Biden administration touts American Jobs Plan’s benefits for Wisconsin.
As part of its pitch for passing infrastructure legislation dubbed The American Jobs Plan, the Biden administration on Monday pushed out a state-bystate case for the impact the measure could have.
Biden touts his plan as one that would rebuild aging roads and bridges, help provide clean water and create more clean energy for Wisconsin residents and people across the United States. In total, the American Jobs Plan would provide a sweeping $2 trillion for infrastructure and jobs across the country, highlighting causes Biden campaigned on, such as providing more aid to caregivers.
The plan would be funded by raising the corporate tax rate to 28% and an increase on the minimum tax on U.S. multinational corporations to 21%.
Republicans have criticized the plan as too expensive and too expansive, covering areas outside traditional infrastructure projects, such as caregiving.
Wisconsin was given a C grade on its infrastructure report card, according to the state’s American Jobs Plan fact sheet. The White House said the plan would help Wisconsin address 198 bridges and 1,949 miles of highway in poor condition.
The plan pegs Wisconsin as a state with “outsized potential” for clean energy innovation, including carbon capture and sequestration and geothermal energy generation.
Rural broadband is touted as a key area the plan addresses by making it easier for local governments and member-owned cooperatives to build and operate networks in competition with companies like AT&T, Frontier Communications and CenturyLink.
The Biden plan could bring about $4 million into the state for broadband projects, in addition to the $200 million proposed in Gov. Tony Evers’ biennial budget.
About 25% of Wisconsin’s rural population lacks access, according to a state Public Service Commission estimate, and many more communities that have coverage still struggle with sluggish internet speeds below the minimum internet speed of 25 megabits per second for downloads and 3 megabits per second for uploads.
The White House fact sheet estimates that Wisconsin’s drinking water infrastructure needs $8.6 billion in upgrades. It also estimates 54% of Wisconsin residents live in child care deserts.