COMBINED LOCKS, Wisconsin (From news reports) -- Gov. Scott Walker and Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson exchanged letters recently over the struggles of the paper industry in the Fox Valley, Nelson calling for more assistance for the region and Walker trumpeting efforts that are already taking place.

Nelson wrote a letter to Walker in late October about working together on the region's economy. Walker responded on Wednesday, releasing his letter to state media.

Both letters are mild-mannered, a bit of a change in tone from when Walker and Nelson engaged in a heated spat over health care earlier this year while television cameras rolled just before a Walker appearance at the under-construction Fox Cities Exhibition Center in Appleton.

"As you are probably aware, the Fox Valley has been recently hit with a string of bad news," wrote Nelson in his Oct. 26 letter to Walker. "The industry that built this community -- the paper industry -- is fighting for its life. ... Although you and I haven't often seen eye to eye, I'm sure we can agree that as elected officials we bear responsibility to work together on behalf of the workers and families who are facing an uncertain future."

In his response, Walker touted work by the state's economic development agency, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, to support local projects related to companies like U.S. Venture in Kimberly, Nestle's in Little Chute and others.

"These targeted investments combined with our reforms to reduce the tax and regulatory burden on individuals and employers are helping drive economic growth in Northeast Wisconsin and across our state," Walker wrote. "We remain committed to supporting economic development in Northeast Wisconsin and across our state through targeted investments and continued government reform."

Walker closed his letter telling Nelson to "stay in touch as we work together to move Wisconsin forward."

In recent weeks after the struggles of legacy companies in the Fox Valley like Appleton Coated and Appvion, Nelson has been particularly vocal in his calls for more support for these companies and has pointed fingers at the newly-signed Foxconn deal.

In his letter, Nelson also mentioned the Foxconn deal, saying he hopes Walker will agree that helping the economy in the northeast is as "equally important" as the deal.

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