Wednesday, November 28, 2012--5:55p.m.
MADISON--Gov. Walker says there are five things topping his list for the upcoming legislative session:"first and foremost create jobs, secondly develop our workforce, third transform education, fourth reform our government and five make investments in infrastructure," he said.

And he's asking business leaders to weigh-in on how to make those things happen. "To open up a dialogue not only here this morning but in the coming months about how you can help us have that on-going discussion and you can help add your input as employers in the state as to how best to meet those priorities," he said.

The governor also touted recent reforms--and cited a Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce survey. That survey asked WMC members if they thought things in Wisconsin are going in the right direction or on the wrong track. In June of 2010 only 10 percent of respondents said things were on the right track. In the latest survey, that number is up to 93 percent. "It's about the certainty and the confidence that goes into knowing if I'm going to make a decision a year from now, five years from now, ten years from now, what's the future going to hold," said the governor.

But not everyone agrees with the rosy forecast. When asked about the number of employees in the next six months, only 24 percent of respondents are expecting to see an increase and 20 percent say they expect to see a drop. "That's the worst record since the middle of 2009," said Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha. "You know we have been near the very bottom in job creation throughout the Walker administration." "Why are you not working more aggressively on a bi-partisan basis to bring forward bills that we know will put people back to work," said Rep. Barca.

Governor Walker said concerns nationally--like the approaching fiscal cliff--contribute to uncertainty, which play in to those hiring projections.