Gov. Evers calls for much needed changes to WEDC

Wisconsin’s so-called job creation agency hardly has a stellar track record. The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation has been marred by scandal after scandal since its inception eight years ago. The agency has lost track of millions of dollars in loans. WEDC has awarded state grants to companies which were not properly vetted and failed to create jobs. And it has been stiffed by some recipients of our tax dollars after not repaying the loans who later ended up in prison. It is no surprise then that Governor Tony Evers wants to clean up how WEDC does business. His state budget proposal later this week will include efforts to reduce risk to taxpayers, and to increase transparency to the public.  Evers’ proposal will require that companies receiving money to create jobs notify the agency when their plans change. Hear that Foxconn? Other proposals would provide money only to companies which create jobs in Wisconsin, after some past recipients used our tax dollars to outsource jobs elsewhere. And Evers wants WEDC to post on its website for all to see a searchable database of all its contracts. Given all the past problems at WEDC, these efforts to increase the agency’s efficiency and to better protect taxpayers seem more than reasonable.