Here & Now

Sen. Jon Erpenbach Says Democrats Will Focus On Jobs In 2016

THE DEMOCRATS HAVE SOME PLANS OF THEIR OWN FOR 2016. JOINING ME NOW FOR A PREVIEW IS SENATOR JON ERPENBACH OF MIDDLETON. AND SENATOR THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

JON ERPENBACH:

MY PLEASURE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SO WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES OF THE MINORITY?

JON ERPENBACH:

OBVIOUSLY IT’S THE ECONOMY AND JOBS. OVER 10,000 LAYOFFS THIS LAST YEAR. THAT DOESN’T INCLUDE OSCAR MAYER WHICH ANNOUNCED THEY WERE SHUTTING DOWN OR TYSON. SO THE ECONOMY, JOBS, MAKING SURE THAT AT LEAST ECONOMICALLY FAMILIES WHO ARE WORKING HAVE A FAMILY-SUPPORTING WAGE. AND WISCONSIN’S BEEN SHRINKING IN THAT CATEGORY AS WELL. SO IF WE’RE NOT FOCUSED ON THE ECONOMY AND THEN SOME NEEDS WE NEED TO FIX INTERNALLY, WE’RE NOT FOCUSED ON THE RIGHT THING.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

NOW, GOVERNOR WALKER SAYS THAT WISCONSIN’S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS BELOW THE NATIONAL RATE AND THE STATE LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE BEATS THE NATION. HE SAYS THIS SHOWS THAT IT’S QUOTE OBVIOUS WISCONSIN IS WORKING AGAIN. IT IS TRUE THAT THOSE TWO NUMBERS ARE GOOD.

JON ERPENBACH:

BUT HE’S ALSO BLAMING THE FACT THAT PEOPLE WHO DON’T HAVE JOBS AREN’T SKILLED ENOUGH AND THEN WE GO AHEAD AND WE CUT MONEY FROM K-12 EDUCATION. WE’RE CUTTING FROM TECHNICAL SCHOOLS OR UW SYSTEM. IT’S FRUSTRATING SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THAT MORE THAN 10,000 JOB LOSS, YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE FACT THAT WEDC, WHICH IS THE GOVERNOR’S FLAGSHIP JOB AGENCY, IS FOUNDERING AND WE’RE NOT DOING ANYTHING TO TRY AND ADDRESS THAT, THE DEMOCRATS WILL BE INTRODUCING THINGS TO DO THAT. BUT, AGAIN, WE’RE NOT FOCUSED ON WHAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON. INSTEAD WE’RE FOCUSED ON WHAT GOES ON INSIDE OF A BEDROOM. WHAT GOES ON WITH A WOMAN’S BODY. WHO CAN CARRY A GUN, WHO CAN’T CARRY A GUN. WHO CAN VOTE. WHO CAN’T VOTE. WE’RE FOCUSED ON THE WRONG THINGS. AND ECONOMICALLY IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE STATES AROUND US, WE ARE STRUGGLING. WE ARE LAGGING.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

LOOKING DIRECTLY AHEAD, THE SENATE IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE UP THE BILL THAT CHANGES THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM THE THIRD WEEK IN JANUARY. THE MAJORITY SAYING THE CHANGES ARE NEEDED TO MAKE HIRING AND FIRING EASIER AND TO MAKE HIRING RESUME-BASED, NOT TEST-BASED. HOW BIG OF A DEAL IS THIS?

