Now, we need to do more to reform state government and put those savings into public education. One area to consider for real reform is the way we administer health insurance for state employees, which some experts believe could save tens of millions of dollars.
Tonight, I commit to investing every penny of savings to the general fund from these specific reforms to support public education. People tell me that they appreciate our efforts to get the state's fiscal house in order and that now is the time to use savings to help our students prepare for the future.
Even before the next budget, we want to put more resources into public education. Tonight, I am pleased to announce we will provide an additional $3 million for dual enrollment programs in our schools through the Wisconsin Fast Forward program. These grants will help districts to partner with local technical colleges, so our students can get a jump-start on their career plans.
We are also excited to work with the University of Wisconsin System to explore providing a three-year degree that would start in our high schools and continue on many of our UW campuses. This would help reduce costs and move people into the workforce sooner.
As we mentioned this past week, student loan debt has increasingly become a burden for young professionals. The best way to tackle this issue is to keep the costs down in the first place. That is why we worked together to freeze tuition for four years.
Still, there are many young people who took out loans before our freeze or did so at private institutions. So we have a package of ideas to help offset the price of college and reduce the costs of student loan debt. We believe that these measures can garner bipartisan support in this legislative session.
Thank you to Representative Dave Murphy, as well as Senator Howard Marklein, Senator Sheila Harsdorf, Representative John Macco, and Representative Dave Heaton, for working with us to put together these plans:
First, we will allow for the full deduction of student loan interest on state income taxes.
Second, we will increase Wisconsin grants for technical colleges to help another 1,000 students, which is on top of the more than 5,000 students we added under our Blueprint for Prosperity.
Third, we'll expand the emergency grants program for students at technical colleges and two-year UW Colleges.
Fourth, we'll increase internships within the UW System to help prepare students for future careers.
Fifth, we look to expand transparency by sending information to students each year about their current and projected student loan debt levels and education costs.
Tonight, I call on lawmakers in both parties to pass this legislative package as soon as possible to help lower the cost of higher education and to ease the burden of student loan debt.
In addition, I look forward to working with UW System President Ray Cross and Board of Regents President Regina Millner and Vice President John Behling to strengthen and promote programs to allow students to graduate on time, to explore a three-year degree, and to expand the UW Flex Option to a number of students equal to a new UW campus. We want a quality education to be affordable in Wisconsin for college students and their families.
You see, we now compete in a global economy. Education will drive success, as will technology. That is why I am glad that we tripled the amount of funding in our budget dedicated this year for broadband access across the state.
People can do business anywhere in the world, but they need access to high-speed internet connections. Our program partners with local investments to install a fiber network. Once completed, a private company provides the service.
Without our assistance, rural areas would be deprived of quality internet access because private companies could not justify the rate of return on investment. Our program helps small businesses, family farmers, tourism attractions, and public schools across the state.
While these investments are great, investing in our people is even more important. Today, we are assisting people with disabilities prepare to enter the workforce by helping employers understand their unique abilities.
In 2015, the state Division of Vocational Rehabilitation assisted nearly 5,000 people with disabilities reach their employment goal. This was the highest rate in 15 years.
We are also helping people with disabilities in high school get ready for careers through something called Project SEARCH. Here in Wisconsin, the program has a success rate of 85 percent—higher than the national rate.
Last year, we grew Project SEARCH to 16 total employer sites. Tonight, I am pleased to note that our funding will help add three more employer sites in 2016.
Helping to keep valuable employees in the workforce is also important. For example, many don't know that the majority of caregivers for people with dementia and Alzheimer's disease are employed beyond their roles as caregivers.
With this in mind, we have a new kit for employers to use to help their valued employees who are caring for a loved one. Tonight, I invite you to get more information about this at dhs.wisconsin.gov/dementia.
The idea for the kit came from former Wisconsin Governor Marty Schreiber whose wife, Elaine, has Alzheimer's disease. He worked with my Secretary of Health Services, Kitty Rhoades, on the project. Governor Schreiber is traveling tonight, but we’re grateful to him and to Secretary Rhoades for their hard work on this issue.
Helping people deal with their health care needs—including mental health—is another way to retain top talent in the workplace. We need to break the stigma and assist people to get the help that they need. I am proud that we put more resources into mental health services than any Wisconsin Governor in the past 25 years.
In 2013, I pronounced that no man or woman who served our country in the Armed Forces should return home and not be able to find employment.
Here in Wisconsin, I am proud to say that we lowered the unemployment rate for veterans in 2014, and again, in 2015. Our state now has one of the lowest unemployment rates for veterans in the nation, significantly below the national unemployment rate for veterans.
Our goal is to see it drop again this year. We owe it to our returning heroes.
All of these different initiatives are designed to increase independence while helping people get the education and skills they need to succeed in the workforce.
As I said at the onset of this address, the state of our state is strong.
There are more people working in Wisconsin than at nearly any other point in our history; state finances are stable; overall, our school students are doing well; college tuition is frozen; and property and income taxes are down from where they were before I took office.
Looking ahead, we have an aggressive plan over the next year to ensure that everyone who wants a job can find a job. We will enact this plan by helping the people of this state improve the economy and by investing in K-12 education, higher education, and worker training.
Still, we need to do more. We need to prepare for the future.
As we think about the next 20 years, I want to hear from you about your hopes and dreams—for your families, your communities, and your state.
With this in mind, I am proud to announce that we are going to visit every part of the state to hold listening sessions throughout 2016. So far, we have held sessions in Seymour, Prairie du Chien, Milwaukee, Osseo, Kewaunee, Sturgeon Bay, and Ashwaubenon… and we plan on coming to a community near you soon.
So far, participants have included principals, farmers, small business owners, local government officials, retirees, veterans, teachers, construction workers, union members, parents, high school students, nurses, charitable organization leaders, superintendents, insurance agents, ministers, college students, machinists, law enforcement, and a librarian.
This is personal for me, as I think the best way to plan for the future is to hear from people all over the state. We need a shared vision for the future. This is why I want to hear from you.
I call it our 2020 Vision Project. The idea is to bring together a diverse mix of people in small group settings all across the state. I want to hear from you about what makes Wisconsin great, where we want our state to be in the next two decades, and how we should measure success.
Now, more than ever, it is important to consider the kind of state our children and grandchildren will inherit. We need to think more about the next generation than just about the next election.
The founders of our state and our country had that kind of long view of the world. Their founding principles were able to overcome partisan and political differences. We can do the same as we think about the kind of state we want to become over the next 20 years and beyond.
On July 4th, we will observe the 240th birthday of this great country—a nation built on the principle of freedom. As we celebrate, let us remember that our rights are endowed by our Creator, defined by our Constitution, but defended each and every day by the men and women who wear the uniform.
They and their families deserve our praise—and more importantly—our prayers. May God bless each and every one of them. May God bless the great State of Wisconsin. And may God bless the United States of America.”
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Adjournment
The Joint Convention arose.
7:54 P.M.
