Working Harder to Get Less
Lasees Notes
The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, a respected, non-partisan source of information on Wisconsins government spending and taxes, released a study on how much of our income state and local governments spend. The analysis was based on the latest US Census
spending statistics. The conclusions were not good and not surprising.
In 2004, Wisconsins state and local government spending took nearly 22% ($6,670 per
person) of our incomes. More than $20 for every $100 earned. So if you are making $3,000 per month, state and local government spending will take $660 off the top. Ouch!
Elementary and secondary schools accounted for the bulk of government spending at 5.2% of income (14th in the nation). So much for the argument that many schools can't survive without more of our money. Higher education (the UW System) took 2.5% of our income (13th highest in the US). Our generous public welfare system claimed 4.1% of our incomes (16th in the nation).
The study found that Wisconsin spent more than the national average on every major government service area.
Over the past decade state and local spending has grown considerably as a portion of
our income. In 1994, it was 21.2%. In 2002 it jumped to 21.4%. And in 2004 it grew again to 21.9%.
Our income growth has lagged the nation for years. In 2004 our personal income grew 5%. In 2005 it was a paltry 2.6%. This year isnt any better. In the first quarter of 2006, personal income grew by 1.1% (40th in the nation for the period).
Consider the fact that our unemployment rate is fairly low (less than 5% in May) and that we have high numbers of working adults (nearly 3,000,000). Clearly we work hard here in Wisconsin.
The more money we earn, the more our government takes. Our incomes are virtually stagnant, yet a majority of our governments are growing their spending faster.
Wisconsinites are working harder to keep less of the money we earn.
As government grows, so do our taxes. People who have the ability to earn money understand this. They are relocating to more tax friendly states. They are taking their wealth, philanthropy, intelligence, taxes they paid, and businesses with them.
Then we are replacing the higher income people with lower-to-middle income people. In many cases, these people are coming here to reap the benefits of our generous
government (the government that you and I have paid nearly $7,000 per person,
per year to maintain).
There is a better way. The Taxpayer Bill of Rights will tie government growth to our ability to pay. Thus, preventing our government from spending more than we can afford, unless they ask through referendum first. In the long run, it will mean more money in our pockets because our economy will be better and government spending will be done more wisely.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lasees Notes is a weekly column by Representative Frank Lasee, 2nd Assembly District, covering events in the Legislature and statewide.
The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, a respected, non-partisan source of information on Wisconsins government spending and taxes, released a study on how much of our income state and local governments spend. The analysis was based on the latest US Census
spending statistics. The conclusions were not good and not surprising.
In 2004, Wisconsins state and local government spending took nearly 22% ($6,670 per
person) of our incomes. More than $20 for every $100 earned. So if you are making $3,000 per month, state and local government spending will take $660 off the top. Ouch!
Elementary and secondary schools accounted for the bulk of government spending at 5.2% of income (14th in the nation). So much for the argument that many schools can't survive without more of our money. Higher education (the UW System) took 2.5% of our income (13th highest in the US). Our generous public welfare system claimed 4.1% of our incomes (16th in the nation).
The study found that Wisconsin spent more than the national average on every major government service area.
Over the past decade state and local spending has grown considerably as a portion of
our income. In 1994, it was 21.2%. In 2002 it jumped to 21.4%. And in 2004 it grew again to 21.9%.
Our income growth has lagged the nation for years. In 2004 our personal income grew 5%. In 2005 it was a paltry 2.6%. This year isnt any better. In the first quarter of 2006, personal income grew by 1.1% (40th in the nation for the period).
Consider the fact that our unemployment rate is fairly low (less than 5% in May) and that we have high numbers of working adults (nearly 3,000,000). Clearly we work hard here in Wisconsin.
The more money we earn, the more our government takes. Our incomes are virtually stagnant, yet a majority of our governments are growing their spending faster.
Wisconsinites are working harder to keep less of the money we earn.
As government grows, so do our taxes. People who have the ability to earn money understand this. They are relocating to more tax friendly states. They are taking their wealth, philanthropy, intelligence, taxes they paid, and businesses with them.
Then we are replacing the higher income people with lower-to-middle income people. In many cases, these people are coming here to reap the benefits of our generous
government (the government that you and I have paid nearly $7,000 per person,
per year to maintain).
There is a better way. The Taxpayer Bill of Rights will tie government growth to our ability to pay. Thus, preventing our government from spending more than we can afford, unless they ask through referendum first. In the long run, it will mean more money in our pockets because our economy will be better and government spending will be done more wisely.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lasees Notes is a weekly column by Representative Frank Lasee, 2nd Assembly District, covering events in the Legislature and statewide.
posted by John Q Cheesehead | 10:52 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home