Tonight we'll launch a new campaign to increase the availability of renewable fuel by 1 billion gallons.
First we'll provide new tax credits for biodiesel fuel producers and add 400 new renewable fuel pumps to our roads.
Second let's pass a renewable fuel standard sponsored by Senator Kreitlow and Representative Suder to require oil companies to provide renewable fuel for our consumers.
Energy Efficiency
Energy costs continue to rise and Wisconsin families deserve relief. Over the next 18 months, we will make another historic investment - $95 million - to help save families and businesses over half a billion dollars over the next decade.
Making Health Care Affordable
To grow Wisconsin, we must address the most significant burden on our economy, our businesses, and our families - heath care.
Today more than 90 percent of our citizens have health insurance, making Wisconsin a national leader.
Yet too many in our state still don't have affordable health insurance - running to the emergency room when they get seriously sick, driving up health care costs for all of us.
600,000 citizens in this state lack health insurance and nearly 98,000 of them are children.
I think we can all agree: No child -- no child -- should go without health care.
BadgerCare Plus
This year Speaker Huebsch, Senator Robson and lawmakers from both parties came together to provide every single child the health care they need at a price their family can afford.
No more financial dead ends for families... No more needless emergency room visits... On February 1st we will launch BadgerCare Plus and fulfill our moral obligation to every child in this state.
And when the program is fully implemented, 98 percent of Wisconsin citizens will have access to affordable health insurance making Wisconsin America's health care leader. Let's keep leading the way.
Skyrocketing health care costs are paralyzing our economy. And across the country small businesses, their employees, and their families are shouldering the worst of the problem.
Less than half of small businesses can even afford to provide insurance for their workers. These families represent over half of the uninsured people in this country.
And the problem is getting worse. Small businesses and their employees pay 18 percent more for health insurance than big companies. And their insurance bills may go up 30 percent one year and 50 percent the next.
Senator Vinehout and Representative Seidel have been working with businesses and health care experts to solve this problem. Rising insurance costs are killing our small businesses.
For over 25 years, Keeper Goals, a small manufacturer in Butler, Wisconsin has made high quality athletic equipment such as soccer goals and basketball hoops.
John Moyhnihan, the owner, does the right thing and provides health insurance to his employees. He has eleven full time employees - seven of which participate in their health care plan. For the past two years his insurance costs have gone up nearly 60 percent. He spends nearly 15 times what he spent on health care a decade ago. He says that health care costs take up almost 25 percent of his overall business.
Every year John works with an insurance broker to look for better health care deals and every year the costs go up.
A horrible illness or accident could happen to any one of us. The purpose of health insurance is that we all share the risk. But when one person at Keeper Goals gets sick, their costs go through the roof.
This comes down to an issue of fairness. Two people - same age, same health history - the only difference is that one sits behind a desk and another makes things for a living.
Why should our farmers, our manufacturers, our service employees and others have to pay so much more for health care?
For years we've worked on lowering health care costs. We've created purchasing pools and coops. They've helped, but it's just not enough.
We have a system that's not working. ...A system that allows insurance companies to cherry-pick who they'll cover. ...A system that too often puts insurance companies and drug companies ahead of small businesses and ordinary families.
It's time for a change, and it's called BadgerChoice - a one-stop shop for small businesses where there's real competition among insurance companies and real choice for consumers.
Modeled off of the most innovative solutions in the country, our plan will create a consumer-driven health care marketplace for nearly 800,000 people.
Here's how it works:
First by harnessing the purchasing power of Wisconsin's small businesses, we can drive down costs and provide real saving for families.
Second we'll create a simple, straightforward web-site and a 1-800 number that will reduce administrative costs and make it easy for families to understand their options.
Third we can eliminate the “one size fits all" health plan and allow employees to choose from a dozen private plans - applying their employer contribution to the one that works best for them.
Finally - and this is the critical step - through a new community rating system, we'll inject real stability and fairness - ensuring that all of us share the risk.
Our economy, our businesses, and our families need health care reform that draws from the best Democratic ideas and the best Republican ones. A plan that gives our small businesses the relief they need and gives Wisconsin families the peace of mind they deserve.
Let's keep leading the way.
Anti-Smoking Initiative
Our efforts to fight smoking have worked. Since the price of cigarettes went up on January 1st over 20,000 people have called our Quit Line ready to kick the habit.
Already we have saved lives.
It's time to take the next step. 23 days ago every bar, every restaurant, every workplace in the state of Illinois went completely smokefree. Five months ago the state of Minnesota went completely smokefree.
From Appleton to Ashland, more than 30 communities across Wisconsin have gone smokefree. The patchwork approach to public health is bad for business and the time for action is now.
I want to thank Senator Risser and Representative Wieckert for their leadership. Wisconsin should not become the ashtray of the Midwest. It's time for lawmakers to do what's right and make all workplaces completely smokefree.
Autism
Nicole and Matthew Horton are here tonight and I want to thank them for letting me share their story. They are dealing with something that thousands of other families struggle with in Wisconsin.
Three years ago Nicole and Matthew gave birth to their son Owen. But it wasn't too long before they realized that Owen was not developing like he should.
The doctors said that Owen had Autism. It was serious, but if he got immediate treatment the chances for improvement would grow dramatically.
Nicole and Matthew worked hard to get good health insurance so that it would be there if they needed it. But when they turned to their insurance company to pay for Owen's treatment, they were rejected.
Owen's treatment costs more than $50,000 a year - a cost almost no Wisconsin family could ever afford.
