Tax Revolt: Wisconsin Style

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel ^ | August 8, 2003 | Meg Jones

[ninenot]

Pardon me--but in fact, St. Paul wrote the phrase in one of his Epistles. Every time we read it, it sort of gives me a jolt. Sorry--am pressed for time this AM and cannot give you chapter and verse--pinging Salvation and RobbyS for backup on this one.

[ninenot]

BTW, I do not deny that your source is accurate; I simply maintain that the original was in St. Paul. Interesting history--thanks.

[wasp69]

I hope Governor Doyle will remember that just recently an arrogant tax and spend liberal was sent to the woodshed by a fed up electorate. Then there's that part of me that hopes he just keeps his lips flappin'. Go get 'em, WI voters!

[dirtbiker]

Doyle said: "It's really arrogant that people in one part of the state are telling people in another part of the state what to do."

But it's Ok for a bunch of idiots in Washington, DC, to tell every state what to do???????

[jla]

fyi

[ridesthemiles]

"We are getting taxed out of our homes". This is EXACTLY why Prop 13 passed in California in 1978. Gov Davis is trying to unravel it now, but it is the only thing that has kept many retirees within the confines of the state. If Prop 13 gets torn apart, there will be a mass exodus.
Wisconsin- get the details on Prop 13 and try to get it on your ballot there.
I gave up property I inherited from my father outside of Madison because of the property taxes. Brother has it now.

[MASmath]

I am a Wisconsin resident and I agree that both our state income tax and local property taxes are way too high. Having said this, I am actually against the state government imposing a freeze on what is local tax athourity. The people of Wisconsin need to rise up in opposition to too much spending. Get the spending under control and the taxes will come down.

[steveegg]

Apparently you haven't been paying attention the last 18 months. It's been proven time and again that as long as the money is essentially limitless, it will be spent (or haven't you heard of the Milwaukee County pension scandal?). What is necessary is for that money to start drying up; then spending MIGHT come under control.

In addition, a good chunk of that local spending comes out of the state coffers. For municipalities, it's a complex formula that takes into account property values and population, among other factors. For schools (the biggest whiners), it's simply 2/3 of what the school board authorizes to be spent. Therefore, the state does have some say in this. Morever, the state's say is simply that any increase in the property tax levy must first be approved by the voters via referrendum (much like the current requirement on schools that an increase in the levy beyond roughly 4% must go through a referrendum).

While I'm on the schools, I've got a few things to correct in Jim (Grey Craps) Doyle's claim that schools "lose" $400 million next year. First, they're going to get to levy AT LEAST the same amount of property tax as this year (an increase due to new construction is allowed without a referrendum, and they can go to the voters to get any size increase they want). That means that they're losing NOTHING.

Second, that "loss" is actually $133 million in local property tax increases and $267 million in UNFUNDED state liability (i.e. sales tax/income tax increases). Taxes, mind you, that the school board politicians, the teacher's union (through their exorbitant contracts that drive the "need" for ever-higher taxes), and the few that manage to show up at intentionally-inconvenient budget meetings get to vote on. It's worse at the municipal level; there's no citizen requirement whatsoever to keep the politicos from spending (just as an example that cuts VERY close to home) $21 million on a Taj Mahal police station that can't be used because it was poorly-built.

I have but one more thing to say to the big spenders, "Let us vote!" (President Reagan's "Go ahead, make my day" was taken and isn't quite applicable yet because we the people don't have that veto pen just yet).

[steveegg]

January 6, 2004: the Feast of the Epiphany, and perhaps another recall to follow in California's lead.

If the RATs don't get the message, it'll be a perfect day to start the "Winter of Recall" tour (I hope to have a T-shirt ready if they don't listen Tuesday).

[Taxman]

Thanks for the ping, jla.

America was founded, in part, because of high, unfair taxes. It is good to know that there is a limit, and that Real Americans are willing to take a stand.

Good luck to our Wisconsin bretheren. The Revolution has gotta start somewhere; Wisconsin is as good a place as any, IMHO.

[SkiHatGuy]

lol, a great line from "History of the World, Part 1"

[SkiHatGuy]

They stink on ice!" Forgot to add that to my post above.