Packers draft more important than education?

Tourism is big business in Wisconsin. We saw that this weekend in La Crosse, the host of the annual state track and field meet. It is estimated that some 20,000 spectators attended the two-day event, with an economic impact of about $4 million. Much of that money comes from outside the immediate area, with family, friends and fans of competitors spending their money at La Crosse hotels, restaurants, bars and gas stations. An even bigger event will take place in Wisconsin two years from now, when the Green Bay Packers host the NFL draft. That event is expected to draw close to 300,000 people and have an economic impact of $94 million. That, however, doesn’t mean taxpayers should help foot the bill. But they will, if legislation passed by the Wisconsin Joint Finance Committee becomes law. Along party lines, Republicans, who control the committee, voted to allocate $2 million in taxpayer dollars to help defray the $7.5 million cost of putting on the huge event. The Packers, valued at more than $4 billion, can more than afford to put up the cash to host the draft, which will spur spending at Green Bay restaurants and hotels, but do nothing to help hard-working people in La Crosse. The same committee, which is giving handouts to billionaires, rejected funding for a second science building on the UW-La Crosse campus — also along party lines — and money for expanding broadband in Wisconsin. It seems they have their priorities wrong. Investing in education and internet access can help people throughout Wisconsin, not just hotels and restaurants in Green Bay.