Can We Mandate Common Sense While We’re At It?

Milwaukee City Paid Sick Leave REPORTING 100%
      Yes   130,562   68%
  No 60,796   32%

1% Milwaukee County Sales Tax REPORTING 99%
Yes 183,897   51%
  No 176,785   49%

If it weren’t so economically devastating, it would be laughable. 

Washington County, what are YOU going to do to bring in the businesses that will soon be fleeing Milwaukee?  Bring them here, help them thrive.

1. Absolutely disgusting. I’m a city of Milwaukee resident…we’re screwed from every direction. And the answer? Tax us more, push more jobs out of the county. But that’s ok, President Obama will take care of us.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 05, 2008 at 0942 hrs




2. Milwaukee should officially change its name to “little Detroit”.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 05, 2008 at 1003 hrs




3. What’s wrong with an increase in sales tax if it means a lowering of property tax (not that I necessarily believe that it does mean that). I think a consumption tax is more fair than an arbitrary value of your land tax…

   Posted by Matt on November 05, 2008 at 1023 hrs




4. In the interest of fairness, the DEMs will probably raise the sales tax for the whole area, same as the ballpark, and send it all to Mke.  Don’t want them alone on the island.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 05, 2008 at 1058 hrs




5. Matt, I might be ok with it, IF it meant that property taxes would go down. But history has proven that it doesn’t. I’ve seen nothing to suggest that this time around would be any different.

   Also, if the county board actually worked to reduce costs instead of acting like an employment agency and being pawns of the unions we wouldn’t need to consider this.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 05, 2008 at 1102 hrs




6. Problem with the mandatory ‘sick leave’ is that my employer will next year just give me more days and reduce my pay accordingly. I don’t use up my PTO now as it stands.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 05, 2008 at 1111 hrs




7. You know, I really love living in Whitefish Bay.  I love it.  But I don’t know how much longer we’re going to be able to afford to live there.  Between the new sales tax, our federal taxes going up and my husband’s employer being hit by the stupid sick leave benefit, I just don’t know how the economy can sustain it all.

   What in the world do people THINK?  How to people not realize that there is no such thing as a free lunch (or free paid sick days, as the case may be).

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 05, 2008 at 1156 hrs




8. What’s wrong with an increase in sales tax if it means a lowering of property tax (not that I necessarily believe that it does mean that). I think a consumption tax is more fair than an arbitrary value of your land tax…

   Well I agree with your first qualifier…  I highly doubt anyone will see their property tax bills go down.  This will just provide more room for government to grow spending.

   But think about it.  If you were a car dealer on HWY 100.  You are about a mile from the border with Waukesha county.  Why would anyone drive into Milwaukee county to buy a vehicle?

   $50,000 vehicle in Milwaukee county where sales tax will be 6.6% will cost you $750 more because sales tax is 1.6% higher in Milwaukee country.  And if you live in Milwaukee County, you can’t just drive west to Waukesha.  If you register your vehicles in MKE country guess what. YOU are stuck paying the higher sales tax EVEN in Waukesha.  GOD its great to live in Waukesha country!!!

   Lets say you want to buy new appliances for your house.  Go to Colders on Hwy 100 and spend $5,000 on appliances and you’ll pay and extra $75 in tax vs driving down 94 a few minutes and buying the exact same appliances at Best Buy in Brookfield.

   Real smart move milwaukee.  Real smart.

   The real big winner here is Waukesha country

   Waukesha country sales tax is 5.1% (both Milwaukee and Washington were 5.6)  Milwaukee will now be 6.6%

   http://www.dor.state.wi.us/faqs/pcs/taxrates.html#txrate11

   Head to Waukesha country to make your big purchases folks.  You’ll save a lot of money doing so!

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 05, 2008 at 1158 hrs




9. oh and as far as this silly paid sick leave..

   Already talked with the owners this morning.

   We already offer 4 paid sick days.  We are reducing everyones paid vacation by 6 days next year BUT offering an incentive.  Employees can use up to 6 of their paid sick days as vacation.

   Learn a lesson from that one 9 - 5.  Business will find a way around your silly laws.

   Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 05, 2008 at 1201 hrs




10. xxpilot>  Well for one cars are taxed not on where you bought it but where you live…  And second the sales tax isn’t going up.  It was an ADVISORY referendum.

