Wisconsin inches closer to tax revolt

Wisconsin State legislators talke like the budget for 2005-07 and property tax freeze show that they are taking action to correct the tax hell that is Wixconsin. The problem is that the property tax freeze highlights the vert actions state legislators should be enacting.

The Legislature has thrust a 2 percent cap on local government tax collections over the previous year, in the $52.9 billion budget Gov. Jim Doyle signed into law. According to polititicians a 2 percent increase is a “freeze” on spending. The outcome of this cap is predictable: people will lash out at City Hall. That will happen because City Hall has to limit it's growth and not being able to increase spending at a double digit rates is a cut according to politicians. Government can not cut employee costs becouse these public servants are of such education and income that they will be unable to find a way to meet all their expenses if they did not have pay and benefit packages well above the states median income. Since our village councils can't anger the burocrats - bThey actually vote!! - cuts will have to come in services.

When this happens don’t lash out at City Hall. These local problems were created by state government through the 2005-07 budget. I know it. I'm telling you so you know it.

This budget is a politican’s perfect plan: look like you’re tough on taxes but make somebody else take the pain.

It’s like a multiple choice test where this is the question:

Which tax cut hurts state government the least and makes legislators look best?
A. Property Tax
B. Income Tax
C. Gas Tax
D. Sales Tax

Answer: A.

Why A?
A property tax bill concerns four main categories: school taxes, city taxes, county taxes and technical college district taxes. State government controls income taxes, gas taxes, state sales taxes and other fees and charges.

A cap on the property tax bill affects local governments. That cap doesn’t change any of the taxes controlled by the state. It’s the state making local government to do the dirty work of cutting taxes. See the trick? It’s all legal.
But our legislators forgot something. People like caps on their income taxes. People like caps on the gas tax, too. People would really love to see the tax's they pay the state cut.

It's time for a real tax revolt in Wisconsin. We need to demand that the state government enact caps like they propose for villages.

And there’s plenty of fat to cut. A state that can break voter trust and spend five years of gas tax increases (about $150 million) on non-highway things during 2005-07 can take some cuts. A state that can increase state debt by giving legislators a 4 percent salary raise effective in 2007 can take some cuts.

Tax reform won't happen in Wisconsin when more voters become informed. Many voters already are informed, these are bureaucrats voting to keep their benifits, big business owners getting huge contracts and corporate welefare handouts.

We need more people to get informed. More people who need to know that Doyle, Guard, Democrat, Republican, none are looking out for them. More people need the information. They also need to demand that they enact true cuts, not political cuts but actual cuts in the pork. They need to then vote out those who refuse to quit the current drunken spending spree this state is on. They nee to find people to replace them who are not part of the system. Reject anyone who gives the standard vote for me becouse I'm a loyal Republican/Democrat. Vote for the independent becouse short of moving this is the only alternative to to the liberal tax and spend Republicrat alliemce.