[media-credit name=’JEFF SCHORFHEIDE/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]The Democratic and Republican gubernatorial candidates publicly outlined their opposing visions for improving Wisconsin's economy Tuesday, each speaking separately before about 1,200 Madison business and community leaders.

Celebrating its 54th Annual Dinner at the Monona Terrace, the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce held the forum to address the economic goals for the state of each of the candidates vying for Wisconsin's top office.

U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Wis., addressing the crowd first, called attention to lowering the tax burden that he called "the highest in the Midwest," making the University of Wisconsin System more accessible to residents by lowering in-state tuition, and creating more jobs with research investment and by lowering barriers for entrepreneurs.

"The Milwaukee metropolitan area last year lost 8,800 jobs," Green said. "Only three communities in America lost more jobs than Milwaukee; two were hit by [Hurricane] Katrina, and the third one was Detroit."

Green added as governor he would provide exciting opportunities to bring back the workforce that has left the state by offering not just jobs, but careers that "you can raise a family on" and "build a community around."

"We have everything we need to make this state great," he said.

Yet Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle said he was faced with job losses and a $3.2 billion budget deficit when he first took office four years ago, but that he didn't raise taxes and "had to be the grownup" by vetoing budget cuts in order to save education funding.

"At the center of the [economic] growth of this part of Wisconsin and of the whole state is our great University of Wisconsin," Doyle said. "The University of Wisconsin produces more doctoral degrees than any other American university, other than Harvard."

In addition, Doyle addressed the importance of continuing support of stem-cell research, which he related to the personal story of his late mother's 30-year battle with Parkinson's disease.

"To me, it is unthinkable that we would stop the research that has the potential of having other people not have suffer what my mother suffered," he said.

Green also mentioned his plan to direct $25 million in state funding to WiCell to advance research and "create new embryonic stem-cell lines without destroying living human embryos."

In line with his support of investing in renewable energy technology he discussed at the forum, Doyle announced Tuesday a $1.5 million loan for Renew Energy to build a new ethanol production facility in Jefferson. According to Doyle, the plant is expected to produce 130 million gallons of ethanol a year and employ 60 new workers.

Lon Sprecher, chair of the GMCC Board, said the public gubernatorial forum benefits voters, allowing them to hear the opposing stances of the candidates directly.

"In this world of 30-second sound bytes … it's great to be able to press the questions to the candidates, and it's great to hear the positions firsthand for the most important job in the state," he said.