Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, Feb. 9
More focus and less politics sounds good for WEDC
The new leader of Wisconsin’s economic development agency is saying a lot of reassuring things that should please business people as well as taxpayers.
Melissa “Missy” Hughes has been CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. for four months, and she appears committed to a more focused and fiscally responsible strategy for invigorating Wisconsin’s economy.
For starters, she and Gov. Tony Evers, who picked her to lead the agency, want to make sure Foxconn lives up to its contract if it wants to collect the billions of dollars in state subsidies promised by the previous administration. The Taiwan-based electronics manufacturer appears to be downsizing its plans for a plant in Racine County. We’re glad to see Hughes highlight the need for better communication and transparency.
Though the Foxconn contract may need amendments to protect taxpayers, Hughes last week praised her predecessor, Mark Hogan, for establishing many of the department’s processes and procedures. That’s good to hear, because WEDC has suffered embarrassing audits. If the state is going to provide generous incentives to private businesses to expand here, taxpayers deserve clear benefit and careful accounting of public dollars.
Hughes was the chief mission officer and general counsel for Organic Valley, the nation’s largest dairy cooperative. Based in La Farge, about 90 miles northwest of Madison in Vernon County, Organic Valley includes more than 2,000 farms with annual sales of more than $1 billion.
So Hughes should be a strong advocate for more attention to rural entrepreneurs. She’s excited to launch an Office of Rural Prosperity in WEDC. Struggling dairy farmers need help to adapt and succeed in the global economy.
Under previous Gov. Scott Walker, WEDC rushed to create jobs in Wisconsin to try to fulfill a failed campaign promise. That led to a lack of detail and some misguided loans that cost taxpayers millions with little benefit. WEDC also spent too much time trying to poach companies from other states with the promise of lower taxes, rather than concentrating its attention to promising start-ups that were already here. It too often was secretive about deals involving taxpayer money.
One thing the previous administration did right was make WEDC more nimble and less distracted. The agency’s mission must be the economy, not spot-checking carnival rides, certifying plumbers or inspecting elevators - duties the old Commerce Department was saddled with.
But WEDC’s obsession with job numbers was misguided. Wisconsin’s biggest challenge isn’t creating more jobs, it’s finding enough workers to fill them. And that will require more than lower taxes or corporate handouts. It will require more people who want to stay or move here because of a high quality of life, lots of opportunity and innovation. It also will require better education and training, and more immigration.
Wisconsin’s entrepreneurs have lots of good ideas. Our universities produce lots of patents. What’s too often missing is enough investment and encouragement for young companies.
Hughes has pledged to keep politics out of WEDC’s decisions, which is key to the agency’s success. WEDC needs trust and strong support across the state to invigorate our economy.
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The Journal Times of Racine, Feb. 10
4 a.m. bar closing time for DNC is not needed
“There’s nothing good that happens after 1 a.m.”
That’s what one Racine bartender had to say when he learned of a proposal to allow bars and restaurants throughout southeastern Wisconsin to stay open and serve alcohol until 4 a.m. during this summer’s Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee.
It would lengthen bar hours in more than a dozen counties - including Kenosha and Racine as well as Dane and Milwaukee County.
The convention is only from July 13 to 16 and the rule change itself would only be for a short period, July 13 to July 17. But it could have wider effects if other event organizers try to get extensions for their events.
If bar close is later for the DNC, why not have a later bar close during Summerfest in Milwaukee or during Italian Fest in Downtown Racine or ChocolateFest in Burlington or Taste of Wisconsin in Kenosha?
Allowing a later bar close for one event is a slippery slope.
The legislation being discussed would require municipalities to pass legislation of their own to allow their local bars to stay open past 2 a.m., meaning there could be a scattering of different rules in the region.
That could add its own issues with drinking and driving in a state that routinely tops lists for the most OWI offenses.
Bars and restaurants are going to make a lot of extra money during the DNC, but safety shouldn’t be sacrificed, and at some point the doors need to shut. When the bar closes, you have to add an hour to that for the bartenders and staff to clean up.
In an interview with WISN, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said: “What I’m concerned about is making sure those people who are visiting Milwaukee who are going to be up late have a chance to unwind after the happenings at Fiserv Forum.”
But bars are already open until 2 a.m., which gives convention attendees, delegates and the national media plenty of time to get a drink or two after the convention is done for the night.
For those wanting a drink after 2 a.m., there is nothing stopping people from getting a six-pack of some of the Badger State’s finest brews or a bottle of Door County wine to stash in their hotel room.
But the safety of bartenders, staff and drivers should be considered.
In addition, while it could make sense to have bars open a little longer around Fiserv Forum in the Deer district, it really don’t make sense in Racine, Kenosha or Sheboygan County.
In addition, as legislators are all too inclined to do, they crammed additional legislation into this proposal, including provisions regulating wedding barns.
This is a bad proposal.
The Democratic National Convention is a great opportunity for Wisconsin to shine in the national spotlight. We don’t need a 4 a.m. bar close to do that.
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Kenosha News, Feb. 9
Entire region to benefit by Level II trauma center at Froedtert Pleasant Prairie
The decision to create a Level II trauma center at Froedtert South in Pleasant Prairie will expand critical care in the region.
A Level II facility will allow many patients now flown to Froedtert in Wauwatosa to receive the care in Kenosha County.
Currently both Froedtert hospitals - Pleasant Prairie and Kenosha - have Level III trauma centers, as does Aurora Medical Center in Kenosha.
A Level III trauma center provides assessment, resuscitation, surgery, intensive care and stabilization of patients and emergency operations, but especially severe or specialized cases are transferred to a Level Il or Level I facility.
A Level II trauma center offers 24-hour immediate coverage by general surgeons as well as coverage by the specialties of orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology and critical care.
Patients with life-threatening conditions are referred to a Level I facility.
Residents living east of the Pleasant Prairie hospital and closer to Lake Michigan initially expressed concerns last week that they would be losing services in downtown Kenosha.
Ric Schmidt, Froedtert South president and CEO, said this move would not eliminate emergency services at the Kenosha hospital.
“If you just got really sick and came to the Kenosha campus and had to be treated, you will be treated with critical care nurses. It just won’t be in a department dedicated to emergency care,” he said.
“The ER is definitely not closing,“ Schmidt said. “Critical care will be there, but not necessarily all on one floor. … Both Kenosha and St. Catherine’s Pleasant Prairie offer two full emergency departments.”
Additional services at the Kenosha campus may need to be considered in the future, as Mayor John Antaramian’s Downtown Vision plan begins to take shape. As more apartments and condos are built, these new residents will need medical services.
Still, a Level II trauma center as designated at the state or local level and verified by the American College of Surgeons will be a big boost for the entire county.
More patients can be treated near home rather than in Wauwatosa. Transportation times will be lowered.
We see a Level II trauma center at Pleasant Prairie as a necessary advancement in delivery of medical services, as well as bringing in more specialists.
It will provide better care for all of the region.
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