Improving signs
Wisconsin, in part, is feeling the effects of slow growth in the national economy, Reschovsky said, adding that it’s difficult to gauge all of the factors that have slowed growth.
But there have been multiple signs of economic recovery in the Badger State in recent months, not the least of which are the improving state revenue figures.
Individual income taxes collections topped $928 million in April, up 3.6 percent from the same month last year, according to the state Department of Revenue. On the year, income taxes collections neared $5.5 billion, up 4.5 percent compared to the first four months of last year.
General sales and use tax collections soared 9.5 percent in April, to $356 million, and were up 4.8 percent in the first four months, to $3.16 billion.
New business formation was up 12.2 percent during the first quarter of the year, compared to the same period last year, and initial unemployment insurance claims are down this calendar year over last year.
The improved jobs figures make sense to Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce's Bauer, one of Walker’s biggest champions for the record. But there are some other big numbers that have grabbed Bauer’s attention.
“This is a governor who took a $3.6 billion budget deficit and turned it into a $153 million surplus (based on the latest Department of Revenue estimates) and we’re going to recall this guy? The public should know these numbers,” he said.