ASHWAUBENON, WI (WTAQ)- Governor Scott Walker was in Ashwaubenon to share good news for retail stores.
Standing inside Shopko Thursday afternoon, Governor Scott Walker said the ball is rolling to save tax payers a little money in August, and help retail stores.
“Every family living in the state of Wisconsin that has a child under the age of 18 will get $100 dollars back for the start of the school year, and that is on top of the fact that everyone will beneift from a tax free weekend.
The Tax Credit and Tax Holiday proposal is made possible by a Wisconsin surplus that Governor Walker wants to give back to the tax payers of Wisconsin.
“We hope this will help businesses based in Wisconsin that employ people in Wisconsin.”
Walker says the tax holiday, the first weekend of August should bring in many shoppers since they won’t have to pay a sales tax.
He also mentioned that this is proven successful as Ohio has done this and it was so successful, they took steps to make it permanent.
Along with saving people money this fall, the Governor is hoping proposed legislation passes before the end of the legislative session.
Governor Scott Walker wants the state to offer the same 17-percent in tax credits on wages to keep Kimberly Clark in the Fox Valley as it did in the Foxconn deal.
In Ashwaubenon on Thursday, the Governor said things are least in the right direction thanks to area legislatures.
“We are proud that State Senator Roth and State Representative Jim Steineke are willing to work with us to help provide legislation that would offer the same incentives for Kimberly Clark that was offered for FoxConn.
The plan is subject to legislative approval, but Thursday the governor said the refundable tax credit would be good for 15 years.
The move by Kimberly-Clark to close two facilities in the Fox Valley would take away 600 jobs.
“From our standpoint, we said let’s put on the table what we did to get a major employer to come and bring 13,000 jobs to the state of Wisconsin, and we believe that jobs in the paper industry are just as imporant.”
Walker said the paper industry has a large impact in Wisconsin beyond direct employment.
He says he is hoping the bill passes in this legislative session so he can sign and offer Kimberly Clark the same incentives that FoxConn was offered.
The Governor also addressed the recent school shooting at a Florida high school. Governor Scott Walker says Wisconsin is ahead of many states when it comes to school shooting prevention.
Wednesday’s school shooting in Florida hits close to home for governor Scott Walker. Nearly three decades ago, a school shooting led him to work on laws that put restrictions of firearm purchases.
“I was the author of that bill 25 years ago after a school shooting at Wauwautosa East High School which was not to far from my home.”
Walker says while you never can think it can’t happen here, Wisconsin has taken necessary steps to prohibit firearm purchases by anyone on the wrong side of the law or with identified mental health concerns. He says Wisconsin is ahead of many states.
“Had that shooter in Florida had a problem as a juvenile with run ins with the law or a history of mental health, that law that I authored would have prevented him from purchasing a firearm in Wisconsin.”
Governor Scott Walker says Wisconsin has taken steps ahead of other states to reduce the chances of shootings in schools.
In Ashwaubenon on Thursday, the Governor said Wisconsin puts a big focus on mental health.
“We held listening sessions acrss the state and heard from school officials that they were concerned about the rise of mental health issues.”
Walker says he feels that everyone that needs mental health care should be identified by schools, and they should get the help that they need.
