GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Governor Scott Walker is set to deliver his seventh State of the State on Tuesday.
The address is meant to lay out his agenda for the new legislative session.
“I’m going to talk overwhelming about workforce issues,” said Gov. Walker during a stop in Green Bay last week.
Gov. Walker said while there has been improvement when it comes to unemployment, there are still issues to discuss.
“Years ago, it was jobs, jobs, jobs. Because the economy has improved so much, we’ve got more people employed this past year then we’ve had in our states history, the challenge with that, is we have unbelievable workforce needs”
Walker said he will also address prescription drug abuse, and how it ties to the challenges facing the workforce.
“If people are free and clear of addictions, they’re not only better employees they’re able to take on new jobs and new responsibilities”
Green Bay State Representative Eric Genrich spoke to WLUK.
“Unlike him, I’m not quite ready to reach for the sunglasses, you know. I think our future is not quite as bright as it might be if we were serious about addressing some of the real problems we face as a state”
Genrich said some of those problems include the one-billion-dollar shortfall to the transportation budget, along with issues at correctional facilities.
“Green Bay Correctional in particular, that is unsafe for many of its correctional officers on too many occasions. So I’m looking forward to the Governor talking seriously about addressing these problems”
Genrich said with Republicans holding the majority in both the Assembly and the Senate, these next two years could be tough for democrats.
“I think it’s incumbent upon us to respond to that in a constructive way and lay out policies that will actually improve the lives of working people in the state and that’s what we plan to do”
Normally the State of the State Address is delivered at 7 p.m. however, Walker moved his address up to 3 p.m. Tuesday due to President’ Obama’s Farewell speech.
