JANESVILLE On a visit to two downtown businesses in Janesville Thursday, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez talked with owners about challenges theyre facing, issues facing Janesville and what its like to run a small business.
Rodriguez visited Lark Market on Main Street, a wine and spirits shop, and Ravens Wish, an art gallery and event space on West Milwaukee Street.
Rodriguez, and Wisconsin Assembly Rep. Ann Roe, D-Janesville, talked with business owners about challenges that impact their lives, like rising healthcare costs, and issues facing Janesville in the future, like discussions on developing data centers.
The visit was meant to gauge the needs of small businesses, and gather information about what the state government could do to support entrepreneurs.
What I walk away with (from) the conversations with small business owners is that they are really the lifeblood of all the cities and towns across Wisconsin, and that they really provide a unique service for the residents of Janesville, Rodriguez said.
Its really neat that this exists, and that people can come here and be able to create art, be able to learn new skills, be able to purchase very tiny pottery, she continued, displaying a small vase she purchased from Ravens Wing. We need to make sure that as the state, we are supporting our small businesses as much as we can.
Joan and Richard Neeno, owners of Lark Market, discussed ways theyve adapted their business since opening the market almost six years ago, adding specialized events like wine walks, expanding their products outside of wine into morning coffee service and more.
Rodriguez asked the couple if there were things that the state could do to be more helpful to small business owners.
The biggest thing, from a state perspective, impacting their business right now, Richard and Joan Neeno said, are rising healthcare costs, and finding affordable insurance offerings for employees.
Its just difficult to help them, Richard Neeno said of their employees.
Richard Neeno, who serves on the Janesville City Council, also expressed support for recently announced state legislation that would add energy regulations to the development of data centers.
As discussions continue over a proposed data center at the former GM site, Neeno said that issue impacts Janesville.
Were in the midst of that right now, Neeno said.
The bill, proposed by Sen. Romaine Robert Quinn, R-Birchwood, and Rep. Shannon Zimmerman, R-River Falls, would limit the utility costs of water and energy from being absorbed by Wisconsin ratepayers.
Ive talked about that a lot, Rodriguez said. It has to be a transparent conversation with the community, and it feels like it hasnt been in many different places, residents feel like its been sprung up on them a little bit.
Any energy use cannot be borne on the back of the taxpayers and any water usage needs to be really understood, she continued. It is a balance for communities and we have to make sure that were having that conversation.
Rodriguez and Roe also visited Ravens Wish, an art gallery with a pottery studio run by Heather Hansen of Pottery By Five, an event space, local art for sale and a display from the Janesville Art League, owned by Kegane Rynes.
Rynes said that small business owners in Janesville have really made an effort in recent years to work together and support each other, in order to continue business growth in downtown Janesville.
Were trying to get more people downtown, more local people, Rynes said. A lot of people dont come down here because theyre used to downtown being one way, or not having the current business offerings open now. But, theres actually a lot of (businesses) down here.
By coordinating their shopping hours during the holiday season, cross-promoting neighbors to their customers and planning events together, Rynes said business owners downtown work collaboratively.
Every little bit helps. Its a slow grow, but theres improvement, Rynes said. The sense of community down here, I havent felt it like this before in my life.
Rynes said she has continuously dealt with rising operating costs, energy costs and hiking daycare costs, which all impact her business.
Rodriguez echoed those concerns.
There are two things that I hear about no matter where I go, no matter where Im visiting, Rodriguez said. Thats housing and child care. Across the state.
And this affects everybody. It affects small business owners, it affects large business owners. It affects families all across the state, and so making sure that we are focused on that to make that affordable for communities is going to be important, she continued.
Rodriguez said that during her term as lieutenant governor, she was proud of the state administrations creation of bounceback grants, and the impact those have had on people launching small businesses across the state.
The grants were giving a little bit of capital in the beginning and they werent a lot of money, but for small businesses like this, thats what really helps them get off the ground. And so making sure we have opportunities like that all across the state I think is important, Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez has entered the Wisconsin race for governor, which is decided in November, but did not discuss the campaign on her visit to Janesville.
