State and Local Policy Publications

A Robert Lynch study released today shows that the benefits of investing in high quality early education in Wisconsin would be more than 9 times the cost of the program in 2050. Total benefits -budgetary, earning, and crime prevention – would exceed $13 billion, more than nine times the cost to the state for universal 3 and 4 year-old programs.

COWS offers concrete policy ideas that will help build a stronger Wisconsin.

Wisconsin is ripe for a far-reaching, comprehensive energy strategy that will move the state toward energy efficiency and independence.  The state depends heavily on three energy and fuel sources that are produced entirely out of state: coal, natural gas, and petroleum.  Importing all this energy comes at a high cost to the state—each year, Wisconsinites spend over nine billion dollars on energy imports, more than half of which goes toward petroleum products including heating oil, unleaded fuel, and diesel fuels.  These costs are likely to go up as a result of worldwide fuel shortages, natural disasters, and political instability in oil-producing regions. A COWS Fast Facts report.

Improving access to training for working adults, building stronger linkages to the local economy and increasing adult basic education funding will help Wisconsin’s technical college system add even more value to the economy. A COWS Fast Facts report.

Strengthening the state’s childcare subsidy program, improving compensation for childcare workers and further investment in 4-year old kindergarten will help protect and nurture our children. A COWS Fast Facts report.

Raising the minimum wage, indexing it to inflation, and ensuring that resources support and enforce the standard can help make the low-wage labor market stronger in the state. A COWS Fast Facts report.

Policy makers could use better information on which corporations are not paying income tax, where the loopholes are to reform and improve tax policy in the state. A COWS Fast Facts report.

Investments in economic development should only be made if policy makers and state residents can really count on them paying off. A COWS Fast Facts report.

COWS releases The State of Working Wisconsin every two years, in conjunction with the release of The State of Working America by the Economic Policy Institute.

2006 marks the 10th year of the publication and the expansion of the report to include ‘COWS Issue Spotlights’ highlighting key Wisconsin topics such as health care and pension benefits, the trap of low wage jobs, and Wisconsin’s energy use. In addition, the report features ‘Fast Facts,’ making it easier for readers to quickly access key state statistics.

Documents include both Full Report and Executive Summary.