    Posted by Dave Reid on November 05, 2008 at 1204 hrs




11. Sometimes when a burning building gets too out of control, you have to stop pouring water on it and start roasting marshmallows on it instead. Little Detroit? Good one but more appropriate when most of the buildings are scorched.

    Hey, that word reflects Milwaukee’s development strategy-Scorched Earth.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 05, 2008 at 1207 hrs




12. Dave Reid.

    If you had read my original comment you would have seen that:

    And if you live in Milwaukee County, you can’t just drive west to Waukesha.  If you register your vehicles in MKE country guess what. YOU are stuck paying the higher sales tax EVEN in Waukesha.

    So you see, I’m well aware of how taxes are levied on products registered with the state.  (of course had you read my post you’d know that)

    secondly, I made my comments with the assumption that this will be adopted, as did just about every other reply in the thread, and I believe it will.

    So you are really grasping for rebuttal, but thanks for your interest Captain Obvious.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 05, 2008 at 1256 hrs




13. Whoa! Does anyone believe that MilCO won’t go through with raising the tax?

    If so, the only theory I can come up with that makes sense is this referendum was an IQ test for the voters of MilCO and they took second place to dirt for the lowest score.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 05, 2008 at 1408 hrs




14. IQ test for the voters of MilCO and they took second place to dirt for the lowest score.

    lol

    

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 05, 2008 at 1451 hrs




15. Next year the 9-5 group will ask for all work be done from 9-5.  Coffe breaks every other hour, free coffee with hour long lunch hours .  And then——.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 05, 2008 at 1628 hrs




16. I’m gonna try to get an initiative on the ballot giving all workers in Milwaukee a mandatory 2000 hours of PTO/year. Who’s with me?

    Posted by Matt on November 05, 2008 at 1721 hrs




17. xxpilot> Ok then your comment contradicts itself as you also said:
    “Why would anyone drive into Milwaukee county to buy a vehicle? ”  If it is irrelevant where you buy it because your are taxed based on where you register the car then there is no reason you wouldn’t drive into Milwaukee county.

    And again no new tax went into effect and won’t anytime soon so well big deal.

    Posted by Dave Reid on November 05, 2008 at 2011 hrs




18. Raising the county sales tax one percent would generate an estimated $130 million. Of that additional revenue, the board says $67 million would be dedicated to lowering county property taxes. The remaining $63 million in new tax money would go to new spending—mostly for parks, recreation and transit.

    Source

    So only half of the tax increase will “go toward lowering property taxes”  The other half is new spending…  Just what Milwaukee county needs

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 06, 2008 at 0902 hrs




19. Dave Reid,

    You are right.  I just talked to a friend at the d.o.r.  I’ll pay Waukesha county sales tax no matter where I buy my vehicle.

    So I guess if you live in Milwaukee County, you’re screwed any way you look at it.

    Glad I moved.

    As for my other comments, they still stand.  For large purchases (appliances, etc) if people want to save money they should drive a few miles west!

    And again no new tax went into effect and won’t anytime soon so well big deal

    lol…  riiiiiight.  I’m sure this will pass.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 06, 2008 at 1105 hrs




20. For large purchases (appliances, etc) if people want to save money they should drive a few miles west!

    But only if they plan to haul the items home themselves.  If the vendor delivers it in company-owned vehicles, they are perceived as “doing business” in the delivery location.

    DOR guidance uses the example of a $1500 piano purchased in Sheboygan & delivered to a consumer in Milwaukee & that the purchase is subject to the stadium tax.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 06, 2008 at 1201 hrs




21. DOR guidance uses the example of a $1500 piano purchased in Sheboygan & delivered to a consumer in Milwaukee & that the purchase is subject to the stadium tax.

    Good thing Steinhafels doesn’t follow those guidelines.  Over the last few years, we have bought several thousands of dollars in furniture from them.  At first it was from their Kenosha store, then when they opened it, the Waukesha store.  All of it was delivered by Steinhafels to the house/apt in Milwaukee.  All of it was charged 5.1% sales tax.

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 06, 2008 at 1206 hrs




22. Clint, I’m sure Steinhafels is loving you right now.

    I’m sure you mean to say “a furninture store”

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 06, 2008 at 1213 hrs




23. ummmm Yes…. you are correct…. I didn’t mean Steinhafels… I meant “random furniture stores”

    Thanks for the correction pilot

    Posted by (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 06, 2008 at 1215 hrs