Latest news with #EauClaire
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Rising housing costs could be pricing people out of college in Wisconsin
Education has long been one of the most direct paths to achieving the American Dream. It is how generations have climbed the ladder, by learning, earning degrees and opening doors to opportunity. But what happens when the ground beneath that ladder starts to shift? In Wisconsin, the cost of housing has been climbing steadily over the past decade, outpacing incomes in many counties. At the same time, enrollment in colleges and technical schools has been falling. At first glance, these might seem like two separate problems. But our recent research at the Northwestern Mutual Data Science Institute suggests they are more connected than we think. We studied data from 29 Wisconsin counties over 11 years, looking at how changes in housing prices relate to post-secondary enrollment. What we found was both troubling and revealing. When housing prices go up, enrollment often goes down, especially in places where economic opportunities are already limited. In fact, for every 1% increase in housing costs, overall enrollment dropped by about 0.36% the following year. Letters: Former Gov. Tommy Thompson omits real reason for rough Supreme Court race Our data review covers the years 2012 to 2023 for the following counties: Ashland, Barron, Brown, Dane, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Fond Du Lac, Grant, Jefferson, Kenosha, La Crosse, Manitowoc, Marathon, Menominee, Milwaukee, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pierce, Portage, Racine, Rock, Sawyer, Sheboygan, Walworth, Waukesha, Winnebago and Wood. The higher education enrollment figures include public and private colleges in the 29 counties. This trend is not just a statistical curiosity. It reflects real families making tough choices. When rent or mortgage payments take up more of the household budget, there is often less left for college tuition, transportation or even just the time to attend classes. In places with fewer local schools or higher unemployment, those trade-offs become even harder. We also found something we did not expect: a gender gap in how students respond to rising housing prices. University enrollment among male students drops sharply as housing costs rise. For female students, the pattern is different. In some cases, female enrollment actually increases, perhaps because women see education as a long-term investment worth making, even in tough times. But when tuition and housing costs rise together, even that resilience begins to falter. Technical colleges show a different picture. At first glance, they seem less affected by rising housing prices. But when we looked closer, we saw that in more urban counties, where housing costs tend to spike, male enrollment in technical colleges also drops. It is a reminder that even the most flexible or affordable education options are not immune to broader economic pressures. Our findings echo broader national concerns. In 2019, Fannie Mae launched the Sustainable Communities Innovation Challenge, emphasizing that stable and affordable housing provides families with greater opportunities for educational and economic attainment. The connection is clear: when housing becomes unaffordable, families are forced to make trade-offs that affect not just where they live, but how they plan for the future. Opinion: Here's what readers had to say about wake-enhanced boating on Wisconsin lakes These findings raise important questions: Are we quietly pricing people out of education and pushing the American Dream further out of reach? When housing costs rise faster than wages, it does not just strain family budgets. It shapes how people think about the future. If young people start to feel like homeownership and financial stability are out of reach, they may begin to wonder whether education is still worth the investment. And that could have serious consequences for Wisconsin's economy and workforce in the years to come. Our hope is that these insights can help inform how we think about policy. Housing and education are often treated as separate issues, but our research suggests they are deeply intertwined. To make education more accessible, we also need to make housing more affordable. It is not just about buildings and classrooms, it is about building futures. Joseph Ogunlade is an analyst and Student Scholar at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Pallav Routh is an Assistant Professor at UW-Milwaukee and Principal Investigator on this research, funded by the Northwestern Mutual Data Science Institute. Together, they study how housing affordability influences educational access and outcomes in Wisconsin. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin housing costs mean less money for college, future | Opinion
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
City of Eau Claire plans $48.3 million in capital improvement projects for 2026
