WC Wisconsin News

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers is leaving little doubt he is all in on his Main Street Bounceback Grant Program, announcing this week that he is adding an additional $25 million toward the initiative; a WEAU report said this week.

The program offers one-time assistance to new and existing businesses looking to open a new location or expand operations in a vacant commercial space.

“Investing in Wisconsin ingenuity and entrepreneurship will pay dividends for our state, and I'm excited to bring our total investment to $100 million to continue supporting small businesses and Main Streets in every corner of Wisconsin,” Evers posted on Twitter this week.

Evers revealed his intentions to the public during a recent tour of small businesses in Eau Claire as he crisscrossed the area campaigning for his November reelection, a WQOW report said. During a stop at a cheese-and-beer bar on Third and Vine, the Democratic governor made it a point of assuring voters that small businesses are a huge part of his campaign platform.

“These investments in our main streets are paying off all across the country,” he said, quoted by WEAU. “You hear about talk of smaller and rural communities dying off, but not in Wisconsin. When I visit Main Streets across Wisconsin, I’m incredibly proud to see the vibrant small businesses benefiting from these crucial grants. In classroom, more than 146 new small businesses have opened.”

Evers noted that another element of his plan is to increase the minimum wage, though he plans to make that move slowly and strategically in hopes of making it easier for small business owners to adapt to the changing landscape; the WQOW report said.

Evers is set to face off against Republican Tim Michels in the November general election.