TABOR Returns

Rep. Frank Lasee is reintroducing the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

To create section 11 of article VIII of the constitution; relating to: creating fiscal year allowable revenues for the state and local governmental units, returning excess revenue to the taxpayers, requiring electoral approval for certain taxing and spending decisions, and allowing local governmental units to exempt themselves from certain state mandates (first consideration).

No, it doesn’t stand a chance in the Senate, but it helps serve as a good reminder for how many politicians are offended that some taxpayers don’t want them to have unfettered access to our wallets. 

Hat tip Kevin Fisher.

1. So much for local control.

   Posted by on January 16, 2008 at 2110 hrs




2. Me Thinks Fisher is just trying to help his boss, Mary Lazich, by talking about a conservative issue she has supported(and not supported) in the past.

   Belling was ripping her pretty good yesterday on her support of
   the new Ethanol Bill.

   Kinda ironic he was even making fun of the “Lazich Staffers”

   Does he realize Kevin Fischer is Both a Lazich Staffer and Belling’s fill in host??

   Posted by on January 17, 2008 at 0832 hrs




3. TABOR is probably one of those political causes that comes for awhile and then leaves never to be heard from again like term limits, ERA etc.  It is too bad it could have been a meaningful solution for overspending but the Grothman amendment, 25 pages long, would nevr have passed.
   We, the Wisconsin Conservative Digest, were some of the original backers of the bill.  Ee fought hard but it ws doomed to fail cause of the lineup opposed to it.
   A TABOR concept has to be a maximum of 4-5 paragraphs long for it to work and possibly get passed.  Every paragraph causes another group to oppose it and it everyone opposes it, it would never pass.
   A good TABOR would stipulate that state spending be held to the inflation and growth percentages, though this has the effect of legalizing inflation.  It would only affect the money that the University system receives from the state, not all of their spending.
   Most of the University money now comes from other sources and If Herb Kohl or Bud Seilg would die and want to spend 200 million dollars to start the best business school in the US we woulnd not want to stop that.
   Townships would be expemted, they have their own referenda at their town hall meetings so the taxpayers are protected there.
   The school, cities, counties, villages would be covered as they are now by statute.  If one of those bodies wanted to opt out of the limitations they could do so by just refusing the state money that they get.
   If the state was covered by strict limits it is highly unlikely that they would take off the limits on other governemntal bodies.

   Posted by on January 17, 2008 at 1345 hrs