Economist Dale Knapp, who leads the Wisconsin Counties Association’s Forward Analytics research division, said establishing a self-funding incentive program to attract people to Wisconsin is the “only way” to offset demographic challenges in the coming years. Knapp spoke during Wednesday’s 2025 Wisconsin Economic Forecast Luncheon in Madison, hosted by WisPolitics, WisBusiness and the Wisconsin Bankers Association.
As the baby boomer generation ages out of the workforce, younger generations of a smaller size are creating an insufficient labor pool, Knapp said. He proposed using a portion of Wisconsin’s anticipated $4 billion surplus to mitigate workforce pressures.
Knapp’s plan would place $300 million of the surplus into an attraction fund, with $50 million of that amount directed toward a Wisconsin-centered advertising campaign. The fund could also support a $16,000 incentive for those willing to move to the state.
Knapp said the incentive program would likely be the largest of any U.S. state and could be funded for the foreseeable future by generating increased tax revenue.
