Green Praises Effort to "Finally Remove 'Tax-Hell' Moniker" From State
Green Praises Effort to "Finally Remove 'Tax-Hell' Moniker" From State
02/15/06
Gubernatorial candidate also offers two suggestions to empower local governments and safeguard transportation funds
Green Bay - In a letter to State Senator Glenn Grothman and State Representative Jeff Wood, gubernatorial candidate and U.S. Congressman Mark Green relayed his support for the Wisconsin Taxpayer Protection Amendment (WTPA) and offered two suggestions to the legislators to "strengthen our shared goal of protecting Wisconsin's taxpayers."
"Our tax burden is blocking economic development and pushing our citizens to move elsewhere - especially our seniors and college-educated young people," Green wrote. "The passage of WTPA will put us on a path to finally remove the "tax-hell" moniker that has inhibited our state for far too long."
As he has traveled Wisconsin, Green has heard from local government leaders who support revenue limits and tax relief, but are frustrated by the unfunded mandates that are taking up more and more of their budget dollars. Green suggested to Grothman and Wood that as WTPA moves forward, efforts should be taken by the Legislature to review and remove just such mandates.
"Legislation should be enacted that will require the Legislature to identify and vote on each and every existing unfunded mandate the state places on local units of government," wrote Green. "Because Governor Doyle has vetoed legislation similar to this in the past, if I am elected governor, I will call a special session of the Legislature in early 2007 to address local-government mandate relief."
Green also praised the pair for including language in WTPA that will prevent future unfunded mandates, noting, "As we place needed revenue limits on all levels of government, we should empower local leaders to better determine the priorities and meet the needs of their unique communities."
Green's second suggestion to the authors was to add a clause to WTPA that would permanently protect transportation funds, suggesting, " every dime of motor fuel tax and vehicle registration fees be used only for transportation projects."
In his two budgets, Governor Doyle has raided over $1 billion from the segregated transportation fund to pay for non-transportation spending.
Green believes that having the ability to maintain and grow Wisconsin's transportation infrastructure is critical to attracting new jobs and sustaining economic growth.
"Protecting the taxpayers should include stopping the irresponsible raids on the transportation fund," Green wrote. "I believe the enactment of WTPA would be a wonderful economic development tool. Employers and entrepreneurs would be confident they can choose Wisconsin and all we have to offer, without paying a hefty tax penalty."
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