The local GOP mouth-piece and Forward Janesville propaganda apparatus, the Janesville Gazette, posted an editorial crying their support for the I39/90 Interstate expansion and Forward Janesville's latest warning about the dire consequences for the local economy if the state doesn't find a way to fleece taxpayers to pay for it.
In amusing bizarre fashion, Forward Janesville operatives and the Gazette (both Walker boosters) continue to make a contrarian case against their leading rock star's wrong-headed right-wing austerity ideology.
Despite having massive tax credits and cuts legislated for themselves over the past five years including a middle-class beat-down with Act 10 and RTW, Forward Janesville have repeatedly asked for higher tax obligations from their victims to pay for roads and infrastructure while demanding more free land and incentive packages risk-free for businesses as a matter of economic competition and forward progress.
Now, at a glance you might think the prime "competition" they need to match for their ideologically locked plans to succeed are red states with all their superior infrastructure, budget austerity and innovative institutions of higher learning. * eyeroll * Well, LOL, ummm no.
Believe it or not, the states that Walker's local supporters want to emulate the most in order for Wisconsin to compete are in fact those socialist democrat progressive commie immoral blue states such as Minnesota, California, Connecticut ...and gasp ...even loser state Illinois. That's right.
JG Editorial Excerpt: (Titled: Interstate 90/39 Delay Would Harm Rock County Economy)
Delaying I-90/39 work is an option that Dan Cunningham, Forward Janesville's government relations expert, believes is a real possibility. That would damage economic development here.
“From a perception standpoint, our dated and crumbling highway infrastructure brands Wisconsin as a place that isn't really open for business,” Cunningham wrote Tuesday in an email to The Gazette. “All one has to do is drive a few miles south to the Illinois border to see what modern and safe highway infrastructure looks like. Do we really want to lose to Illinois? [ ... ] A two-year delay will put Wisconsin at a competitive disadvantage with neighboring states, who are all-in on upgrading their infrastructure.”
Yeah. The perception problem for Forward Janesville is the crumbling backward red state roads they see in Wisconsin are a direct result of the backward red state legislative agenda and politicians they support.
There's more...
JG Editorial Excerpt:
James Otterstein would agree. He's Rock County's economic development manager and says a delay could create uncertainty and affect investment decisions.
Otterstein tells of meeting a logistics client who flew into Chicago's airport. Their conversation changed when they hit the infrastructure contrast at the state line. Delaying Wisconsin's freeway upgrade would harm the state's credibility, Otterstein argues.
What a shame. Wisconsin now has blue states on two of its major borders and visitors notice.
In case anyone might be thinking area conservatives thirst to be more like Illinois is an anomaly or only in regards to public infrastructure, think again.
In 2010, Walker's biggest state campaign donor, Diane Hendricks, complained that in order to let one of her businesses grow as efficiently as possible, it will have to move out of Wisconsin because Illinois (the pre-Rauner Illinois) offers more appealing tax incentives. So, blue state policies were more attractive even from a business bottom-line standpoint.
Yet, for the past four years, we were told low taxes, don't spend more than you have austerity, red-state governance, "balanced" state budgets, right-to-work regulations, closing the skills gap, and a hungry, disenfranchised and defunded labor force would make Wisconsin open for business. Now they claim updated infrastructure and expanded new interstates will make all the difference?
Truth is, nothing is ever enough for these folks. They want it all.
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