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Tax Relief
We need to reduce the tax burden on
Wisconsin working families. High taxes
hinder our ability to ensure good-paying
jobs grow and stay in Wisconsin. I have
fought against the litany of tax increases
proposed by Senate Democratic Leadership,
including new taxes on gas, health care,
take-home pay, and job providers. We need to
change the tax-first mentality in Madison
that controls the State Senate.
As importantly, I helped bring about
tax-and-spend accountability by banning the
Frankenstein Veto. A 2007 Frankenstein Veto
led to nearly doubling the allowable
property tax increase.
Finally, we need a real property tax freeze
that is not diluted, weakened, or vetoed.
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ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Blocked tax increases: Opposed
efforts by Governor Doyle and Senate
Democrats to increase taxes, including the
following that were included in the 2007-09
budget bill:
• A doubling of the tax burden on Wisconsin
employers and workers to pay for
government-run health care ($15.2 billion)
• $416 million tax increase on hospital
patients (hospital tax)
• $130 million tax increase on job providers
(combined reporting)
• $142 million tax increase on home buyers
(real estate transfer fee)
• $35 million tax increase on nursing home
residents (bed tax increase)
Restored tax-and-spend accountability
(2007 SJR 5): Championed three-year
effort to ban the Frankenstein Veto, as
approved by state voters this April. The
Frankenstein Veto enabled a Governor to
cobble together words in random sentences to
create new laws no legislator voted for! A
2005 Frankenstein Veto led to a $427 million
raid on the transportation fund later filled
by tax and fee hikes; while a 2007
Frankenstein Veto nearly doubled the
allowable property tax increase.
College tax deduction increased (2005 Act
25): Made college education more
affordable by expanding the $3,000 tax
deduction to twice the tuition charged by
the University of Wisconsin.
Eliminated taxes on social security
benefits (2005 Act 25): Nearly $100
million tax reduction for seniors that are
on a fixed income and retire in Wisconsin.
Exempt retirement income up to $5,000
from taxes (2007 Act 20). Will encourage
seniors to retire in Wisconsin.
Repealed automatic increases in the gas
tax (2005 Act 85): For years, the state
gas tax increased automatically on April
1st, without a vote by legislators. Our
actions eliminated automatic increases and
saved drivers $49.9 million.
ACTION
Tax Relief Today
• Change the tax-first mentality in Madison.
As a past member of the budget-writing
committee, I know that it is possible to
require that state agencies cut spending and
find efficiencies first.
• Enact a real property tax freeze that is
limited to the growth in new construction.
Further reduce our property tax bills by
reforming technical college funding.
• Work with local governments to save money;
such as public employee health care reform,
mandate relief, and collective bargaining
reform to enable costs to communities to be
considered in arbitration.
• Block multi-billion, record setting, state
tax increases sought by Senate Democrats
• Kill the possible return of the “Death
Tax”; without action the death tax will be
back in full force come 2011.
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