Dear Friends,

Back in 2010, our state had a deficit, jobs were fleeing, and taxes were rising. Now Wisconsin ended the fiscal year with a $588.5 Million balance. That's $41 Million higher than expected. Also, our Rainy Day Fund is at a record-high $320.1 Million.

This isn't just luck. We passed real reforms, balanced the budget, and returned more than $8 billion to taxpayers. Now, Wisconsin's economy is outpacing our neighbors in Illinois and Minnesota. One of the big reasons we've avoided the fates of our neighbors is because of bold reforms, like Act 10.

Act 10 allowed the state to put your tax dollars directly into the classroom, rather than the pockets of the unions. School districts saved millions of dollars by finally being able to shop around for better health care plans for teachers. When Republicans and Governor Walker passed the landmark reforms in Act 10, opponents predicted doom and gloom.

A recent editorial in the Wall Street Journal says Act 10 not only saved taxpayers money - it resulted in higher test scores by students! The editorial references a study by the Wisconsin Institute of Law and Liberty that shows after the reforms in Act 10, test scores went up, not down.

According to the Wall Street Journal:

"The study examined state math scores before and after the reforms were implemented. Reading scores weren’t considered because the state changed language arts tests after the reforms took effect. Math proficiency increased by an average of 2.1% across school districts after districts implemented the reforms."

Wisconsin continues to succeed, even as people continue to root against our success. In the most recent state budget, we delivered the largest, real dollar investment in K-12 education in state history - $11.5 billion. The truth is, the state spends more money on school aids than any other program. You can read more about our economic turnaround below.

As always, if you have any concerns or ideas on how to improve our great state, please do not hesitate to contact me by phone at 608-266-5830 or by email at Sen.Darling@legis.wi.gov .

On, Wisconsin!

Alberta
Investing for the Future
Our state universities don't just produce educated students for the workforce, they often produce great products and ideas for the marketplace. Recently, I joined a Wispolitics panel to talk about how to foster, grow, and support those great ideas developed on campus.

In government, we’re not the job creators or the ones doing the research, but we can make sure the climate is there to support new innovations. If we can show there’s a definite asset to doing that for the taxpayer, there’s a payback in terms of higher wages, more jobs, better economy. This creates an environment where all ships will rise. 

Not long ago, I wrote an article with UW-Madison emeritus faculty member, Professor Rock Mackie, on the important role our universities can play in encouraging innovation in Wisconsin.

Rock is a serial entrepreneur who co-founded five startup companies in Wisconsin.
I love Rock's enthusiasm for Wisconsin and innovation. He and I believe the secret to success lies in the Wisconsin Idea.

You can read our article here.
Wisconsin's Competitive Advantage: Affordable Housing
Wisconsin's economic turnaround is turning heads all across the country. When it comes to competing against those other states, we have a serious advantage.

Click on the video above to see how Wisconsin's affordable housing is giving us a competitive advantage.
Election Information
Click on the picture above to find out where you vote, what's on your ballot, and to register to vote!
Click on the photo above if you need a Wisconsin ID card so you can vote.
Go Brewers!
2010-2018 Wisconsin's Amazing Turnaround
More Great News!
  • Wisconsin ranks number one in the Midwest for Health Care Access and Patient Safety.
  • Wisconsin's unemployment rate remained at 3% or below for seven consecutive months.
  • Over the last three months, Wisconsin added more manufacturing jobs than any other state.
  • Business Insider ranked Wisconsin's economy as the 10th best in the nation.
  • Fifty of Wisconsin's 72 counties met or broke their all-time low unemployment rates in May.
  • CNBC ranks Wisconsin as the 17th best state in the nation for business.
  • All 12 of the state's metro areas and all our 32 largest cities have seen a year-over-year drop in unemployment. 
  • The number of people employed in Wisconsin is at an all-time high of 3,090,200, and the unemployment rate is at all-time low at 2.8% for May.
  • Construction wages in Wisconsin are up 7.5% from 2016-2017.
Send Us Your Fall Pictures!
Wisconsin in fall is simply breathtaking. Click on the photo above for the fall color report and plan you Wisconsin getaway!

Then send us your best fall pictures of Wisconsin to sen.darling@legis.wi.gov and we will post them on social media and next week's E-Update!
Around the 8th...
Do you know a remarkable young person who is interested in government? 

The Senate Scholar program is a week-long program, where students get to see first-hand how the State Senate operates. Only 33 students are picked for the program and applications are due by November 21st. You can read more about the program here.