High tech, higher pay

La Crosse Tribune, Jun 26, 2002 by Cahalan, Steve

Working together was the key element that helped seven Western Wisconsin counties earn a state technology zone designation, Wisconsin Gov. Scott McCallum said Tuesday.

The area submitted a "very good" application, McCallum told reporters at a news conference outside the Firstlogic Inc, corporate headquarters in La Crosse. "You can see by the number of people here today, counties working together, economic development officials working together to present the plan."

The state technology zone makes available $5 million in state income tax credits over 10 years for high-tech development. It was welcome news to the approximately 150 people who attended the event. They came from the seven counties included in the application - La Crosse, Crawford, Jackson, Juneau, Monroe, Trempealeau and Vernon. The application included 14 different sites in the seven counties.

Western Wisconsin is one of eight technology zones being established by the Wisconsin Department of Commerce to increase the number of high-tech jobs.

The planning process that led to the application benefited the region because people from the seven counties were working together for the same purpose, McCallum said. "We're all pulling for the same thing, in one direction in the state."

"It can't be La Crosse fighting Onalaska for jobs. We need to understand that if one gains, we all gain in a community," the governor said. Technology zones will help create high-paying jobs, he said.

The process of developing the application "in itself became a victory, whether we ended up being designated or not, because of the collaborative nature of the seven-county effort," said James Hill, executive director of the La Crosse Area Development Corp. State approval of the application resulted in a "double victory," Hill said.

"With this designation, we will be able to further compete in the New Economy and expand upon that investment that has already taken place in our region," said state Rep. Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse.

With the creation of high-tech jobs in the area "our best and brightest will be able to stay home" rather than leave for jobs in cities such as Chicago and Minneapolis, said state Rep. Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem.

"It's good for the entire Western Wisconsin area," La Crosse Mayor John Medinger said in an interview. He said the technology zone will be available "as another tool in our economic development quiver."

"I think it's a good opportunity for Vernon County to get some jobs that are a little higher paying and kind of catch us up with the world," Vernon County Board member Richard Lenz said in an interview. "We need some major developments so the kids that graduate from high school don't have to leave the county, which tends to happen now because the job opportunities aren't there."

"We are very, very excited, because this is going to lend a lot of opportunities for our existing businesses to expand and hire people," said Jim Goldsmith, University of Wisconsin-Extension community resource development educator in Juneau County. "But not only that. It's going to provide opportunities to recruit other hightech companies into the community and Juneau County and the tech zone area."

The Department of Commerce will certify eligible businesses for tax credits based on their ability to create high-paying jobs and investment and support the development of high-tech industries in the region.

After McCallum announced his plan to create the technology zones last fall, local government and economic development officials in the seven counties came together to prepare a regional application.