With a national government that he identified as too intrusive, Gov. Scott Walker called for Wisconsin to take the lead regionally in his State of the State address Tuesday.

“Top-down regulations and mandates from the federal government get in the way of innovation and growth in Wisconsin and states like ours,” Walker said.

Walker highlighted issues such as education, jobs and Common Core education standards, which he suggested eliminating.

“My sons graduated from outstanding public schools in Wauwatosa and my nieces are in public schools as well, so I have a vested interest, like parents all across the state, in high standards,” Walker said. “But those standards should be set by people from within Wisconsin—and preferably at the local level.”

He said he will ensure that every child has access to quality education. Families will continue to be empowered to help them make quality education choices for their children, he said.

To do this, Walker said he wanted objective information for the schools receiving public funds to be available to parents.

“No need for bureaucrats or politicians to make that choice—I trust parents,” Walker said. “Give them access to objective information and they will make the choice that is best for their children.”

Walker highlighted the reduction on property tax, along with income and employer taxes. He noted that property taxes on a typical Wisconsin home decreased by $141 dollars from December 2010 to December 2014.

He said he was proud of the property tax reduction and wants to continue this trend for the future.

“My pledge to you is that property taxes four years from now will be lower than they were in 2014,” Walker said.

Walker cited the improving unemployment rate, which has dropped from 9.2 percent in January 2010 to the current 5.2 percent. He said the year-over-year numbers indicate the creation of 51,000 private sector jobs, the highest since the late 1990s.

With new Attorney General Brad Schimel, Walker said he would be preparing a lawsuit to challenge new federal energy regulations. Reports show that regulations could make Wisconsin lose thousands of jobs because it is heavily dependent on manufacturing, he said.

In a statement, Assembly Democratic Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, said Walker was not putting Wisconsin workers and families first in his speech.

The State of our State is falling behind our neighbors on nearly every key economic issue #WISOTS

— Peter Barca (@PeterWBarca) January 14, 2015

“Because of Republican policy failures, Wisconsin faces a staggering budget deficit, lagging job and wage growth and an educational system that is clearly underfunded,” Barca said.

He said the focus should be placed on issues that are most important to Wisconsin families, such as job creation and fair wages.

Walker called for the unity of the people of Wisconsin, citing the Green Bay Packers as a bridge between residents.

“Let’s remember what unites us and makes us strong,” he said. “Here in Wisconsin, support for the Packers transcends political, religious and personal differences.”