Boots & Sabers

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1124, 14 Jun 15

Senator Stroebel Fights for Repeal of Prevailing Wage Laws

I knew I wouldn’t regret voting for him.

Last week, I made my position clear that my vote on the budget is solely dependent on full repeal of prevailing wage for local units of government – all other provisions are negotiable. Since then, it has become clear an effort is underway to draft a compromise package of “reforms” to be included in the budget. These “reforms” would likely include exempting a limited number of entities, tweaking the methodology for collecting wage data, and increasing certain project thresholds. In my eyes, this sort of “reform” is unacceptable, especially since a full repeal enjoys such broad support from the Governor, legislators and Wisconsinites statewide.

Just last week I spoke with several contractors on this issue. While I appreciated their willingness to sit down and share their concerns regarding full repeal with me, it is clear they are currently participating in the negotiations to create a “reform” package. It was made abundantly clear that in the event thresholds were raised, they would simply be advocating for a lowering of thresholds in the future. A “reform” package that does not include full repeal would mislead the taxpayers into thinking the problem has been fixed. Unless we enact full repeal, the state will never have the stability that would benefit every unit of government and ultimately every taxpayer.

Real reform requires full repeal for local units of government. I did not run for the State Senate to make bad policy less bad. I ran to lower the tax burden on the hardworking taxpayers of this great state. I ran to eliminate unnecessary red tape holding our small businesses back. I ran to ensure those essential programs and services that governments provide are done so in the most efficient and effective manner possible. Artificially raising the cost of local capital improvement projects is the antithesis of good government.

As uncomfortable to some as these negotiations may be, I will not back down from my position that this budget must include full repeal for local units of government – anything less maintains the status quo and is therefore unacceptable.

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1124, 14 June 2015

5 Comments

  1. Kevin Scheunemann

    Good Job, Duey!

  2. west bend observer

    Typical ploy when you know it has no chance of passing as it stands. By being adamant he looks good in voters eyes while deep down he knows its going nowhere. Looks good in the eyes of the uneducated.

  3. Kevin Scheunemann

    WB Pbserver,

    I have to admit, that was some great spin, worthy of the Hillary Clinton PR blender for low information voters.

    Are you in her staff?

  4. west bend observer

    That’s not a spin, its so obvious its not funny and it happens every day in the world of politics. You being in local government most surely have seen it. One sees an issue that people are passionate about and they no the issue is going nowhere, jump on a box and show how strongly you support and all who behold you think you are in their corner. Nice try KS but you know as well as I that this happens every day, if not your dumber than I thought. Buy them again you are the smartest and most righteous person to ever walk the earth so who am I to question anything you say or believe.

  5. Kevin Scheunemann

    Or he is doing what he was elected to do. Bring other party members back from the clutches of the special interests back to fiscal conservative principles.

    To do otherwise would make him Mary Panzer and voters sent that pretend Republican packing big time!

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