On Monday, October 17, 2023 CROWE and the UW-Madison College of Letters and Science held a panel discussion on the “Challenges and Opportunities facing Wisconsin Businesses.”
CROWE co-director Kim Ruhl led the panel in front of a crowd of 100 students, faculty, and community members.
The panel featured:
- Peter Barca, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Revenue
- Kurt Bauer, President of the Wisconsin Manufactures and Commerce
- Rob Hutton, Senator from Wisconsin’s 5th district
- Jonathan Willis, Vice President and Senior Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
Dr. Willis discussed the decline in business formation over the last several decades and noted that by some measures Wisconsin lags the national average (overall entry and exit rates) but in others is similar to the national trend (entry of firms with planned wages).
The panel agreed that workforce development was a critical issue for Wisconsin. Improvements in education, childcare, and income taxes were discussed. Secretary Barca noted the impressive investment in broadband access being made across the state and the opportunities it provides for potential business and workers. Senator Hutton laid out plans to increase the contact between students and business in Wisconsin. Mr. Bauer discussed the benefits of the recent repeal of the personal property tax on businesses.
The discussion was followed by a lively Q&A with the audience.
Thank you for your continued interest and support of CROWE. We look forward to welcoming you at future events.
