Competitive Wisconsin, Inc. is pleased to release a bold new vision for economic development in Wisconsin, which, when fully implemented, has the potential to grow Wisconsin's economy by $22 billion and generate $1.32 billion in new tax revenue each year, without a tax increase. 

The total cost to implement the CWI Mandate is $756.6 million, of which $499 million is a one-time expenditure to grow Wisconsin's Rainy Day Fund.  The remaining annual benefit by increasing Wisconsin’s per capita income by $4,071 a year is an additional $1.053 billion a year in tax revenues that can be used for key state priorities and property tax reduction.

Traditional economic development strategies involve recruiting new companies to the state as well as assisting the growth of existing companies.  The CWI Mandate changes that paradigm completely.  CWI believes Wisconsin should focus on the broader objective of growing the economy through strategic investment budgeting.  This strategy emphasizes recruiting high-wage earners to Wisconsin, producing or recruiting more citizens with college degrees, and growing Wisconsin’s per capita income.  Ultimately, this course will grow Wisconsin’s bottom line without raising any taxes or fees. 

CWI is recommending a comprehensive economic development agenda to address priorities in education, taxes, health care, entrepreneurship, worker training, infrastructure, and marketing.  CWI believes its’ unique membership consisting of business, agriculture, education, and labor will enable it to achieve key recommendations such as:

• Fostering the retention and expansion of existing businesses and farms and increasing worker productivity.
• Accelerating start-ups, increasing R&D, and encouraging technology transfer to nurture a creative, pro-growth, entrepreneurial climate.
• Recruiting high-wage earners to Wisconsin based on existing assets.
• Promoting fiscal restraint of state spending and a shift to strategic investment budgeting with priority in areas that will grow Wisconsin’s economy.

Competitive Wisconsin, Inc. believes the best way to grow the economy and improve the bottom line is through a strong partnership between the public and private sector.  Government can change policies and invest wisely to serve as a catalyst for economic growth, but the private sector creates the jobs.  A renewed partnership between government and the private sector will reap benefits for Wisconsin for years to come.

The CWI Mandate will not be achieved overnight.  It may take 5, 10 or even 20 years to accomplish every recommendation, but the result will be worth the wait. 

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