State
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Friday, 15 June 2007 |
There are four pieces of legislation sitting in Madison that would really help the Waukesha School District as well as other districts and government entities statewide--Competitive Contracting (LRB 0547), Linking Compensation to Ability to Pay (LRB 0551), Pension Participation (LRB 0546), and Switching Insurance Carriers Outside Arbitration (AB110) with the Kramer amendment that would allow goverment entities to use the money for programs instead of salaries. The WTL is requesting the Legislative Committee of the School Board to support these legislative reforms immediately and contact state representatives and appropriate committee members with their support on time to move these bills out of committee and on to the floor for the upcoming budget vote.
Just so no one feels picked on, the WTL has also asked Mayor Larry Nelson and County Executive Dan Vrakas to join the WTL in these much needed reforms.
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When Will Sondy Pope-Roberts Unveil Her Tax Hike Plan? |
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Friday, 01 June 2007 |
 Last night SAWS, the student group from Waukesha South, held a 'non-partisan' forum on school funding. There wasn't anything non-partisan about this event. Representative Sondy Pope-Roberts spoke the usual democratic lines and echoed WEAC all night long. She repeatedly stated that teachers must be paid well and saw no problem with health insurance that costs $21,000 per year. She did not support AB110, the proposal that would allow government entities to chose a different health insurance to save programs and taxpayer money. In her opinion, revenue caps are bad, the QEO is bad, the Constitution (which states that the state must provide equivalent education for all students regardless of where they live in the state) needs to be changed, every tax 'loophole' closed to increase tax revenue, etc. She even used the old banner arguement of 'if we don't educate the kids, we will pay much more if they are in prison.' First she states she doesn't have a plan, just wants to bring everyone to the table, then later, repeatedly stated she has a plan on her desk that is ready to go but won't see the light of day with the Republican controlled Assembly.
Representative Kramer once again reminded the audience that Waukesha will be a huge loser if the court approved funding formula is changed due to the fact that every dollar Waukesha receives, over a $1.30 goes back to the state through higher taxes to be redistributed statewide. Representative Pope-Roberts after glancing over this earlier, acknowledged that Waukesha would not gain under any change. Representative Kramer also stated that part of the problem lies in Waukesha. He is a co-signer to AB110, which with his amendment that savings goes back into the classroom, would bring $5 million in relief to Waukesha. This wasn't well received by the teachers in the audience. Representative Kramer also stated he wasn't going to sign on to legislation that had no plan, used a lot of rhetoric and led to false hopes. He preferred to be honest with the electorate. This received sincere applause from a young female student in the audience.
To wrap it up, the forum went as expected last night. The WTL would like to thank Representative Kramer for agreeing to walk into the lion's den. The crowd wasn't non-partisan and held no respect for him as demonstrated by the laughter when he started to speak and the cat calls from the audience throughout his question and answer session. If this was truly non-partisan, someone would have asked Representative Pope-Roberts where the additional funding would come from and just how much she is talking about.
More coverage.
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Get Wisconsin Out of the Top 10 |
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Friday, 18 May 2007 |
WI is #7 :( + 1
 Wisconsin actually dropped down one to number 8. This wasn't due to the lack of spending in Wisconsin, but due more to the outrageous spending happening in other states. The WTL will credit fiscal policies of revenue caps on educational funding and the 2% property tax freeze. As we all know, the 2% freeze is gone and the Governor's budget contains outrageous tax and fee increases. The WTL seriously doubts that the Republican Assembly will become knights in shining armor and rescue the taxpayers. Sondy Pope Roberts may be right when she proclaimed that 2008 will be a democratic sweep of all houses in Madison. Enjoy #8 while it lasts....
Wisconsin ranks 7th highest in taxes nationwide--more than 10% above the average. Don't believe us? HIDEYOURWALLET.COM has it all. Wisconsin families are taxed too much because Wisconsin government spends too much.
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Monday, 16 April 2007 |
This is why the WTL continues to exist today.....here
From an email:
Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table
At which he's fed.
Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.
Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.
Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.
Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.
Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries, then
Tax his tears.
Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won't be done
Till he has no dough.
When he screams and hollers,
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He's good and sore.
Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he's laid.
Put these words
upon his tomb,
"Taxes drove me<BR>to my doom..."
When he's gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax.
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax,
Fuel permit tax
Gasoline Tax (42 cents per gallon)
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Interest expense
Inventory tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service charge taxes
Social Security Tax
Road usage taxes
Sales Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone federal excise tax
Telephone federal universal service fee tax
Telephone federal, state and local surcharge taxes
Telephone minimum usage surcharge tax
Telephone recurring and non-recurring charges tax
Telephone state and local tax
Telephone usage charge tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax
And after all that, there are more being dreamed up every day ....
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Republican Leadership Starting to Speak Out |
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Tuesday, 13 March 2007 |
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UPDATE: The WTL would like to thank our area representation as they tried to present their case of controlling spending at a forum held at North High School on school funding. Educational funding is a complex issue and throwing money at education will not solve the problem. It will take some serious reform, primarily limiting salaries and benefits, due to the fact that compensation costs make up 80% of budgets. Some of the details of Governor Doyle's budget were printed in the Journal Sentinel today here. These proposals raise many questions and the WTL recommends that the State Assembly holds firm to the belief of smaller government. The biggest hole is the desire by Doyle to eliminate the QEO, Qualified Economic Offer, which is supposed to limit salaries and benefit increases to a 3.8% package. It has been proven time and time again that packages have severly exceeded this amount. There is no mention from Doyle to remove mediation/arbitration from law, yet he states he will leave the revenue cap in place. Does Governor Doyle think we are stupid? If this is his plan, it is with the full intent to force local communities to referendum more and more to fund more and more teacher benefits. The WTL could go on and on on this subject but find it to be an outrage that our representation doesn't serve the very individuals that elect them but those that fund them. This statement applies to both Republicans and Democrats.
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