Republican Candidate Continues Attack on Economic Security of Wisconsin Families
MADISON — Senate candidate Ron Johnson takes his attack on Wisconsin families to Wausau today, Friday at the Wisconsin Valley Fair in Marathon Park. After eight years of failed Republican economic policies and the economic collapse led to layoffs and job loss across Wisconsin, Johnson will no doubt highlight his opposition to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Though the Recovery Act created and saved 63,000 jobs in Wisconsin and provided tax cuts to 95 percent of working families, Johnson opposes it saying, “We would have been far better off not spending any of the money and let the recovery happen as it was going to happen.” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/15/10]
Johnson has also made an unapologetic defense of eight years of Republican’s unfair trade practices, saying that free trade practices that ship Wisconsin jobs overseas “have been successful for our economy.” [WPR – Here and Now, 7/26/10]
The Republican candidate also opposes the emergency aid to the jobless contained in the Recovery Act, saying: “When you continue to extend unemployment benefits, people really don’t have the incentive to go take other jobs, you know, they’ll just wait the system out until their benefits run out. [Wisconsin Public Television Here and Now, 6/11/10]
Marathon County received $53.9 million in funding through the Recovery Act to prevent layoffs, create jobs; invest in education and infrastructure and save the jobs of teachers, firefighters and law enforcement. Johnson’s opposition to the Recovery Act includes opposition to the following projects in Wausau, where Johnson will appear:
—$2.4 million to the Wausau School district to prevent cuts to education and retain teachers, education aides, custodians, bus drivers, principals and technology specialists. Similar funding is credited with creating or saving 7,391 jobs across Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin Office of Recovery and Reinvestment.
—$2 million to the Wausau School district to provide special education services to children with disabilities by teaching life skills for students who require assistance with daily living opportunities providing occupational therapy rooms with sensory equipment to assist with sensory issues and promote positive behavior, among other programs. Similar funding is credited with creating or retaining 1,224 jobs across Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin Office of Recovery and Reinvestment.
—$1 million to the Wausau School District to improve teaching and learning for students who are most at risk of failing to meet state achievement standards. Similar funding is credited with creating or saving 557 jobs across Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin Office of Recovery and Reinvestment.
—$884,587 to Marathon County to protect public safety by retaining staff such as Sheriff’s deputies, jailers and patrol officers. Similar funding is credited with creating or saving 2,391 jobs across Wisconsin according to the Wisconsin Office of Recovery and Reinvestment.
—$122,592 to the Wausau Area Hmong Associates for community services. Similar funding across Wisconsin is credited with providing more than 13,500 hours of tutoring, giving employment training to 40 residents, improving financial literacy skills of 625 residents, improving weatherization in more than 1,500 homes and creating or saving 108 jobs across Wisconsin, according to the Wisconsin Office of Recovery and Reinvestment.
