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This bill is based on the spirit of [U.S. Military pension exemptions] by expanding the exemption to include those professionals who… would… come to our aid in times of domestic terrorism, namely police officers, fire fighters, sheriff’s officials, state troopers, and emergency medical technicians. Not only do these professions currently put themselves in harms way to safeguard the public, but potential acts of terrorism only heighten the risk of dangers and hazards for these protectors of the public. (Rep. Wieckert’s sponsorship communiqué)

What?

Most of these folks have very healthy state-sponsored retirement plans that allow retirement at age 55 (age 50 for police officers and some firefighters).

And if we’re going to exempt income because someone’s profession is dangerous, why aren’t we looking at fishermen, pilots, loggers, structural iron and steel workers, refuse collectors (!), farmers and ranchers, power linemen, roofers, drivers and agricultural workers?

These are the 10 most dangerous occupations in the U.S. Maybe they don’t conjure up the same old 9/11 emotion and maybe they’re not good for as many votes, but these are the folks who die most often in the line of duty.

This is not to put down emergency personnel and hard-working public union employees. But it most certainly is to communicate that AB 861 is bad policy and bad legislation.

So tell me again, why single out these gallant protectors of the public for special tax treatment?

Wow! 17,000! JE

Glenn L Schilling (Fri Feb 29 11:02:44 2008)

The point is taken about special interests being able to lobby and buy someone like Wieckert and sponsor legislation that is frivolous at minimum and preposterous for anyone outside of the coterie that thinks up these things.

But as a topic of importance all this whining about whether rich people are going to pay $1100 in property taxes or $1105 makes my ass tired.

There are more important issues. And inflating the cause celeb of less taxes for the wealthy is tedious and boring. And on the subject of boring, what could be more boring than a whole town of old farts? This is not even something to be wished for or desired. A town dies and turns into an assisted living village with the cared for and the care givers making up the whole population-- like Palm Springs or some other dream of retirees with big pensions and annuities and whatnot.

This does not speak to the day to day existence of the elderly who are not being served juleps on the veranda-- or more likely the air-conditioned clubhouses of private golf courses. Golf is also boring.

It effects a lot fewer people that you think. There are more important Fox Politics issues. The whole discussion reminds me of the old commercial of the dowager asking what's for supper. The butler replies "Hamburgers madam" and the old lady is wondering about the cost of polo pony feed and 'how is one expected to live?'

Whether the sun belt and redneck states have high taxes or not is beside the point. In a temperate climate there is at least some relief from year-round conditioned air for one thing. Whether the taxes are high or low, in desert climate the energy bill goes one way-- relentlessly up.

Lon Ponschock (Fri Feb 29 11:13:09 2008)

Spoken like a bona fide grumpy old fart, Lon. Lump into that boring group, all the recent graduates of our taxpayer funded post graduate and graduate schools, and we're talking some serious taxflight. Loss of economic support for this fine state, filled with some of the best people the U.S. has to offer does concern me. I don't care where it comes from, loss is loss; the balance of your argument comes off, quite frankly, as pure class envy.

Richard Parins (Fri Feb 29 15:29:35 2008)

Richard ... you got it right. Wisconsin cannot afford to have wealth leave the state ... whether it be retireds with their nest eggs or professionals who build the economy. Guys like Lon ... I dunno where they get their thinking ....

Apexcutter (Sun Mar 02 19:59:55 2008)

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