MADISON — Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) today highlighted findings from a new University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Research on the Wisconsin Economy (CROWE) report showing the Manufacturing & Agriculture Tax Credit (MAC) helped strengthen Wisconsin’s manufacturing competitiveness and support job growth over the past decade.
The report found Wisconsin outperformed neighboring states in manufacturing job growth following implementation of the MAC, estimating the state has nearly 12,000 more manufacturing jobs than it otherwise would have had without the credit.
“The MAC, the state’s most effective tool for supporting manufacturing growth and job creation, is critical to Wisconsin’s future because the manufacturing industry delivers outsized benefits to workers, families, communities, and the broader economy,” said WMC President/ CEO Kurt R. Bauer. “Manufacturers of all sizes across the state use the MAC to purchase new equipment, expand operations, and, most importantly, reinvest in employees and hire new workers, all of which stimulate Wisconsin’s economy.”
As the state’s largest economic sector, manufacturing generated nearly $74 billion in economic output last year, including $46.4 billion in wages and benefits for workers. Wisconsin ranks first in the nation for manufacturing employment per capita, with one in six residents employed in the industry.
Despite the credit’s success, progressive Wisconsin politicians, including gubernatorial candidate David Crowley and Gov. Tony Evers, have repeatedly attempted to eliminate or weaken the MAC.
“At a time when Wisconsin families are struggling to make ends meet and affordability is top of mind, it’s frankly baffling that the leaders of the state’s progressive political movement are advocating for the elimination of a policy proven to create and retain family-supporting careers,” Bauer continued. “The MAC creates opportunities, strengthens communities, and grows the economy. Eliminating it would punish workers, families, and Wisconsin’s economic future.”
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