Attracting Investment and Building
New Trade Partnerships in Israel
 Governor Scott Walker with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Wisconsin is open for
business.
Our exports have
increased by nearly 10% since last year, and global companies like Foxconn and
Haribo are investing billions of dollars into our economy and creating tens of
thousands of family-supporting careers for hardworking Wisconsinites. We also
embarked on a successful trade mission to Japan and South Korea in September to
attract further investment, trade, and job creation to Wisconsin.
This week, we’re building
on these successes by encouraging foreign investment in Wisconsin and forging
new trade partnerships with Wisconsin companies on a trade mission to Israel.
We’re also fostering collaboration between Wisconsin’s world-class water technology
sector and Israeli water technology organizations.
Our state enjoys a robust
trading relationship with our friends in Israel, with Wisconsin exporting over
$80 million in goods annually to Israel and importing over $200 million
annually from Israel.
We’re looking to
strengthen this relationship even more by telling Wisconsin’s story to business
and government leaders and making a strong case for why our state is a great
place for Israeli companies to grow their businesses and access new markets.
We are working and
winning for Wisconsin.
Wisconsin’s Rural Agenda:
Comprehensive Reforms to Bolster Our Rural Communities
Wisconsin’s rural
communities face a unique set of challenges: that’s why we’re undertaking a
wide range of forward-thinking reforms to meet their needs.
After listening to folks
in rural communities across the state, we’re tackling their priorities with our
new Rural Agenda: a multipoint plan to bolster Wisconsin’s rural communities.
Our comprehensive reforms
target improving education for both schools and students by recruiting more
teachers to teach in rural school districts and significantly increasing
sparsity aid, on top of our already historic $11.5 billion investment in K-12
education.
We’re also improving
rural access to medicine by incentivizing more healthcare professionals to live
in and serve rural communities, and further investing in public safety by
removing regulatory barriers to serving as an EMT or volunteer firefighter.
Another way we’re helping
rural communities is by providing wider broadband access through over $35
million in Broadband Expansion Grants, the highest level of funding in state
history. Underserved areas of the state will have access to the fast and
reliable internet service necessary for the modern economy.
Further initiatives in
the Rural Agenda include supporting Wisconsin’s veterans in achieving their
goals, making it easier for our farming families to prosper, and reallocating
state resources so they can more closely work with their constituents.
Improving Access to Care for Mental
Health and Substance Abuse Disorders
We’ve made great strides
here in Wisconsin in our efforts to help those living with mental health
issues, or battling heroin addiction or prescription drug abuse, but there’s
much more work to be done.
According to Wisconsin’s
Department of Health Services (DHS), 827 people died in Wisconsin in 2016 due to
opioid overdoses of heroin, prescription drugs, or both. That’s 827 devastated
families and 827 people who passed away too soon.
To help combat this tragic
trend, we’re improving access to treatment for those battling mental health and
substance abuse disorders by increasing our investment in behavioral health
services and the professionals who provide these lifesaving services.
We will continue to be
aggressive in this fight against substance abuse disorders and untreated mental
health issues. By receiving the proper treatment and care, patients will have a
better opportunity to live healthy, rewarding lives.
We enjoy sharing all the great news about our state with you. It is an honor to serve as your Governor and represent the people of Wisconsin.
Sincerely,
 Governor Scott Walker
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