Posted on 07/24/2004 6:08:40 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
Madison - Republican lawmakers began planning Friday for a special session of the Legislature next week to vote on a constitutional amendment still being written that would limit spending by state and local governments.
Reversing a decision made weeks ago, Senate Majority Leader Mary Panzer (R-West Bend) called for a quick vote on a possible constitutional amendment and a separate three-year plan to limit the property tax levies of local governments.
The Legislature faces a deadline of next weekend to give initial approval to a constitutional amendment to meet an Aug. 3 deadline for its publication. The amendment - which was not available Friday - could not become law unless it is also approved by the next Legislature and by voters in a statewide referendum.
Because no copy of the possible constitutional change was available, Friday's controversy focused on Panzer's late-afternoon change of heart.
Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle and others said Panzer acted out of desperation after Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) decided to challenge her in a Sept. 14 primary. Another Senate GOP leader, Sen. Bob Welch (R-Redgranite) is also pushing for next week's vote to help his U.S. Senate campaign, Doyle said.
(Excerpt) Read more at jsonline.com ...
Republicans have been trying to bring forward a method to curb escalating tax levies in Wisconsin for 2 years. The latest attempt is to put forth a constitutional amendment giving us a Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) like Colorado that limits tax increases without a vote of the people.
Majority Leader, Senator Mary Panzer (R) blocked the TABOR bill form a vote during this session and then refused to call a special session to consider the measure, angering other legislators. Conservative State Representative Glenn Grothman filed against her for her seat last week. She is furious at the opposition, and a battle royal has broken out. Panzer is threatening to scuttle the Bush-Cheney cmapaign in Wisconsin while she fights for her seat. She is also one of the state chairs of BC. I'm told that a Panzer has held a position in state government in Wisconsin ever since the Civil War.
Wisonsin was recently rated #51 among all the states and DC as being the worst possible place to retire because of our out of control taxes. They have increased 25% in the last 2 years. It's not such a great place to do business either with excessive regulations.
The public seems to be very much in favor of a TABOR type amendment, and Senator Bob Welch is using this forced vote to give him a leg up on his opponents for the US Senate. Republicans in Wisconsin are divided as to whom they are backing for US Senate to run against Sen. Russ Feingold of McCain-Feingold fame.
Welch, who lost the US Senate seat to Senator Herb Kohl a few years ago, is running behind 2 other Republican candidates in the upcoming Primary, but this TABOR battle will give him a lot of favorable publicity. The next 6 weeks promise to be bloody.
It's not such a great place to do business either...
Yeah, did you also see this thread from yesterday? Seems like it's Peg L.'s (DUI-Wisconsin) version of the tobacco suit.
Ping
Ping for tax news
Ping for tax news
FYI
This affects all of us...
In Mary's defense...it's easy to slither when you don't have a spine.
It really irritates me that she is threatening the Bush campaign over this. It makes me even more determined to see Grothman elected.
Yes, and it means that my ridiculously high energy bill will go even higher if she gets her way. Couldn't we impeach her for DUI as the State's top cop, or something?
Peg "One more for the road" Lotta-lager should be in jail. You or I would be.
Doyle cannot veto a consitutional amendment.
Panzy will scuttle it yet, even if she has to be the 17th vote against.
Goldschlager, like every other elected official, is eligible for recall.
Fallout from Specter's win in Pennsylvania.
Thanks for putting me on the list. Even tough I'm not in Panzer's district, this does indeed affect the whole state of Wis. And sounds like she wasn't counting on any backlash from her actions.
My previous was actually addressed to afraidfortherepublic. Sorry, Steve.
Wonder if she's related to Saul?
No prob (AFTR, see #16)
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