Middle Class Tax Cut

The Wisconsin State Assembly recently made great strides toward ensuring the middle class can keep more of their own hard-earned money.

I joined my Assembly colleagues this past Tuesday in passing Assembly Bill 4, which provides $340 million in tax relief to nearly two million Wisconsin residents. The legislation largely impacts citizens who are making less than $100,000 and families earning $150,000 or less.

 The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates the bill will result in a $310 reduction in net taxes for a median-income family that files jointly. Almost 75 percent of the tax cut benefit goes to filers earning between $30,000 and $100,000.

I strongly believe the hard-working people of Wisconsin deserve this tax break. We remain a high-taxed state and I’m not content with watching our taxes continue to climb. It has been demonstrated over and over again that reducing taxes often leads to increased revenue for the state. 

And that’s why we are able to pay for this tax cut without hurting others financially. By using sound budget practices over the past eight years and decreasing taxes by $8 billion, the GOP-led state Legislature has been able to develop an ample budget surplus. With Assembly Bill 4, part of that surplus will be returned to taxpayers.

Gov. Tony Evers has also released a proposal to cut taxes for the middle class, but where we differ is on how to pay for the tax break. The plan from Democrats and Gov. Evers also uses some of the budget surplus, but the remaining portion of the tax cut would be covered by capping the Manufacturing and Agriculture Tax Credit, which would essentially raise taxes on many small businesses.

Because we can afford it, it wouldn’t make sense to do something that would knowingly hurt our economy. According to the University of Wisconsin, the Manufacturing and Agriculture Tax Credit has helped create 42,000 jobs since it took effect in 2013.

I am hopeful the governor will be open to finding common ground with the Legislature so we can fund the tax cut without shifting the tax burden onto someone else. 

The bill was also passed by the Senate on Wednesday and now heads to Gov. Evers’ desk to be signed into law.

 Visiting Youth in Government

I recently had the immense pleasure of sitting down with the Youth in Government delegates at the Door County YMCA and talking about the role of state government in Wisconsin.

Youth in Government is a tremendously valuable program that gives teens the opportunity to find out more about lawmaking procedures and discuss current issues with state administrators, elected officials and students from other high schools and YMCAs across the state.

Soon, the delegation in Door County will be traveling to the state Capitol in Madison to act as legislators, Supreme Court justices and the media. During that time they will hold mock committee meetings where students debate and vote on bills that are written by their fellow delegates. Legislative proposals passed in committee are then taken to the floor of the Assembly or Senate for a full debate and vote.

Youth in Government shows our teenagers how to respectfully debate topics and work together to get things done. I stressed to them the importance of looking at both sides of an argument because it allows you to gain a greater knowledge of the entire subject. I frequently find that issues that may seem black and white on the surface are much more complicated when you delve into them.

I encourage all of our young community members to consider joining the Door County chapter of Youth in Government. All three of my children were heavily involved in the program, and they learned many lessons that still stick with them today as adults.

Those who are outside of the Youth in Government age group can still learn more about the legislative process in Wisconsin by reading “How a Bill Becomes Law” and “A Citizen’s Guide to Participation in the Wisconsin State Legislature.”

Imagine you’re about to sit down to eat dinner with your family and the phone rings, and on the other line is a telemarketer or scam artist trying to sell you something or gather personal information.

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Well, you’re not alone.

More than 40 percent of the complaints received by the Wisconsin Department of Trade, Agriculture and Consumer Protection in 2018 dealt with telemarketing, a 17 percent jump from 2017.

Some citizens are telling DATCP they’ve been having decent success in slowing down or stopping unwanted calls by either letting unknown numbers go to voicemail or by using call-blocking features on their cell phones.

While I also recommend that same approach, many telemarketers and scam artists are becoming much more proficient at getting around those blocking methods by using a practice known as Caller ID spoofing, which allows them to change the Caller ID number on your phone.

One of the best things you can do to avoid these headaches is to sign up for the Wisconsin Do Not Call Registry by calling 1-888-382-1222 or visiting this link. Wisconsin residents who sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry are protected by both federal and state do not call laws.

Registration on the Wisconsin Do Not Call List is permanent, and your phone number will show up on the registry by the next day. If you are on the registry and you get a call from a telemarketer more than 30 days after you registered your number, you can file a complaint here or by calling 1-800-422-7128.

My GOP Assembly colleagues and I are always looking at different options to continue to address this issue, but we realize that no matter what we do, some unwanted calls may still be able to sneak through. To help further protect yourself, I suggest that you view the following DATCP consumer protection fact sheets on imposter scams and avoiding fraud.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact my office.

Upcoming District Events!

What: Fire and Ice Festival
Where: Throughout Sturgeon Bay, WI
When: Saturday, Feb. 16, beginning at 9 a.m.
Details: "Watch artists of all levels sculpt “ice-terpieces” out of blocks of ice. In addition to ice carvings, professional carvers will be turning giant snow blocks into masterpieces. These snow sculptures will be scattered throughout the city. Tour Sturgeon Bay in style by taking a free Door County Trolley ride from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Trolley stops and ice block locations are marked on the Fire & Ice brochure."

What: Hooray for Hollywood
Where: Agricultural Heritage Farm, N2251 STH 42, Kewaunee, WI 54216
When: Friday through Sunday, Feb. 15-17, with various show times.
Details: "Attend Hooray For Hollywood, an adult-themed variety show.  
Friday, February 15: Doors open at 5 p.m. & the show starts at 7 p.m. 
Saturday, February 16: Doors open at 5 p.m. & the show starts at 7 p.m. 
Sunday, February 17: Doors open at 11 a.m. & the show starts at 12:30 p.m. 
Tickets are available at Center Court Convenience in Kewaunee."

What: Door County Short Film Festival
Where: Sister Bay Village Hall, 10693 Bay Shore Drive, Sister Bay, WI 54234
When: Friday and Saturday, Feb. 15-16,  with Friday's premier night starting at 7 p.m. and Saturday's festivities running from 2 to 8 p.m.
Details: "Come to the 10th Annual Door County Short Film Festival in the Sister Bay Village Hall. On Saturday, short films will run all-day-long with brief intermissions for drinks and free popcorn. This year the DCSFF will premiere over 20 short films from all over the world. Hang out after the premieres and discuss the movies, makings of and techniques with the filmmakers."