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6/16/2008
Frank Lasee: More taxpayers ought to object
A few months ago a 90-year-old woman, Arlene Knauer of Manitowoc took it upon herself to get the required signatures (click here) to petition the City of Manitowoc to have a referendum before borrowing more money.
She stood in front of the library to collect 1,400 signatures, more than enough to force the city to referendum. Last week, a referendum on $8 million of borrowing was held.
What is interesting about this referendum is that 4 out of 5 passed with little public lobbying done, which has become common with school referendums. One of the main arguments against asking voters through the referendum process is that voters will hardly ever vote for more spending, borrowing and taxes because:
- Elected or appointed officials know best,
- Voters are too cheap,
- Voters just don’t understand the needs of the community, school district, county or state (they are smart enough to elect their officials, but not smart enough to understand the needs of their community),
- It is just too much trouble to explain and ask voters.
Over the last few years, I have pushed a Taxpayers Bill of Rights for Wisconsin—a simple proposal that would require referendums before a citizen’s government could grow their spending and taxes faster than growth and inflation or a referendum for the next proposed new major government service or new government purchase.
Wisconsin has had spending growth limits on schools for 13 years now. Over these 13 years, referendums pass about 50% of the time. We know that the statistics are skewed because failed referendums are brought back again, and again, and again. Sometimes they are scaled back, sometimes not.
The school referendum system has worked reasonably well and has helped to control property taxes (click for recent news that statewide property taxes have increased 3.8% this year). There aren’t many state elected officials willing to talk about removing these revenue controls (one of WEAC, the state’s teachers union’s top priorities) or taking away these spending controls (with voter override approval). This is because they enjoy 70% approval ratings when citizens are asked. Once citizens get the right to vote, they don’t want to give it up.
The Progressive movement that started in Wisconsin gave citizens the approval of candidates through the primary process. Before then, party hacks (oops, party faithful and the well connected) chose candidates in smoke-filled back rooms. Progressives empowered the people and gave them the right to vote on this important decision. Initiative and referendum were important parts of this party’s platform. So-called Progressives (liberals) today don’t want to give people the right to vote on spending because they are afraid we might not give them what they want.
Back to Manitowoc. With little fanfare from either side, $6 million of bonding for streets, storm sewers and sanitary sewers all passed by nearly 80%. On the other hand, a proposed $2 million water park (3/4 of which was proposed to be funded by private donations) narrowly failed. The voters and taxpayers of Manitowoc spoke on June 3rd.
More voters in Wisconsin ought to be able to speak to their governments.
Frank Lasee is a Republican and represents the 2nd Assembly District.
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| 2009 |
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• The Lawton-Bader files
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• Important votes Tuesday, including Appleton Common Council
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• From Mark Gundrum: One of the greatest honors an American can experience
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• State programs to cut? - Volume II
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• Speaker Huebsch: Governor turns down Federal Aid?
• Mark Rahmlow: "We're Broke."
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• This is trash talk - about a veteran
• Frank Lasee: Take time to get the Compact right
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• Any chances???
• I'm doing the Jerry Bader Show, today, the 11th
• Representative Frank Lasee: Final Waltz of the Season
• Guest Blog: It's not the county's business to be in the nursing home business
• Yup, Hillary won Texas and Ohio
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• Lots of ideas. No money.
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• The PAC - too precious to fail. Day 3
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• Fox Cities PAC - too precious to fail - Day 2
• Fox Cities PAC - too precious to fail
• New Transit Tax coming your way
• Rep. Petri has his finger in the dike - I guess
• AASD Retirement Costs Burdensome
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• Water rate increase was no slam dunk
• Education for all is just a bad dream
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