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Poll: Jobs top list of state concerns

A poll released Tuesday said most Wisconsinites fear for the future of the local and national economy, and a recent General Motors announcement of layoffs in the next two months at the Janesville plant confirmed those fears for about 750 people.

The Badger Poll, conducted by the University of Wisconsin Survey Center, indicated the majority of Wisconsin residents said the economy and jobs were the most important problems facing the state. According to the poll, 66 percent also think the state is in bad times economically.

Kathy Cramer Walsh, UW associate professor of political science and faculty director of the Badger Poll, looks at why people feel the way they do about the economy.

“It’s curious in that the poll says a lot of people feel they are OK personally, but they are worried about the future,” Walsh said.

Cramer thinks perceptions of the economy depend on what people see around them, but not necessarily how they are doing personally.

“People tend to answer how they think it is doing out there. You can see in the results of the poll that they are not all that worried about paying of their bills,” Cramer said. “They judge pretty independently of their own pocketbooks.”

Although the poll was conducted before the GM announcement, Walsh said seeing headlines about people in a nearby town losing their jobs contributes to the fear.

Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Secretary Roberta Gassman agrees that news like the GM announcement contributes to the perception of the economy as weak and added that Gov. Jim Doyle has asked the DWD to step in to help Janesville workers.

“The news is very disappointing. The governor has asked us to take immediate steps so that we can help the people who are affected by this,” Gassman said.  “We have been in touch with the company and with the union, and we will meet with them in the next two weeks to get information together.”

Doug Venable, director of economic development at the Janesville Economic Development Agency, said with the GM closure there comes some uncertainty about what some of the local suppliers to the plant will do.

Rock County has been working on diversifying the local economy to areas other than just the GM plant, but Venable still hopes that GM will consider the Janesville plant to make other car models in the future.

The poll found 91 percent of all respondents said gas prices are extremely or quite problematic. Gas prices may also contribute to the Janesville plant layoffs, due to the plant producing SUV lines, according to Venable.

Gassman said these are challenging times but also pointed out reasons for hope in the Wisconsin economy, if not the national economy.

“In Wisconsin we do continue to have employers who are seeking skilled workers. Our exports have been growing dramatically,” said Gassman. “I would encourage to work with job centers and technical colleges if they feel they need assistance with any work or career goals they may have.”