Column

REP. WARREN PETRYK’S

REPRESENTING WI STATE ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 91

When I travel throughout the 93rd Assembly District, I am reminded every day of what a great blessing it is to represent one of the most naturally scenic areas of Wisconsin. We live in an area where regardless of seasons, there is always something to do, including enjoying our local county fairs, taking a driving down the Great River Road, or enjoying some of the state’s best cross-country and snowmobiling trails. These resources help drive tourism spending and contribute to our local and state economy. In fact, in 2021, the direct economic impact of tourism in the 93rd Assembly District was $431 million.

Tourism also helps drive employment in our area. Despite the pandemic, jobs in leisure and hospitality are still major economic contributors to our area. In our area tourism makes up around 10% of our employment base, producing over $200 million in labor income. This also helps fund state and local taxes, with area tourism generating $50 million be- tween the two in 2021.

Because tourism has such an important impact in our area, I co-authored Assembly Bill 234. This bill would have required the governor and the Department of Tourism to award $75 million in federal pandemic funds to help our area recover from the pandemic. Despite more tourists this year, this industry took one of the biggest hits during the shutdowns and is still looking to recover. However, even with the bill passing both the Assembly and Senate, the governor vetoed it.

Despite that veto, I was instrumental in helping create new opportunities for tourism in our area. In the recent budget, I authored state funding for the improvement and restoration of Lake Pepin along the Mississippi River. This incredibly important program for not only our area and Bay City, but for the Mississippi River, will create additional fish and wildlife habitats, improve water clarity, and restore public boat access to Upper Lake Pepin.

As we move forward, our robust tourism industry will continue to be one of our state’s key industrial drivers. We should all be proud of the jewel that we have here in Wisconsin. If you have the urge now to enjoy more of what Wisconsin has to offer, there are many travel guides available for free that can be mailed to your home through the Department of Tour- ism. You can visit https:// www.travelwisconsin.com/ order-guides