EAU CLAIRE—The City of Eau Claire is asking for public feedback on its five-year capital improvement, which contains projects totaling approximately $266 million. 'There will be a public discussion on June 9 and also June 23,' said Eau Claire Finance Director Kitzie Winters. 'The City Council is scheduled to adopt the budget on June 24.' The Capital Improvement Plan, which plans out capital expenditures from 2026-2030, was presented to the council last week. It contains a plan to spend approximately $266 million over the next five years, including $48.3 million in 2026. Nearly a quarter of that would go to the Land, Building, and Equipment Fund. 'The capital improvement plan is exactly what it sounds like,' Winters said. 'It's a plan. We do call it a budget, but it is a plan for our assets or repairs that are over $5,000.' She differentiated it from the annual operating budget which are funds that go toward services and staff. 'The Capital Improvement Plan is for those larger repairs or acquisitions of land or creation of a trail or a park, or repair of a street,' she said. 'We do attempt to secure grants from the federal and state level. We use our tax dollars there that we retain as a city. Then we look toward any general fund usage, but it's half-funded from issuing general obligation debt.' In terms of the city striving to manage its debt, Winters said, 'We have an existing policy to keep that in a respectable limit. We're very conscious of the effect on the debt issuance and how that translates into the tax bills. Our targets are always very close to what we're paying off. We're not attempting to increase the tax bill. We're trying to keep that level.' She said that big things which would have the most impact on taxpayers would be needing to build a new fire station or addressing an issue with a large parking structure. Winters did note that there are plans for either remodel or construct a new fire station in 2027 and that the city council is still discussing the parking structure across from City Hall for 2029. 'It is reaching the end of its useful life to repair,' she said. '[Replacing it] would be over $30 million. It'll cost between $2 million to $3 million for demolition. We're evaluating how much parking will be needed. We're looking at scaling it down to maybe a two-level parking deck. It would cost around $14 million.' To view the full proposed capital improvement plan, visit
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Police release additional details about Friday search that caused lockdowns
EAU CLAIRE — Police have released additional information about the arrest of a man Friday that led them to briefly ask residents of the East Hill neighborhood to remain indoors. The update includes why police were concerned and labeled Leo Lacy as 'armed and dangerous.' An initial report to authorities said Leo Lacy has pointed a handgun at someone and followed them. Authorities say he was spotted at about 12:20 p.m.n when he returned to his vehicle. They tried to stop him, but Lacy drove away and police broke off the chase based on the time of day and traffic conditions. Shortly afterwards police received a report of a crash. It had involved Lacy, who ran from the scene. With knowledge Lacy was on foot in a specific area, police set up a perimeter and began searching. Schools in the area went on lockdown for safety, and multiple agencies responded. Police used drones and a K9 during the search. They found Lacy shortly before 2 p.m. in an upper storage area in a garage. They found a loaded handgun nearby. Lacy was arrested without further incident. Charges have not yet been announced. ——— Original story EAU CLAIRE — Police are asking people to stay away from the area around Margaret Street in the East Hill neighborhood and for those in the area to stay inside with doors locked. The ECPD says it is looking for Leo Lacy, who is wanted for recklessly endangering safety. He is considered armed and dangerous. When officers attempted to contact lacy, the ECPD says he "fled into the neighborhood. Anyone with information is asked to call police immediately.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lawmakers unveil urgent plan to protect state from financial fallout: 'There's no scenario where we simply just don't pay'
Wisconsin lawmakers are working to garner public support for legislation that would significantly reduce the state's carbon footprint. As WQOW reported, several state lawmakers gathered in late April in Eau Claire to discuss the Climate Accountability Act, a bill that targets Wisconsin's harmful carbon pollution. The proposed bill doesn't feature concrete ideas. It would, however, require the legislature to create a plan that reduces emissions statewide by 52% by 2030 and to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. The lawmakers stressed that the state must act now, and this bill must receive bipartisan support or pay the price when it comes to the effects of a changing, warming climate. "There's no scenario where we simply just don't pay," state Rep. Christian Phelps, a co-sponsor of the bill, said. "We either pay by destroying the planet or we pay by investing in renewable energy and by divesting from carbon emissions. I would rather do the latter." The bill also includes language guaranteeing that any carbon-reduction plan would also improve economic and racial equality. Wisconsin, the 20th most populous state, ranked 19th among all states for carbon emissions in 2022, at roughly 100 million tons. That puts it on par with levels from countries like Venezuela and the Czech Republic. Conservation nonprofit Clean Wisconsin says that achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 is possible with aggressive action from governmental and business leaders — and that would provide the state with several benefits outside of a cleaner, healthier planet. It said that investing in renewable energy sources to reach that goal would create nearly 70,000 new jobs and add $16 billion to the state's economy, boosting Wisconsin's gross state product by about 3%. It would also create a healthier population, potentially resulting in billions of dollars saved in avoided health care costs. Do you think America could ever go zero-waste? Never Not anytime soon Maybe in some states Definitely Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
EC City council votes in support of film, TV production incentives; what is it?
