It was reported recently that layoff notices in Wisconsin topped 10,000 in 2015, the highest single-year total since Governor Walker took office. In sharp contrast, the Democratic agenda features job creation, wage growth, and other efforts to rebuilding the middle class as our top priorities. In his State of the State speech, our governor failed to mention the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), his privatization scheme, which has been plagued by outsourcing, corruption, and allegations of pay-to-play while failing to create jobs. Democrats have put forward a plan for a job creation agency that would be fully accountable and help entrepreneurs. Tonight, Governor Walker spoke of his plan to address student debt, but it falls comically short of where our state needs it. Wisconsin is third-worst in the nation in student loan debt, yet Walker’s plan would provide relief to a mere 3% of Wisconsinites who need it. The Democratic plan allows people to refinance their student loans just like a mortgage or car payment, a common-sense plan supported by the vast majority of Wisconsinites. Republicans have been actively tearing down our state’s public, higher education system, disregarding the many Wisconsinites who depend on it. This included massive cuts to our technical colleges and a total loss of $795 million in state aid to the University of Wisconsin System under Walker and Republicans. It should be no surprise our governor is out of touch with Wisconsin’s needs. During his failed presidential campaign, he spent approximately 48 minutes per day doing state business. Still, he blamed his gubernatorial duties, which he was elected to do, for his campaign’s failure. Democrats know that we need to listen to our constituents and respond to their concerns all the time, not just when it’s politically convenient. Governor Walker is not on Wisconsin’s side, so I am very concerned about the State of Our State.”