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Hillsboro leaders enter into Partnership for Prosperity
Joint effort between Legislature and small communities tries to stimulate economic growth
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At the last Hillsboro City  Council meeting, members unanimously approved a resolution dealing with a cooperative effort between the Wisconsin State Legislature and small communities for more job creation and economic growth.

Hard to find fault with that.

The agenda, titled “Partnership for Prosperity,” is a creation of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities (LWM), who believe thriving cities and villages are a key to Wisconsin’s long-term economic success.

Hillsboro City Administrator Adam Sonntag explained that LWM represents cities and villages that have a common interest in plans and pending efforts by the Wisconsin Legislature.

“It also offers some legal services and certain literature,” he reported.  “In addition, it sometimes acts as a lobby group on issues of local  importance to state municipalities.”

Sonntag added that state Rep.  Lee Nerison (R-Westby) and state Sen. Jennifer Shilling  (D-La Crosse) work with the LWM on issues of local government.

The League currently has a number of irons in the fire, tied to solid research and supported by most members.

To compete globally, Wisconsin needs to develop quality communities that can attract and retain talent and enterprise, and spur job creation.

The state’s cities and villages provide the core services that businesses and people expect and need from their local governments, including police land fire protection, sewer and water, roads and other transportation infrastructure, garbage collection, recycling, libraries, and parks.

The League strongly believes that the time is right and necessary to act on this type of agenda.

At a time when state and local resources are diminishing, it is imperative that the state receive a strong return on its investment in local services. The state should invest its limited resources where most of Wisconsin’s economic activity is already occurring and where the most jobs are being created.

By doing so, the state is more efficiently targeting its resources to maximum job growth outcomes. The state should focus its support on incorporated communities which are the “economic engines” of Wisconsin.

The agenda follows up its statements with a number of valid points:

• Wisconsin’s metropolitan regions already account for 75% of the state’s gross domestic product;

• Wisconsin’s cities and villages are home to 70% of the state’s population, 87% of all manufacturing property, and 89% of all commercial property;

• Most of the small businesses created in Wisconsin get their start in cities and villages;

• Cities and villages are where nearly all technology based entrepreneurship is occurring in Wisconsin.

• Start-ups and other knowledge-based economic activity occur almost exclusively within cities and villages.

The “Partnership for Prosperity” legislative agenda that was approved as a resolution by the Hillsboro City Council calls for a new state-local partnership to drive the state’s economy forward and spur job creation by helping communities to continue to provide quality local services while holding the line on property taxes.

The unanimous approval vote by the City Council proclaimed:

“Now therefore be it resolved  that the City of Hillsboro urges the Governor and the Legislature to work collaboratively with municipal leaders to accomplish the critical goals of jobs creation and economic growth.”