As you may know, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) recently announced plans to reduce the number of job centers across the state. With today's weak economy, it's troubling to me that a state agency would take action to cut back on workforce development resources. It is times like these when the valuable tools that job centers provide to people are most important. In a positive development, however, DWD Secretary Roberta Gassman stated at a recent legislative hearing that the agency is reconsidering the cuts. I strongly encourage the secretary to do all she can to prioritize these job centers when reviewing her decision.
Originally, DWD's plan called for job service staff from the 38 job centers around the state to be consolidated to 12 urban centers located in bigger cities such as Milwaukee, Kenosha and Madison. The consolidation was cited as necessary due to the loss of federal funding for job service and workforce programs. In Wisconsin, job centers are funded entirely by federal dollars, and over the past few years we've lost 60 percent of our federal funding for workforce development services. DWD officials have stated their plan would spend the shrinking federal dollars more efficiently and would make better use of the Internet.
While I agree with the idea of utilizing technology to make state government programs run more efficiently, the timing for these drastic reductions is wrong. When I'm out talking with families in our area, I'm constantly hearing economic development and job creation as the most important issue. I believe the state needs to do everything possible to foster economic growth, which includes helping unemployed workers get back on their feet by providing them with the resources and tools they need.
By cutting the current job centers and shifting all the resources to the big cities of the state, families living in rural areas lose and feel the negative consequences the most. Not everyone has easy access to the Internet and the high price of gas will make it difficult for people to get services. Looking for a job is stressful enough. These individuals should not have to drive over an hour to get service which previously they could conveniently receive in a small town near them.
In the long run, our goal as a state should be to improve efficiencies and service levels by expanding the use of technology like the innovative virtual job center, which has just gotten off the ground in our area. But such a drastic reduction like DWD is suggesting in the current economic climate is not appropriate. We also must build a stronger partnership with the federal government in terms of funding. Moving forward, if the U.S. Congress doesn't believe job centers and workforce training in rural areas is a high enough priority, the state needs to fill in the gaps. Expecting county government to shoulder the burden of the cost is not the answer. The federal and state government needs to provide workforce training resources to assist our families that need help getting back to work.
I look forward to learning more about Secretary Gassman's final decision to prioritize job centers in our state. The state needs to continue to provide its workers and employers with the resources they need. This includes continuing to promote tax credits and a friendly economic environment for Wisconsin businesses, as well as funding continuing education programs through our technical colleges, and ensuring job center resources are available in every part of the state.
I want to hear from you so please feel welcome to express your thoughts or let me know if I can be helpful to you in any way by calling (888) 534-0080, e-mailing me at Rep.Davis@legis.wi.gov or by writing or stopping by 308 North, State Capitol, Madison, WI 53708.
- Wisconsin State Rep. Brett Davis,
R-Oregon, serves the 80th Assembly District, which includes all of Green County and portions of Rock, Dane and Lafayette counties.
Originally, DWD's plan called for job service staff from the 38 job centers around the state to be consolidated to 12 urban centers located in bigger cities such as Milwaukee, Kenosha and Madison. The consolidation was cited as necessary due to the loss of federal funding for job service and workforce programs. In Wisconsin, job centers are funded entirely by federal dollars, and over the past few years we've lost 60 percent of our federal funding for workforce development services. DWD officials have stated their plan would spend the shrinking federal dollars more efficiently and would make better use of the Internet.
While I agree with the idea of utilizing technology to make state government programs run more efficiently, the timing for these drastic reductions is wrong. When I'm out talking with families in our area, I'm constantly hearing economic development and job creation as the most important issue. I believe the state needs to do everything possible to foster economic growth, which includes helping unemployed workers get back on their feet by providing them with the resources and tools they need.
By cutting the current job centers and shifting all the resources to the big cities of the state, families living in rural areas lose and feel the negative consequences the most. Not everyone has easy access to the Internet and the high price of gas will make it difficult for people to get services. Looking for a job is stressful enough. These individuals should not have to drive over an hour to get service which previously they could conveniently receive in a small town near them.
In the long run, our goal as a state should be to improve efficiencies and service levels by expanding the use of technology like the innovative virtual job center, which has just gotten off the ground in our area. But such a drastic reduction like DWD is suggesting in the current economic climate is not appropriate. We also must build a stronger partnership with the federal government in terms of funding. Moving forward, if the U.S. Congress doesn't believe job centers and workforce training in rural areas is a high enough priority, the state needs to fill in the gaps. Expecting county government to shoulder the burden of the cost is not the answer. The federal and state government needs to provide workforce training resources to assist our families that need help getting back to work.
I look forward to learning more about Secretary Gassman's final decision to prioritize job centers in our state. The state needs to continue to provide its workers and employers with the resources they need. This includes continuing to promote tax credits and a friendly economic environment for Wisconsin businesses, as well as funding continuing education programs through our technical colleges, and ensuring job center resources are available in every part of the state.
I want to hear from you so please feel welcome to express your thoughts or let me know if I can be helpful to you in any way by calling (888) 534-0080, e-mailing me at Rep.Davis@legis.wi.gov or by writing or stopping by 308 North, State Capitol, Madison, WI 53708.
- Wisconsin State Rep. Brett Davis,
R-Oregon, serves the 80th Assembly District, which includes all of Green County and portions of Rock, Dane and Lafayette counties.
