Boy, if this story doesn’t perfectly illustrate the state of politics in Wisconsin. Tax collections are way up thanks to a booming economy under President Trump and policies put in place by Wisconsin Republicans. Republicans want to give the surplus back to the people. Democrats want to spend it. Evers is playing pickleball.
MADISON (AP) — Wisconsin tax collections are expected to come in more than $818 million above projections made last summer, an increase reported Thursday that will fuel the push to make an election year tax cut.
Republicans who control the Legislature are discussing a tax cut, while Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has been more cautious and voiced concerns about meeting other priorities and warding against a future economic downturn. Senate Republicans, whose leader Scott Fitzgerald is running for Congress, are pushing to lower property taxes. Assembly Republicans also support cutting taxes, but aren’t fully behind lowering property taxes.
Fitzgerald said he will continue to work on a property tax cut that can be passed before the Senate adjourns for the year in March.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said Republicans would not ‘‘grow the size of government’’ but instead would look at paying down debt or cutting taxes.
He didn’t specify which taxes or debt might be targeted.
Democratic Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz said any surplus should be used to address areas of urgent need, including bolstering school-based mental health and funding for the University of Wisconsin System.
Evers did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Evers (WEAC-WEAC) is waiting to see how much of that his bosses at WEAC want.
I’m sure that vos and fitz will stockpile a bunch of that $$ to bail foxconn out when they need some more taxpayer money.
Evers won’t comment until Maggie tells him what he thinks.
Gordon Hintz needs mental health funding.
Tokin’Tony doesn’t realize that there will be an AUTOMATIC contribution to the “rainy day fund” which will bring that fund to slightly over $1BN.
But then, there’s a lot that Tokin’Tony doesn’t realize.
What about giving it back to “teh Peoples”?? “Teh Peoples” are high on every other Tokin’Tony list.
Who are “Teh Peoples”, anyway, aside from some Communist propaganda creation?
Pay down the debt!