By State Senator Julie Lassa, 24th District

Last week’s report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics that Wisconsin dropped to a rank of 38th among the 50 states in the pace of job creation is disappointing news for all of the people of Wisconsin.

Our state’s job creation rate during the last year was half that of the national average and is more proof that the national economic recovery is passing us by.

Simply put, the policies of Gov. Scott Walker and legislative Republicans haven’t worked, and it is time for Wisconsin to change course. I believe investing in small business startups gives us the best return on our investment in job creation, for three reasons.

First of all, research shows that small businesses are responsible for nearly all new job growth. Secondly, a business that starts in a community tends to stay in that community, unlike large national or international corporations that can come and go as conditions change. Finally, the kinds of help small businesses need tends to be less expensive for taxpayers than the massive grants and tax credits that entice big corporations.

One example of this kind of program is my Small Business Credit Now bill. Under this program, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation could make grants that will make financing available to small businesses by allowing them to use state tax credits up front as equity in a financing package.

In the past, both Democrats and Republicans have passed millions of dollars in targeted tax credits to create incentives for business investment and expansion. This bill makes state tax credits work for our newest businesses that don’t yet have a tax liability but are poised for rapid growth and new job creation.

Another example is my Entrepreneurial Assistance Grant proposal. Many new business startups are founded by people who have ideas for new products and services, but who may not have the business or technical skills to launch their business effectively. The Entrepreneurial Grant Program authorizes WEDC to award a grant of up to $3,000 to a new business for expenses related to hiring as interns college students who study business, engineering, information technology, or a similar field. This is a cost-effective way to provide entrepreneurs with the skilled help they need while introducing a new generation of students to the potential of starting their own businesses.

Another major hurdle to business growth in Wisconsin is the supply of skilled workers, especially in areas of high-demand technical skills. My Workforce Growth would promote increased investment in worker training and expand technical college training services to help businesses meet their training needs.

Under the Workforce Growth program, businesses, workforce development boards or economic development organizations would partner with their local technical college to apply through a competitive grant process for funding to meet their local skilled worker training needs.

The bill also creates a dual enrollment pilot program for grants to technical colleges to create new or expand existing dual enrollment between K-12 schools and technical colleges to begin high school students on the path toward gaining the skills they will need to secure employment in the workforce. And it establishes a Veterans Success Grant program to reach out to veterans, assist them in exploring career options, and provide veterans training for employment or higher education. Veterans make up a disproportionate share of the unemployed, and Wisconsin was ranked 10th highest in the nation in 2014 with a veteran unemployment rate of 7.6 percent according to the US Department of Labor. This will address that problem while boosting our skilled workforce.

These are the kinds of innovative programs that can help our small businesses create jobs now and in the future, and that can make sure our workers have the skills they need to succeed in those jobs.

These are pro-growth policies that will improve our economy and allow all Wisconsin workers and their families to pursue and achieve the American dream.