Wisconsin Republicans say NO to Renewable Energy Jobs.

Yeah, the Republicans have balanced the budget and may even see a slight surplus.

It’s easy to balance the budget when you cut and underfund job creation spending not on the ideological radar for Republicans like renewable energy. Like dumb Ron Johnson says, China has a better business climate…than Wisconsin? Of course.

Back in June, this little story popped up:

The state Focus on Energy program, which is under new management, has suspended incentives for renewable energy projects effective July 1. The suspension doesn’t affect incentives for homeowners but does mean businesses and local governments won’t be eligible for funding to help bring down the cost of renewable projects such as solar and wind installations, said Jolene Sheil, director of the Focus on Energy program at the state Public Service Commission.

The money saved by the Republicans and reshuffled to their legacy supporters, short changed the expanding solar jobs sector dramatically. Get this: Demand for energy funds, unbelievably, made Republican legislators cut the program. You read that right. The theory of trickle-down economics has no place for “demand”:

Sheil said budgetary challenges and heavy demand for renewable energy funds drove the decision to suspend funding.

Fast forward to now:

The solar sector is expanding nationwide, a new report out Monday found, but a renewable energy advocate warned that Wisconsin could see a pullback in solar projects and growth next year. Michael Vickerman, executive director of Renew Wisconsin said, "The second half of this year will be a good one for the industry and installation contractors - as long as they don't pay any attention to the cliff, the abyss, that's in store for them this January."

"Our report shows that there are over 100,000 solar jobs at over 17,000 employment sites nationwide, and despite an extremely sluggish economy, the solar industry is creating jobs nearly 10 times faster than everyone else," said Andrea Luecke, executive director of The Solar Foundation in Washington, D.C., and former director of the Milwaukee Shines program.

Walker crushed the energy program anyway.

It’s easy to balance the budget when you cut and underfund job creation spending that is not on the ideological radar for Republicans, like renewable energy. Like dumb Ron Johnson says, China has a better business climate…I guess he was right a sick sorta way.