It has been an honor to serve the people of the 5th District this term. If you remember back to when I was campaigning two years ago, my main priorities were to ensure a better future for our children by balancing the budget, holding the line on taxes, and creating a better business environment that would encourage job creation. While there is much work to be done, I am proud to say that with the help of my colleagues, we have delivered.
We have eliminated over $3 billion in deficit while actually reducing property taxes for the first time in more than a dozen years. We did this while reforming state government to ensure government's ability to control their costs, not for a year or two, but for generations to come. The reforms we have enacted have given business owners, both small and large, confidence that our state is heading in the right direction. Two years ago, a survey showed that 10% of our state's business owners felt we were heading in the right direction. Today, 90% feel that Wisconsin is on the right track. We have jumped in business climate ranking from 41st in the country to 24th, the single largest jump in the survey's history. Finally, we have begun to create the jobs that our families desperately need. Thousands have been created this year, and our unemployment rate is the lowest it has been since 2008. According to economists, Wisconsin's economic outlook has improved dramatically.
On a personal note, I am proud of my record of working with both Republicans and Democrats alike to pass common sense legislation that will help the people of our state. From streamlining the permitting process in the DNR to enacting consumer protections, to authoring the Justice for Survivors Act, the legislation I have introduced has received broad bipartisan support. I truly believe that we need to work together to continue moving Wisconsin forward.
I hope that I can continue to count on your support because there is much more work ahead of us. Please join me!
