We can bring real, meaningful relief to homeowners without abandoning Wisconsin priorities like education and police protection. Under my plan, the typical property tax bill will go up less than two percent over the next couple of years - holding property taxes to less than the rate of inflation.
Children
Finally, my opportunity budget will make sure that in Wisconsin, opportunity begins with our youngest citizens.
We'll help upgrade the skills and training of child care workers, and provide bonus pay to those who complete a rigorous early childhood education degree.
Parents often struggle to find the right child care center for their kid. Unfortunately, we live in a world where it's easier to find information about the quality of hotels than the quality of day care. And so tonight, I propose working with experts in the field to rate the quality of child care centers on a system of one to five stars. With this rating system, parents will have all the information to make the right decision ... and child care centers will have clear benchmarks and a powerful financial incentive to improve.
Finally, we need to protect our kids from dangerous sex predators.
Tonight, I propose a significant expansion of the Sand Ridge facility, so that we can keep more of the most dangerous serial child predators away from our kids.
We also have to recognize that in the high tech world, sex predators don't have to be lurking around the playground to cause trouble. Thousands of them are finding and victimizing kids through the Internet.
As Attorney General, I launched one of the first efforts in the nation to track down online sex predators.
But because more and more of our kids are now at risk, it's time to expand these efforts with more criminal investigators. They'll go undercover, find these predators, and bring them to justice.
I also recognize that the situation at the crime lab is a major concern for law enforcement. As the former Attorney General who started the DNA program, I understand it's not only an issue of resources. It's an issue of management ... and setting the right priorities. Let's all commit ourselves to working with the Attorney General to clean up this backlog.
You have an important task ahead you in the coming months. I understand we have a Democratic Senate and a Republican Assembly, but that shouldn't stop anyone from working together to get this budget done on time. We shouldn't go back to the days when legislators in different parties would barely talk to each other and budgets could never get finished.
Let's get this job done for the people of Wisconsin.
I've given you a lot of numbers tonight, but ultimately, this isn't about numbers. It's about the hardworking people of Wisconsin ... some of whom are with us tonight.
Let me introduce them.
This is about Amanda Otteson, a worker at Nu Pak in Prairie du Chien who took advantage of our job training programs, helping grow the company as well as her paycheck.
It's about Jacie LaVaughn Gamroth, a student at UW-La Crosse who is getting a great education because of the commitment we've made to financial aid.
It's about Quentin Stacy, a maintenance worker, and his wife Tracy who is studying at MATC to become an engineer. They will have health insurance ... if you approve BadgerCare Plus.
It's about Victor Barnett, the founder of Running Rebels in Milwaukee. He has spent the last 20 years devoted to creating positive opportunities for young people ... and hopes the state can step up and do more.
And it's about Cliff Syverud, a veteran of World War II who is proud to live in Wisconsin, where we have made a commitment to the best veterans program in the nation.
Thanks for being here, folks.
These are the families of Wisconsin. Hardworking, innovative, courageous, optimistic people.
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Like generations before them, they get up every day and work to make this a stronger, safer, and more vibrant state ... the very best place to live and work and raise a family.
Tonight, here in this room, let us commit ourselves to resolve differences, come together, and do what we must ... so that this great state always supports their great dreams.
An opportunity budget for the middle class ... is a budget worthy of our best effort ... and worthy of Wisconsin's families.
Thank you ... and On, Wisconsin."
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Adjourned.
7:56 P.M.
