Like so many of you, I was thrilled to hear that Stoughton Trailers, LLC plans to re-open the Evansville facility which will create up to 302 new full-time jobs right here in our own backyard.
This local company was recently awarded a $750,000 loan from the Community Development Block Grant-Economic Development Program which is currently managed by the Wisconsin Department of Commerce. They are also expecting the loan to help retain more than 600 jobs and add up to an additional 176 new jobs in Stoughton and Brodhead.
Unfortunately, this situation is more the exception than the rule. When we reflect on the last two and a half years, I think we all know a family that has been impacted by the current economic downturn. Maybe it's a father who was laid off, a mother who lost her health insurance benefits, or a son or daughter that couldn't afford their mortgage payments and were forced into foreclosure. I know my own family, like so many of our friends and neighbors, has also been affected in these tough, uncertain times.
As the former mayor of Evansville and a current member of the Assembly Committee on Rural Economic Development and Rural Affairs, I know first-hand how difficult it can be to create jobs in this economy, especially in a rural community. If there is any issue that Republicans and Democrats should be able to come together on, it's jobs.
I believe that if we are ever going to truly get our economy back on track, we have all got to work together. This includes Republicans and Democrats from Superior to Monroe to Eau Claire and Green Bay. I voted for several Republican-authored jobs bills earlier this session. It didn't matter to me whether there was an R or a D after the lead author's name, but whether it was something that would help put people back to work.
Even amongst all of this political turmoil over Gov. Walker's budget repair bill, a colleague, from the other side of the aisle, and I were able to work on an amendment to his jobs bill so that it would be more flexible and workable for rural communities.
On Thursday, March 17, as I was leaving my dentist's office in Evansville around noon, I noticed a large protest outside of Stoughton Trailers. I stopped by and spoke with several local demonstrators who asked me to speak on the governor's visit to our city. Sadly, I was unable to help them understand what was happening, since I had not received any details from his office about the Stoughton Trailers loan. Even as the state representative for the area, he didn't let me know he was going to be in our district.
We are lucky to live in a country where we are able to speak freely. Good debate is healthy and there are certainly going to be times where we disagree. However, maintaining respectfulness and working together to find areas of compromise and agreement are the only way that we are going to be able to move forward and get things done.
As always, please feel free to contact my office regarding this or any other state legislative matter. I can be reached toll-free at (888) 534-0080 or by e-mail at Rep.Ringhand@legis.wi.gov.
- Rep. Janis Ringhand, D-Evansville, represents the 80th Assembly district. She can be reached at rep.ringhand@legis.wisconsin.gov or call (888) 534-0080.
This local company was recently awarded a $750,000 loan from the Community Development Block Grant-Economic Development Program which is currently managed by the Wisconsin Department of Commerce. They are also expecting the loan to help retain more than 600 jobs and add up to an additional 176 new jobs in Stoughton and Brodhead.
Unfortunately, this situation is more the exception than the rule. When we reflect on the last two and a half years, I think we all know a family that has been impacted by the current economic downturn. Maybe it's a father who was laid off, a mother who lost her health insurance benefits, or a son or daughter that couldn't afford their mortgage payments and were forced into foreclosure. I know my own family, like so many of our friends and neighbors, has also been affected in these tough, uncertain times.
As the former mayor of Evansville and a current member of the Assembly Committee on Rural Economic Development and Rural Affairs, I know first-hand how difficult it can be to create jobs in this economy, especially in a rural community. If there is any issue that Republicans and Democrats should be able to come together on, it's jobs.
I believe that if we are ever going to truly get our economy back on track, we have all got to work together. This includes Republicans and Democrats from Superior to Monroe to Eau Claire and Green Bay. I voted for several Republican-authored jobs bills earlier this session. It didn't matter to me whether there was an R or a D after the lead author's name, but whether it was something that would help put people back to work.
Even amongst all of this political turmoil over Gov. Walker's budget repair bill, a colleague, from the other side of the aisle, and I were able to work on an amendment to his jobs bill so that it would be more flexible and workable for rural communities.
On Thursday, March 17, as I was leaving my dentist's office in Evansville around noon, I noticed a large protest outside of Stoughton Trailers. I stopped by and spoke with several local demonstrators who asked me to speak on the governor's visit to our city. Sadly, I was unable to help them understand what was happening, since I had not received any details from his office about the Stoughton Trailers loan. Even as the state representative for the area, he didn't let me know he was going to be in our district.
We are lucky to live in a country where we are able to speak freely. Good debate is healthy and there are certainly going to be times where we disagree. However, maintaining respectfulness and working together to find areas of compromise and agreement are the only way that we are going to be able to move forward and get things done.
As always, please feel free to contact my office regarding this or any other state legislative matter. I can be reached toll-free at (888) 534-0080 or by e-mail at Rep.Ringhand@legis.wi.gov.
- Rep. Janis Ringhand, D-Evansville, represents the 80th Assembly district. She can be reached at rep.ringhand@legis.wisconsin.gov or call (888) 534-0080.