EAU CLAIRE — On Tuesday, the Eau Claire City Council voted unanimously in support of a Film and Television Production Incentive Program and the reestablishment of a Wisconsin Film Office. But what does that all entail, and what does that mean for Eau Claire? 'Wisconsin is one of 13 states without an incentive program and one of three states without a designated film office,' said Eau Claire City Councilmember Charlie Johnson while introducing the agenda item on Tuesday. 'The structure and format of the film and TV industry is changing; a lot of it is leaving California, Hollywood, New York, the bigger markets and looking at other areas around the country. A lot of states are positioning themselves well to reap the benefits of that — two being Illinois and another one Minnesota.' As part of Gov. Tony Evers' budget proposal, $10 million is listed as providing incentives to bring more film productions, TV shows, and creative endeavors to Wisconsin. While that as a part of the budget may not necessarily be included in the final draft, Wisconsin legislation also has a bipartisan bill, Assembly Bill 231, to also create tax credits for film production companies and create a State Film Office. 'This is competitive with all the states around us,' said Nathan Deming, a Tomah-born filmmaker who shot and filmed his movie 'February' in parts of Eau Claire and Altoona. 'Illinois and Minnesota have very similar incentive programs. One thing that sets us apart is that the minimum spend, meaning that the smallest amount you have to spend to access these credits, is $100,000.' Tim Schwagel, another local filmmaker from the Eau Claire area and member of a statewide coalition supporting these incentives named Action! Wisconsin, said the current lack of film incentives and a designated film office can be one barrier preventing projects from getting greenlit. 'That is really where it ends; the discussion stops,' he said. 'Which by extension, doesn't bring the money to the area and bring all the jobs to the area for people who would like to stay here for productions and stuff who are very skilled individuals… in more blue collar ways, with lighting technicians and electricians.' One other benefit is that the incentive forces money to be put back into Wisconsin, which could go back to in-state production companies, hotels, catering, actors and a variety of other occupations or services that come along with film and television production. 'This is not a cash program, this is not a grant and this is not really money coming out of taxpayer pockets — this is money getting injected into the local economy wherever the film happens and is only eligible for Wisconsin vendors, Wisconsin crew and Wisconsin products… That really keeps the money inside the state,' Deming said. 'It's a really timely and powerful opportunity for us to elevate the state's creative economy,' said Kenzi Havlicek, executive director of Visit Eau Claire, 'and we feel as if Eau Claire is positioned really well because we offer a diverse visual landscape between urban, rural and scenic places. That makes it attractive for filmmakers to potentially choose our location.' Speaking on the benefit of tourism, Havlicek said that a current trend is for people to visit places that are in movies or on TV. 'People are visiting places that they see on the screen,' she said. 'So what we're excited about: not only could these bring in a lot of jobs for the actual filming of the movies and TV shows, but it also could draw inspiration from visitors to come see all the beautiful landscape and experience what Eau Claire has to offer.' The incentives are also a way to draw in talent from out of the state into parts of Wisconsin, including places like Eau Claire or even the Northwoods. Ben Dickinson, a director based in the U.S. who has worked on projects with celebrities, comedians, musicians and more, has talked about his interest in a project that would take place in Wisconsin, highlighting places like Milwaukee, Madison and Eau Claire, and feature the aesthetics of the state. 'I grew up outside Chicago, but my dad is from Milwaukee and my whole dad's side of the family goes back generations in Milwaukee, so I'm very connected to Wisconsin,' he said. 'It's a really special place.' Dickinson said having a tax incentive almost means a guaranteed return for investors on projects, which is often a cornerstone of independent filmmaking. The lack of a film incentive can drive projects, like his film which is set in the dairy state, to film in places like Minnesota and Illinois. 'There's less and less reason for filmmakers to live in New York or LA, because there's fewer and fewer shoots happening there and you can be more flexible,' Dickinson said. 'I think if it was easier, if there was incentive for people to be shooting in the Midwest — not just Chicago but in Wisconsin — you'd have filmmakers saying, 'I want to have a better quality of life and decide to live in Wisconsin.'' 'For me, it would be very cool to see more Wisconsin stories be told in Wisconsin,' Schwagel said, 'rather than just being told 'no' or having to buckle and film somewhere else.' For local organizations like Visit Eau Claire, other local organizations and even Wisconsin filmmakers, there is interest to see what kind of impact the passing of a bill bringing film and television incentives and a State Film Office would bring to and highlight from the region. 'I think Eau Claire has a competitive advantage due to our location being right off the interstate and close proximity to Minneapolis-St. Paul is a great competitive advantage,' Havlicek said. 'But then also just because of what we're known for, our arts and culture and music scene, which already draws creatives to our area.' 'We have a creative scene here also tied to the geography of the area,' Deming said. 'The difference between them and us is that film is a really expensive thing to get going; there are a million reasons why something does or doesn't happen. That is why incentives are important to make it happen.'