JON ERPENBACH:

IT’S A BIG DEAL. IT’S A BIG DEAL FOR THE TAXPAYERS OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN SIMPLY BECAUSE RIGHT NOW ON THE TAXPAYING END AND ON WORKING END. IF YOU ARE A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE, YOU HAVE BEEN TESTED, YOU KNOW YOUR JOB AND YOUR JOB IS ABOUT SERVING THE DEPARTMENT YOU HAPPEN TO BE WORKING FOR. IF YOU’RE IN THE DNR, YOU’RE SERVING THE ENVIRONMENTAL END OF THINGS. IF YOU’RE WORKING IN THE DOT, YOU ARE SERVING PEOPLE WHO WALK UP TO THE COUNTER AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION, IT’S NOT GOING TO MAKE IT EASIER TO HIRE AND FIRE. IT’S GOING TO MAKE IT EASIER TO PAY MORE MONEY TO POLITICAL PATRONAGE JOBS AND THAT’S WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO. WISCONSIN’S CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM IS A REALLY GOOD THING. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHO THE GOVERNOR IS. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT PARTY IS IN THE MAJORITY. IT’S ALWAYS BEEN A VERY GOOD THING. I’VE SAID THIS FOR A LONG TIME. PEOPLE LIKE ME COME AND GO. GOVERNOR WALKER AND PEOPLE LIKE HIM COME AND GO. THE ELECTED OFFICIALS COME AND GO. IT’S THE PEOPLE WHO CHOOSE PUBLIC SERVICE AS A CAREER AND WORK AT THE DOT FOR 35 YEARS. OR WORK AT THE DNR FOR 35 YEARS OR 40 YEARS OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. THOSE ARE THE ONES WHO KEEP THE STATE GOING. IT’S NOT US. SO WHEN YOU ATTACK THAT SYSTEM, IT’S A PROBLEM. AND IT OPENS THE DOOR FOR POLITICAL PATRONAGE. IT OPENS THE DOOR TO CORRUPTION AND ANYTHING THAT GOES WRONG, IF THIS BECOMES LAW, WILL AUTOMATICALLY COME INTO QUESTION THAT IF CIVIL SERVICE HAD NOT CHANGED, SOMETHING BAD PROBABLY WOULDN’T HAVE HAPPENED IN THAT CASE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

MEANWHILE, YOU HAVE SOME BILLS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO ADDRESS STAFFING AND TRAINING IN WISCONSIN PRISONS. WHAT’S BEEN THE RESPONSE FROM THE REPUBLICANS ON THOSE?

JON ERPENBACH:

CRICKETS, PRETTY MUCH. IT’S BEEN QUIET. IT’S FRUSTRATING BECAUSE AT COLUMBIA UP IN PORTAGE, WHICH IS A MAXIMUM SECURITY FACILITY, THEY HAVE A VACANCY RATE OF OFFICERS – CORRECTIONS OFFICERS – RUNNING AT 20%. SO YOU HAVE OFFICERS WHO ARE BEING FORCED TWO AND THREE TIMES A WEEK FOR DOUBLE SHIFTS. SAFETY IS A HUGE CONCERN. THE NUMBER OF VIOLENT ASSAULTS ON OFFICERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE HAS GONE UP BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF STAFFING AROUND THE STATE. SO CORRECTIONS OVERALL IS A MESS RIGHT NOW. AND THE POLICIES PUT IN PLACE BY THE SECRETARY HAVE NOT WORKED. WE’VE INTRODUCED NINE PIECES OF LEGISLATION TO TRY AND ADDRESS THAT. AND THE QUESTION WE HAVE IS IF YOU’RE NOT GOING TO TAKE THESE AND ADOPT THEM, WHAT’S THE ALTERNATIVE? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO PROPOSE TO TRY AND DEAL WITH THE STAFFING SHORTAGE? WE HAVE TWO CRITICAL SPOTS RIGHT NOW IN STATE GOVERNMENT. WHEN I TALKED ABOUT AT THE TOP OF THE SHOW, INTERNALLY WHAT WE NEED TO DO. WE HAVE TWO CRITICAL SPOTS. WEDC NEEDS AN OVERHAUL AND CORRECTIONS NEED AN OVERHAUL. WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON THAT ALONG WITH THE ECONOMY AND JOB CREATION AS BEST AS WE CAN.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ALL RIGHT. LEAVE IT THERE. SENATOR ERPENBACH, THANKS.

JON ERPENBACH:

ALL RIGHT. THANKS.