Sure The Citizens Don’t Want It, But Let’s Raise Taxes Anyway

First this.

As the economy tanks, Wisconsin residents overwhelmingly oppose raising taxes on businesses, according to a poll released Friday by the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute.

The telephone poll of 600 residents, conducted the second week in November, showed that 73% of the respondents opposed tax increases for businesses while 19% favored them.

But who cares, right? 

Staring at a multibillion-dollar deficit, some elected officials are asking whether all exemptions from the 5% sales tax are justified - exemptions that include legal services, veterinary care for pets, health club memberships and cloth-diaper businesses.

A state Department of Revenue report says sales tax exemptions total more than $3.7 billion annually - or close to the $4 billion the sales tax is expected to bring in this year. Because of the sagging economy, sales tax collections are expected to drop this year for what may be the first time in Wisconsin history.

No one wants to end the most popular tax breaks - on food and beverages, saving consumers an estimated $550 million a year; on services from health care professionals, valued at $495 million; or on prescription drugs and medicines, saving an estimated $116 million.

But legislators such as Sen. Bob Jauch (D-Poplar) say it’s time to reconsider some of the tax breaks that don’t make life-or-death differences at a time Gov. Jim Doyle says the two-year deficit is $5.4 billion..

That’s a tax increase folks.  Coming soon to a state near you.