WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAU) — A Wausau finishing and coating plant played host to Governor Scott Walker on Monday.
Linetec hosted the governor on the shop floor of an addition to the facility completed in 2015. The addition was made possible by money saved with tax incentives from the state, which is why Walker selected Linetec to talk about the accomplishments of the state in tax relief.
Linetec President Rick Marshall thanked state leaders for working to make Wisconsin attractive for manufactures to grow.
“I want to thank the state, what they’ve done to create a positive business climate, thank the city as well as other cities in the state that do the kind of things the city of Wausau has done so business like us can invest in Wisconsin, not just because we want to, but because it truly is the right business and financial decision to do so,” said Marshall.
Wausau mayor-elect Robert Mielke is glad to see a business like Linetec in Wausau thriving because of incentives from the state and he said he’s grateful for the help to the local economy.
Mielke said, “Those employers, more importantly, here in Wausau want to stay here and they’re able to get that help and that tax relief, and the support from Madison and from the state, and that’s what’s going to help us build back those jobs along with a big tax base, which will make Wausau succeed.”
Governor Walker spoke to a crowd of Linetec employees and Wausau officials about tax relief results. He said that over the last four years, a typical family of four has saved over $900 in state income taxes and he hopes to keep growing that number.
Walker made it clear that the tax incentive wasn’t a freebie for Linetec or other manufacturers in Wisconsin. They are based on how much the businesses can give back to the state with job creation.
Walker said, “They only get the tax credit if they earn it, meaning they make the investment and grow the number of jobs while keeping the jobs, so everything’s performance driven.”
The governor says that companies like Linetec aren’t just bringing jobs to Wisconsin, they’re bringing full careers for students to aspire to.
“Here they’re hiring forty more people, and the average starting pay is fifteen dollars an hour with growth to expand, and they’ve got good benefits. These are the kind of jobs, careers, really, that we want,” he said.
Wausau Alderperson Lisa Rasmussen and outgoing Mayor Jim Tipple were in attendance. Wausau was the second of four stops the governor made on Monday.
Walker is scheduled to be back in Wausau Tuesday for a bill signing at the Marathon County Sheriff’s Department, along with Attorney General Brad Schimel and Sheriff Scott Parks.
