Governor Scott Walker unveiled a new $10 million dollar program designed to help get more workers to businesses, here in the north and other rural areas.
Walker spoke at the Northern Wisconsin Economic Development Summit in Minocqua Thursday.
The plan is called the Rural Economic Development Initiative, designed to help businesses create more jobs in rural areas for low and moderate income persons. The second component supplies housing for people to work in an area. Walker says this will help alleviate a growing worker shortage. The third component ties to worker training.
Walker told reporters later this money -can only be used in rural areas...
"....focused on rural areas, $10 million grants provided to help out with economic development to move people up into middle-class supporting jobs to help with housing to draw housing into areas with high demand economic development. Third, to help with workforce training, to grow jobs and opportunity we have to make sure we have a workforce trained to do that...."
Walker also said there will be more money to help rural Wisconsin get high-speed internet, saying the issue now is at the core of rural economic development.
Also, Walker will not be joining the Trump Administration. Walker's name has been mentioned among those the Trump transition team reportedly was considering, but , Walker said he had talked informally with people, including fellow Governor and Vice-President-elect Mike Pence and said he had no interest...
“....I said then as I would say now that the best thing I can do for this state and the country is to continue to be Governor. I’ll start next week as the chair of the Governor’s Association is be able to connect the Governors with Congress and a new President going forward....”
Walker says he’s undecided on a third term as Wisconsin Governor, saying he’s focused on the upcoming two-year budget and completing this term.
