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Dreyfus cites record high jobless rate in call for thriftMADISON (AP) — Gov. Dreyfus said Thursday that the news of Wisconsin’s unemployment rate reaching a record 8.1 percent last month has only made him more determined to keep state spending down.Dreyfus made his remarks at his weekly news conference after the Department of Industry, Labor and Human Relations announced that 197,800 workers were idle in the state during October.“That very much strengthens my resolve to not let this increased expenditure of money go out,” the governor said. “I am absolutely convinced I’ve got to save in every way possible as we try to move through this storm.”The department said the unemployment estimate was up from 7.3 percent in September and was higher than the national averagefor only the fourth time in state history. All four instances have been in 1981.The national seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 8 percent in October, the department reported.The department said 18,300 more persons were out of work in October than in September. It said the largest pockets of unemployment were 21.9 percent in Kenosha and 15.7 percent in Beloit-Janesville. Both areas have _ large automobile plants.The agency said the Janesville-Beloit figure reflects the winter closing of the GeneralMotors plant at Janesville.Department officials said the manufacturing sector declined by 26,100 jobs last month, led by cuts in transportation and the food processing industry.On other subjects at his news conference,Dreyfus reiterated that he is trying to find a way to use his veto pen to pare local aids in the budget adjustment bill to the $638 million to which he had agreed.Showdown forcedShortly before, Democrats forwarded him the bill, forcing a showdown by Thanksgiving on property tax relief levels and other issues in the bill.Democrats in the Legislature balked at Dreyfus’ offer of $638 million in shared taxes for 1982 during a two-week special session on the bill, instead approving a package that included $638 million for local governments plus $37 million in direct property tax credits.The Democrats told Dreyfus that the package was drafted so its individual elementswere “veto-proof,” but the Republican governor vowed to outwit them if possible.“I’m looking for a way to get at the compromise figure of 638 if I can,” Dreyfus said. “If I cannot get there, then I view my alternative as going to zero.”Dreyfus had said much the same to reporters in Appleton Wednesday night before a GOP fundraiser.The governor vetoed a $695 million shared tax level from the 1981-83 budget bill, setting the stage for the political fight over a compromise level that began in late October. If Dreyfus vetoes the entire $675 million from the budget adjustment bill, the Legislature would have to return to session to try again.Other vetoes possibleDreyfus said he was also considering other partial vetoes of the bill, but he declined toelaborate on them.One provision of the bill is a $37 million delay in payments to local governments for property tax credits from March to July 1983 that Dreyfus has previously criticized.Thursday, he said overusing accounting transfers could hurt the state’s credit rating, and he opposes using the $37 million transfer “until we absolutely are down to making the choice between that or raising taxes.” Reminded of the argument by Democrats that Dreyfus’ expected actions will raise property taxes, the governor said local governments have not experienced the revenue declines the state has.“The revenue declines clearly have blen in the area of income tax, in the area of sales tax, in the area of corporate tax,” Dreyfus said. “There have hardly been declines of property taxes to local government.”\ ^,-AJ
Newspaper Details
Eau Claire Leader Telegram
Eau Claire, Wisconsin, US
Fri, Nov 20, 1981
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Madeline K.
NA, 19 Jan 2023
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