Invest for Success- Mar 25, 2014

BURKE: Hi, I'm Mary Burke. I've spent most of my career in the private sector and helped grow Trek into a global success with nearly a thousand jobs right here in Wisconsin. Now I'm running for governor to create more good-paying jobs so we can grow and strengthen the middle class because I know we can do a whole lot better than we've done under Scott Walker. Wisconsin has created jobs at just half the national average and we're facing a growing income gap. These challenges didn't arrive overnight, but Walker's approach is making them worse. We need big, bold ideas to build a thriving top 10 economy and new leadership to make it happen. Here the strategies I'll use to turn things around: First, organize our economic development efforts around industry clusters to build on our core strengths like manufacturing, agriculture and technology as well as our emerging industries. Second, we need to develop and align Wisconsin's workforce for the 21st-century economy because Wisconsin must be fully invested in a well-educated and highly trained workforce to succeed in today's competitive marketplace. Third we need to do a lot more to encourage and support entrepreneurs and small business development because new businesses account for 70 percent of the jobs that get created. To succeed in today's economy, we need to position Wisconsin to be competitive globally, selling great Wisconsin products overseas. It worked for Trek and I know it can work for businesses across our state. Finally, we need to invest in strong communities that ensure Wisconsin is great place to live, work and grow successful businesses. Read the whole plan for yourself at our website and, as you do, know that I want to hear your thoughts on the plan which I call Invest for Success. You see, I'm a business person so I view this as a starting point. I want feedback and input into the plan from business owners, workers, entrepreneurs, students, researchers. And let me know what you think, because this plan isn't just for the campaign, it's the playbook I'll use to strengthen Wisconsin's economy and the middle class starting the day I'm sworn in as your governor. So let's get to work.