A year ago I asked lawmakers to help families who struggle with autism. Enough is enough. Senator Robson and Representative Ott have authored legislation that would require insurance companies to cover the cost of autism treatment.
They're here because they want lawmakers to side with Wisconsin families not big insurance companies.
Investing in Quality Education
From the health of our families to the health of our economy, we have work to do together...but it all begins with a commitment to education.
For me it's pretty basic. It comes down to what every parent wants for their child - small class sizes, good teachers, and high standards.
Over the past year Democrats and Republicans have come together to invest in education from four year old kindergarten to our world class colleges and universities.
We've opened the doors of opportunity for every student willing to work hard and earn their way. Students like Justin Beaver. Justin and his grandparents, Joanna and Donald, are here tonight.
After his mother left home and his father passed away, Justin had to take care of his younger brother and put himself through college. He earned a 3.5 grade point average and found time to mentor middle school students and coach high school football.
He also played a little football himself. A three time all-American, Justin was named the best player in the country for division three football and led the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks to their first ever national championship. Justin represents the hope of Wisconsin.
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Justin, thanks for making us so proud.
3rd year of Math and Science
To make sure we have more kids ready to compete in the world, I urge you to pass legislation to make a third year of math and a third year of science mandatory for high school graduation.
Teacher Pay
We need high standards for our students and our teachers, but we have a compensation system that rewards neither. The system is broken. It's a relic from a political fight a half a generation ago. From Waukesha to Wausau, school districts, parents, and taxpayers have all had enough.
Everyday we depend on our teachers to enrich young minds and build a brighter future for Wisconsin. But today, teachers in Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, Iowa all make more than Wisconsin teachers. In fact starting teachers in 48 other states make more than Wisconsin teachers.
Nearly one third of Wisconsin teachers - some of the most dynamic and energized we have - leave the profession within five years for a new career and more sustainable future for their families.
In the next budget I will present a plan to invest in a compensation system that rewards teachers who take on the hardest assignments, who advance their skills, and who help their students achieve success.
Wisconsin Covenant
Let me introduce three Wisconsin heroes who exemplify the power of education... Allen Betry, Kristina Clair, and Dick George, President and CEO of Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation.
Last spring Allen, a teacher at Horace Mann Middle School in Wausau stood before his 8th grade class and told them about the Wisconsin Covenant. If they are willing to work hard, play by the rules, and make the grade, there will be an opportunity in higher education for them.
Kristina Clair from East High School in Madison last year joined with more than 17,000 other 8th graders from all 72 counties to sign the Wisconsin Covenant pledge. 17,000 kids said they wanted to go to college - and they're going to work hard to get there.
In Wisconsin, we're also doing the right thing for our veterans. Last year we gave our veterans a ticket to higher education tuition free.
But we didn't stop there. No other state in the country has done more to make higher education affordable. The last four months have been astounding.
First we committed nearly $190 million to financial aid and approved the University of Wisconsin Growth Agenda - a plan to create more college graduates and train the next generation of teachers, nurses, and engineers.
Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation quickly followed, dedicating $40 million and establishing the Wisconsin Covenant Foundation to recruit support from businesses across the state. And just last month John and Tashia Morgridge announced an incredible gift of $175 million to establish the Fund for Wisconsin Scholars, helping public school students go to our public colleges and universities.
I don't want any young person in this state to think that college is not for them - that it's only for rich people. I want every student to know that if they do their part there will be an opportunity in higher education for them.
Protecting the Great Lakes
To build a bright future for Wisconsin we must continue to reach across the aisle, put partisanship aside, and focus on the incredible assets we have in this state.
From the majestic shores of Lake Michigan to the brutal and beautiful waters of Lake Superior, the Great Lakes are Wisconsin's most precious natural resource.
But the Great Lakes face many new challenges. Regions of the country that have overbuilt look at our freshwater with an envious eye.
As Chair of the Council of Great Lakes Governors I along with my fellow Governors have taken aggressive action, signing the Great Lakes Compact to preserve and protect our fresh water for generations.
In the coming weeks, leaders in the Legislature will introduce a bipartisan plan to approve the Great Lakes Compact. I want to thank Democrats and Republicans for helping to move the compact forward. Let's continue to work together to ratify and implement this historic agreement and ensure that our Great Lakes remain protected forever.
Closing
We have a certain way of doing things in Wisconsin. Not with a lot of flash or a lot of fanfare but with a dedicated spirit and a ton of hard work.
Just look at our armed forces serving all over the world. They and their families are making incredible sacrifices for our nation. Wisconsin now has 500 Wisconsin National Guard troops serving overseas. Another 3,400 Wisconsin National Guard soldiers have been notified that early next year they may be mobilized for missions in Iraq.
Let me say to all those who serve -- to all those who take on the burden of protecting our nation. Thank you. We're proud of you.
I also want to recognize the new Adjutant General of Wisconsin, Brigadier General Don Dunbar. Thank you General Dunbar for your leadership and your commitment to our state and nation. You and all the 10,000 men and women who serve Wisconsin in our National Guard have our deepest appreciation.
Like many people in Wisconsin I'm a huge golf fan and I always cheer for the underdog.
A few years ago Steve Stricker was struggling. A great young career that began in Edgerton, Wisconsin had fallen on hard times. He had lost his PGA card and wasn't sure what the future would hold. He and his wife and caddy Nicki never complained, never blamed anyone. They worked and worked, hoping that one day they could overcome.
Steve is the most modest guy you'll ever meet, but there's no question he's achieved one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the game. Last year he won the Barclays and finished second in the FedEx Cup Playoffs to a guy they call Tiger.
