Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Milwaukee Democrats Seek to Make Milwaukee County a Tax Island

Yeah, good plan  rolleyes

Struggling to enact a transit sales tax before the end of the legislative session, Democrats are pushing a revised bill that still would establish a new Milwaukee County transit authority, funded by a 0.5% sales tax, that could take over the Milwaukee County Transit System, with County Board approval and eventually could merge into the existing Southeastern Regional Transit Authority.

But it would drop earlier plans for separate Kenosha and Racine transit authorities funded by hotel, vehicle registration or property taxes. Instead, starting Jan. 1, the Kenosha and Racine bus systems would become part of the regional authority, which already is responsible for the planned KRM Commuter Link rail line. The state could provide some added transit aid to those cities’ transit systems.

I fully support this legislation.  I look forward to consumers and businesses moving to Washington County in order to escape Milwaukee’s ever-increasing tax burden. 

We welcome all of you to Washington County.  We’re not perfect, but we’re a helluva a lot more sane than Milwaukee wink

(13) Comments
Posted by Owen at 1726 hrs
Politics + Politics - Wisconsin

  1. Careful what you wish for Owen.  Ask North Carolina how much they appreciate all the people from New York and New Jersey that moved here to escape the high taxes and then voted in a bunch of people that legislate just like New York and New Jersey. 

    NC enacted over a $1Billion in tax hikes this year to cover an increase in state spending instead of cutting back.  But hey - our upside is now we have a tax island state and an unemployment rate above the national average.  blank stare

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 03, 2010 at 1838 hrs


  2. I like how the article says it is Milwaukee area, but none of the ones quoted are from Milwaukee.  Nice that people who do not live in Milwaukee are making the decisions for Milwaukee.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 03, 2010 at 2238 hrs


  3. Gee, Owen, I smell some hypocrisy.

    Washington County passed a sales tax and reaped big benefits from it.

    You seemed to enjoy it.  Why can’t Milwaukee County tax payers have the same benefit?

    And John, we did have a say in it during the referendum in November 2008.

    Posted by capper on March 04, 2010 at 0213 hrs


  4. I like how the article says it is Milwaukee area, but none of the ones quoted are from Milwaukee.  Nice that people who do not live in Milwaukee are making the decisions for Milwaukee.

    HEEELLLLOOOO! MCFLY!!!!

    Its the largest commercial corridor in the state…. Whether you live there or not, chances are you are buying goods or services from there. I love this “You don’t live here so shut up!” mentality. Furthermore, Milwaukee soaks up BY FAAAAAR a disproportionately large amount of State money, something in itself that grants EVERYONE in this state the right to criticize the CRAP that that mess of a city and county are doing.

    I don’t live in Milwaukee, but I own a retail store in Milwaukee, do I get a say, Mr. King Of Milwaukee?

    Furthermore, as Milwaukee goes, so goes the rest of the state. All of these administrators go to the same conventions every year, they talk to each other…. Right now Sheboygan County is talking about enacting a .5% sales tax because all of the surrounding counties have one, and they think they can get away with it…. If Milwaukee passes this thing, Ozaukee and Waukesha, and Racine and Kenosha will probably follow suit…

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 04, 2010 at 0717 hrs


  5. Gee, Owen, I smell some hypocrisy.

    Washington County passed a sales tax and reaped big benefits from it.

    You seemed to enjoy it.  Why can’t Milwaukee County tax payers have the same benefit?

    And John, we did have a say in it during the referendum in November 2008.

    Sheboygan county is talking about a half percent sales tax right now, please inform me as to what benefits Washington county residents reaped from this rape? I’d really like to know what I have to look forward to.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 04, 2010 at 0720 hrs


  6. Search my archives further, capper.  You’ll notice that I oppose Washington County’s sales tax and spent quite a bit of energy complaining when they failed to repeal it when they said they would.

    Posted by Owen on March 04, 2010 at 0753 hrs


  7. You may have opposed it then, but you enjoyed and applauded the benefits from it after it was done.

    Posted by capper on March 04, 2010 at 0837 hrs


  8. The Washington County sales tax hike was proposed by those clowns on the County board a numbers of years back who insisted that they temporarily needed some money to pay for that County Fair Park horse barn. 

    Of course, I’m guessing that barn was paid for a long-time ago.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 04, 2010 at 0855 hrs


  9. You may have opposed it then, but you enjoyed and applauded the benefits from it after it was done.

    I applauded the spending restraint that the board showed at that time.  I continue to oppose the sales tax.  You see, I don’t spend a lot of time differentiating between types of taxes.  It’s still money out of my pocket whether it’s the sales tax, property tax, or any other tax.  Shifting taxes doesn’t assuage me.

    Posted by Owen on March 04, 2010 at 0914 hrs


  10. I’m all for the sales tax increase… the more, the better. I live right on the edge of the City of Milwaukee. By raising sales tax, it will temporarily take some pressure off my property taxes. I’ll just continue my policy of NEVER purchasing anything in Milwaukee County unless there is no alternative. The tax will drive consumers to the areas that I shop in (Waukesha County) and more stores will be built allowing me greater variety.

    A foolish idea forwarded by foolish, greedy, and economically illiterate politicians… but at least this time I can dodge the bullet.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 04, 2010 at 1047 hrs


  11. Family Guy - if you believe that either the half-cent sales tax or the idea to have the RTA buy the MTCS rolling stock will reduce property taxes, I’ve got a bridge to sell you.  They’re merely preparing for the post-Walker era in Milwaukee County government by giving Lee Holloway and his fellow happy hacks on the County Board additional revenue streams to tap to (try to) satiate their insatiable appetites for taxpayer money.

    Posted by steveegg on March 04, 2010 at 1634 hrs


  12. Yeah, that’s probably true. There is no such thing as a Democrat that wants to lower taxes or cut spending.

    The benefit of a sales tax in just Milwaukee County is that I can choose not to pay it. I’d argue for spending cuts and tax decreases, but that would be like arguing for sanity in Wonderland… it’ll simply never happen voluntarily.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on March 04, 2010 at 1648 hrs


  13. Democrats are pushing a revised bill that still would establish a new Milwaukee County transit authority.Property Tax Master gives its customers the necessary information and tools to successfully protest and reduce your property tax appraisal, thus reducing your yearly property tax expense.

    Posted by property tax on March 16, 2010 at 0034 hrs


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