And we must do so while we balance a $3.6 billion deficit. That is why -- even as we reduce school aids - overall we give schools across the state the tools to make up for those reductions with even greater savings through the budget repair bill.
Again, this is why it is so vitally important for the Senate democrats to come back and do their jobs. If they do not, our schools face massive layoffs of teachers. However, if they do come back, overall savings for schools across the state will outweigh reductions, ultimately allowing schools to put more money in the classroom.
When I campaigned for Governor, I set as a goal that all Wisconsin third graders should be able to read at the 3rd grade level. Many have noted that from Kindergarten to 3rd grade -- our kids learn to read -- and then from 3rd grade on, they use reading to learn. We need to make sure every child can read as they move on from 3rd grade.
That's why my budget creates a third grade reading initiative that will require all third graders to achieve basic literacy. I know we can do this and we owe it to our students to make sure we do.
In addition, we will expand choice and charter programs to insure that every kid gets a great education - no matter what zip code they live in. We lift the cap on the number of students eligible to participate in the Milwaukee parental choice program and phase out the income eligibility limits. And across the state, we allow any University of Wisconsin system four-year campus to create a charter school.
S151
Competing globally also means enhancing higher education. To do this we will give our flagship, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the tools it needs to remain a world leader in research and instruction - while continuing to be a driver of economic development for our state. This is a decision that we discussed at length with Chancellor Biddy Martin and the leadership at UW. For the past several years, she and other UW leaders have pushed for greater flexibility. Now they will have it and soon the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee will as well.
Throughout the budget process I am open to working with lawmakers from both political parties on expanding this concept to the other campuses throughout the University of Wisconsin system. A few weeks ago, I met with all of the UW chancellors and expressed my willingness to work with them and the members of the Legislature to improve our higher education system.
We also remain committed to keeping our university system accessible to every Wisconsin student, regardless of financial resources. That's why - even in these tough fiscal times - we maintain our commitment to the state's financial aid program. Plus, we maintain the state's tuition reimbursement for our veterans.
As we refocus government, public safety remains a priority. Our budget will restore truth in sentencing by repealing the early release program approved by the last administration.
We will provide additional resources and positions in our DNA lab to assist our criminal investigations. And we will make sure that our children -- those that are dearest to us -- are protected from those who would do them harm. We provide additional resources to investigate on-line predators targeting our children. The state currently has over twenty thousand IP addresses of people who prey on our children, but we didn't have the resources to track those criminals down. Now we will.
We are proud of the leadership being provided in this area by our Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen and I am thankful that even with a tough budget, we can find resources to protect our kids.
This is a reform budget. It is about getting Wisconsin working again - and to make that happen, we need a balanced budget that works -- and an environment where the private sector can create 250,000 jobs over the next four years.
During our special session on jobs, we created a public-private agency, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation that will focus solely on job creation. Our budget includes the resources and the organization to get the WEDC working to stimulate our economy.
Working hand in hand with our new public-private efforts at the state level, are seven regional economic development efforts around the state. In this budget, these regional economic drivers continue to receive financial support as they collaborate to get their regions and our state growing again.
Our budget also recognizes the important role that transportation plays in economic development. In order to grow, we need to move goods and people in a cost-effective and timely manner. That is why our budget ends the raids on the transportation fund, and includes a total investment of $5.7 billion in our state's transportation system.
That's money that will create jobs - now - and in the future. Included in our budget is funding for the accelerated reconstruction of the Zoo interchange (which actually saves us $600 million from the original plans) and additional funding to continue construction of the I-94 corridor. It also includes major investments in our transportation system all across the State of Wisconsin.
We will also encourage job growth as I fulfill a campaign promise to lower taxes on those who invest in Wisconsin-based businesses and do so for an extended period of time. We will do this by eliminating the capital gains tax for investors in Wisconsin companies that provide jobs for our people. And we include tax relief for employers who hire more people to work in our state.
In this budget, we provide real tax relief for homeowners across the state by implementing property tax reform that locks in property tax levies at the local level. Time and time again, I've heard from Wisconsinites who are doing more with less and making sacrifices to keep their families going. Good people like the retired couple on a fixed income or the new parents paying for daycare and the mortgage on their first house or the middle-class working family where mom and dad still have jobs, but keeping them meant taking a pay freeze. All of them, and others like them across Wisconsin, need true property tax relief and this budget delivers.
I campaigned on creating an environment where the private sector can create 250,000 jobs over the next four years. Our budget lays that foundation, by freeing taxpayers to create jobs in the private sector, by limiting the size and scope of government, and by focusing our government on meeting core priorities. Where we must make reductions, we do so wisely, by giving local governments the tools to save even more money than overall reductions in state aid.
As I have said before, our constitution says, "the blessings of a free government can only be maintained by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality and virtue."
This is the heart of our budget. We are returning to frugality and are making the long term decisions to balance our budget now -- and more importantly, into the future. We will do the heavy lifting to protect our children and grandchildren from having to make the hard decisions that were once avoided.
I know that things will get better.
Back in the 1980s - when I was growing up in the small town of Delavan - we faced similar circumstances in our state. A tough economy and a tight budget were the top issues 25 years ago.
Tommy Thompson brought into office bold new ideas and strong leadership. At the time, defenders of the status quo took offense. But by the end of his first term, those reforms helped balance the budget and those policies helped the private sector create 258,000 new jobs. I remember Governor Thompson's optimism and the excitement he created when we turned our state around back then. If we did it a generation ago, we can do it again today.
This budget is about our commitment to the future. Like every parent and grandparent in this state, I want my two sons to grow up in a Wisconsin (at least) as great as the Wisconsin I grew up in. Working together, I know we can do it.
Thank you. May God richly bless you and your family. And may God continue to bless the great State of Wisconsin."
__________________
4:36 P.M.
Adjourned.
