The Kettle Foods plant in Beloit, which produces about half of the Kettle brand potato chips in the nation, hosted Governor Scott Walker Monday for the signing of the Development Opportunity Zone bill (Act 37). Walker boasted of jobs created since he took office, especially in the manufacturing sector. He says the development opportunity zone would not have been possible without bipartisan legislative support, and the support of local economic development agencies like Rock County 5.0 and the Rock County Economic Development Corporation.
Walker pointed out Kettle Foods uses potatoes grown in Stevens Point, supporting state agriculture. He says agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism will help take Wisconsin out of the recession and put people back to work. Beloit frequently has the highest unemployment rate in the state. Walker says, “We are going to use all means necessary to help the private sector create 250,000 jobs by 2015.”
While the governor said the measure shows Wisconsin is open for business, several protesters outside disagreed — holding signs and shouting at cars that entered the facility.
-Beth Wheelock, WCLO
