Both gubernatorial candidates joined representatives from the University of Wisconsin to speak at a forum in Milwaukee Thursday, addressing the priority of keeping Wisconsin economically competitive.
As the first public event on the general election campaign trail, Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle and U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Wis., joined two UW professors and the president of the Wisconsin Alumni Association to address statewide economic concerns.
The forum, held at the Milwaukee Athletic Club, honored the 25th anniversary of Competitive Wisconsin, Inc. — a nonpolitical association of agriculture, business, education and labor leaders in Wisconsin who work together to improve the state's competitiveness in the business world.
"That's what Mark Green has talked about all campaign — how to keep and make Wisconsin more competitive," said Luke Punzenberger, spokesperson for Green's campaign. "Green is focused on specifics to create job growth and tax proposals to lower the tax burden on our hardworking families."
Punzenberger added that Green explained his vision for tax, regulatory and litigation reforms, which includes replacing the Department of Commerce with a business-like entity headed by the governor and establishing a jobs hotline in the governor's office.
Doyle addressed the forum three hours after Green, emphasizing accomplishments that have benefited Wisconsin's economy during his term in office.
"The governor spoke about his record over the last four years, focusing on how he balanced the budget without raising taxes, invested in schools and created thousands of high-paying jobs," said Matt Canter, spokesperson for Doyle.
Canter also cited a proposal Doyle highlighted that would get the secretary of the Department of Financial Institutions to work with state university leaders in order to create partnerships with entrepreneurial programs, medical schools, engineering programs and other areas of science.
In between presentations by UW economics professors John Karl Scholz and Don Nichols, WAA President Paula Bonner discussed the results of an extensive e-mail survey that tracked responses for both in-state and out-of-state graduates.
"In general, what we found is that people said the largest reasons they left [Wisconsin] were job-related or for career opportunities," said Mark Menzel, director of marketing and research for the WAA. "The reason they said they [chose] to stay was the aspect of quality of life in Wisconsin."
Menzel added that the survey tabulated a number of national cities with high percentages of UW graduates, including Chicago, the Twin Cities, New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Denver and Boston.
Both candidates stressed the need to keep Wisconsin college graduates in the state to boost the economy.
Punzenberger said Green touched on the need for affordable tuition so that the "best and brightest can afford to go to school here in Wisconsin and don't have to move to another state to begin their careers."
Doyle's camp agreed, emphasizing the need for more investment in higher education.
"The governor pointed to the fact that over the last six years, Wisconsin's population has increased over a quarter of a million," Canter said. "So Doyle's doing a lot more to invest in our universities and create the kinds of jobs that will allow university graduates to remain in the state."
Doyle and Green are set to have their first official debate tomorrow at 7 p.m. at the GE Healthcare Institute in Waukesha.
