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7/23/2008
Lasee: Just send it ALL in
Wisconsin Way is a coalition of organizations holding hearings around the state to get opinions from Wisconsin citizens. My concern is that three of the four groups in the organization are interested in finding new ways to get more money from taxpayers in order to grow their ever-increasing (according to them) mission. It is likely that their members whose interest is more money from taxpayers will be well represented. Last year's round showed that regular citizens and taxpayers are under represented. Please attend one of these meetings near you (click here for schedule) and add your voice and opinion.
If you have the chance to attend one of these forums, anywhere in the state, send me a brief email with feedback.
Below is largely a reprint from Lasee's Notes of October '07.
Wisconsin Way, a new organization with the catchy name, is coming to a city near you to talk about our high property taxes. They say they are asking all of us what we think about services funded by property taxes. Like many organizations they have a stated agenda and a hidden agenda.
Three of the four organizations are heavily supported by property tax payers, Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), the state’s teachers’ union, Wisconsin Counties Association (WCA), represents our 72 counties, and Wisconsin Transportation Builder’s Association (WTBA), represents road builders, have joined the Wisconsin Realtors Association (WRA) and a hired public relations firm to find “a fair and equitable way to maintain the quality of life in Wisconsin.” Translation: how do we get more money to spend—and get this additional money from sources other than property taxpayers?
Wisconsin Way is sponsoring public meetings across the state, to engage Wisconsin citizens in a “constructive, solution-oriented conversation about what we can do to make Wisconsin taxes fairer and reduce the property tax burden without sacrificing the quality of public services that have made Wisconsin a special place to live and work.” ‘Fairer’ is a code word for someone else should pay more taxes, so I can pay less tax.
WEAC, WCA, and WTBA are unlikely to concede that our tax burden is too high. The Realtor’s Association has joined this alliance because property taxes affect the affordability of owning our own homes. (Hopefully, the Realtor’s Association hasn’t made a deal with the tax-spending devil.) Tax spenders have a strong interest in keeping the flow of tax dollars growing…and little incentive to reduce the costs of services or increase productivity as long as the flow of dollars grows fast enough. One way or another, we will pay, whether from our property tax pocket, our sales tax pocket, our income tax pocket, or our business tax pocket (they just build it into the cost of their product or service) or some brand new tax.
Perhaps, you may want to attend one of their meetings. I bet controlling spending won’t be on their agenda. Let me know if I am wrong. My prediction is that their final report, after holding meetings all over the state (twice), will conclude that shifting taxes, probably to the sales tax, some new tax or maybe businesses, is the way to go. This group of spenders (realtors respectfully excepted) has no real interest in allowing only so much growth in tax and spending.
WEAC, WCA and WTBA were all strident opponents of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights that I introduced in the most recent - and previous sessions. This Bill of Rights will allow spending growth of inflation plus population growth or new building growth, unless a majority of voters allow more by referendum. Currently school districts have allowable spending growth limits—that is why we get to vote on new schools and large school spending increases. The polls come back, time and again, with over 70% approval ratings of the voters.
Three out of four of these organizations want to grow spending faster than our paychecks grow. Educating our kids, having good roads and county government services are important. How much and how fast the cost of these services grow is a question we should ask the bill payers, the voters.
It will be interesting to watch this alliance and their sessions unfold. A couple of years ago, the Governor convened a Blue Ribbon Committee to look into this funding issue on behalf of schools. This group floated an increase in the sales tax to reduce our property taxes. Sixty per cent disapproved of this scheme because they understood that this was just another way to extract more money from us taxpayers.
Rather than finding new ways to fund these services, at ever increasing levels, we must find ways to control the growth of spending and increase the efficient use of current money. Ways for the private sector to grow faster than the government sector. This is the only way, you and I can keep more of our paychecks, instead of less.
It will be interesting to see what they come up with and whether my predictions are correct.
Frank Lasee is a Republican and represents the 2nd Assembly District.
COMMENTS
I went to one fo their meetings last year, as did my dad (a different one). It is true, they only want to hear what they want to hear. The more people that come to challenge them, the better.
emily matthews (Wed Jul 23 07:28:44 2008)
I went to the first one too and have been checking the Taxconsin Way website since then. If you "login" you get more access to surveys and responses, etc. than just looking at their propaganda. The first session was clearly geared and guided to increasing taxes to pay for infrastructure and education (duh). The Realtors shouldn't be left off the hook on this one. It is obvious that they benefit from lower property taxes even if for a few years by higher sale prices on property. Besides that, it is a rare or nonexistant time that the Realtors actually differed from the Roadbuilders. If the Roadbuilders are considered spenders on this, then the Realtors are guilty by association.
CLufter (Wed Jul 23 08:42:29 2008)
I was able to attend the first round of forums as well. (Specifically the one in Appleton.) I plan on attending the second round when they swing through Appleton again in late August.
I can't seem to find my notes on the first event, but I believe my short description of the event was a "black hole of public opinion." So far all I'm convinced of is its a good forum for the average joe to gripe about whatever may or may not hurt their pocketbook. It still remains to be seen (almost a year later) what, if any, changes will be seen from this mythical policy report. I'm not going to hold my breath, but if their ideas are sane enough I'll jump on the bandwagon too.
Adam Delikowski (Wed Jul 23 13:34:11 2008)
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