Bill Kaplan: Kansas and Wisconsin

Since 2011 Kansas and Wisconsin have been far-right GOP models for sharp budget and tax cutting that would supposedly lead to economic growth and prosperity. However, it was all delusion. Last year, Kansas voters finally had enough.

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State unemployment rate falls to 3.1 percent in May

Wisconsin’s unemployment rate fell to 3.1 percent in May, according to federal data released by the state Department of Workforce Development. This follows a rate of 3.2 percent in April, and marks the lowest it’s been since October 1999. It’s

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Walker touts new unemployment rate of 3.2 percent

Gov. Scott Walker today lauded the dropping of the state’s unemployment rate last month to 3.2 percent as “further evidence we are continuing to move Wisconsin forward.” This is down 0.2 percent from March’s unemployment rate, and marks the lowest

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Audit finds WEDC improved operations, issues remain

A new state audit found while WEDC has significantly improved its operations, the number of jobs created or retained by economic development job programs can’t be determined. The audit, released today by the Legislative Audit Bureau, also pointed out WEDC’s

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Bill would let robots make deliveries on sidewalks

Lawmakers today heard public testimony on a bill that would let robots take to the sidewalks to make customer deliveries across the state. The hearing also featured a 35-pound cooler-shaped and Estonia-made delivery robot from the European company Starship Technologies,

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Bill Kaplan: Kansas and Wisconsin

Since 2011 Kansas and Wisconsin have been far-right GOP models for sharp budget and tax cutting that would supposedly lead to economic growth and prosperity. However, it was all delusion. Last year, Kansas voters finally had enough.

Read More »

State unemployment rate falls to 3.1 percent in May

Wisconsin’s unemployment rate fell to 3.1 percent in May, according to federal data released by the state Department of Workforce Development. This follows a rate of 3.2 percent in April, and marks the lowest it’s been since October 1999. It’s the second-lowest rate on record after the 3 percent rate

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Wisconsin ranks 33rd for private sector job growth

Wisconsin’s private sector job growth last year was below the national average, putting it at 33rd in the country, according to the latest quarterly data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics The state added 11,548 jobs in 2016, a 0.5 percent increase from the year before. The national average was

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Walker touts new unemployment rate of 3.2 percent

Gov. Scott Walker today lauded the dropping of the state’s unemployment rate last month to 3.2 percent as “further evidence we are continuing to move Wisconsin forward.” This is down 0.2 percent from March’s unemployment rate, and marks the lowest level of unemployment since February 2000, according to federal data

Read More »

Audit finds WEDC improved operations, issues remain

A new state audit found while WEDC has significantly improved its operations, the number of jobs created or retained by economic development job programs can’t be determined. The audit, released today by the Legislative Audit Bureau, also pointed out WEDC’s uncollectible loan balance has grown by millions of dollars over

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Fitzgerald, lawmakers talk to Canadian officials over dairy trade dispute

Fitzgerald today expressed disappointment that Canadian officials haven’t “demonstrated the sense of urgency” Wisconsin officials have shown over a dairy trade dispute. State officials have pushed the Trump administration to call for a change in Canada’s trade policies, saying a recent policy decision led a company to cut the contracts

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Bill would let robots make deliveries on sidewalks

Lawmakers today heard public testimony on a bill that would let robots take to the sidewalks to make customer deliveries across the state. The hearing also featured a 35-pound cooler-shaped and Estonia-made delivery robot from the European company Starship Technologies, whose representatives spoke in favor of the bill. That legislation,

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