January
29, 2010
Governor's Words Do Not
Match Governor's Actions
Governor Doyle delivered his
final State of the State
speech, and while I was
pleased to finally hear
about job creation and tax
relief as a priority, the
Governor’s record on both
accounts do not match his
rhetoric. In the same
breath, he announced plans
to create a regional transit
authority with taxing
powers, advocate for a high
priced and potential
job-killing, Wisconsin-only,
global warming bill, and
increase government spending
for health care programs.
First elected eight years
ago, the Governor’s promise
to not raise taxes resonated
with lawmakers and citizens
across the state, and now he
touts his tax and spending
reduction accomplishments.
However, eight years later,
billions of dollars in new
taxes and fees have been
created and state government
spending has increased 37
percent. Wisconsin’s
unemployment rate continues
to creep toward 9 percent
and government jobs now
outnumber manufacturing
jobs. That is not a legacy
any Governor would want to
be remembered for.
Last year alone, the
Governor and legislative
Democrats hammered
businesses of all sizes with
$4 billion in new taxes, and
more than $1 billion in
higher property taxes.
Their agenda has kept
Wisconsin off the market in
terms of competing with
other states and provided
little hope to those
struggling to keep their
doors open. The
Governor spoke of new tax
credits for food processing
modernization and loan
programs to help companies
install more energy
efficient products.
That is
a good start, but his overall
jobs bill will only have a
marginal impact on our
economy. To the contrary,
Senate Republicans have
offered the
Wisconsin Jobs
Now Agenda, which provides
more substantive tax and
regulatory incentives than
anything proposed thus far
this session, and is vital
in rebuilding the workforce
and the economy.
The Governor’s call for more
high speed transit and the
creation of a regional
transit authority may
lead to some jobs initially,
but the concern is the
long-term sustainability of
this initiative, as well as
new regional authorities
comprised of unelected
officials with the power to
levy taxes. It is a
laudable goal, but taxpayers
could be on the hook for
this massive rail project if
expectations fall short.
While the Governor believes
his global warming bill
would create 15,000 new and
temporary “green” jobs, and
serve as the foundation for
Wisconsin’s fractured
economy, several independent
reports detail how the bill
will potentially eliminate
43,000 permanent jobs, and
increase energy costs for
businesses and individuals
up to $17 billion by 2025.
The bill calls for a greater
reliance on renewable
sources of energy, which is
a noble idea, but this new
legislation goes too far,
too fast, and will cost
ratepayers too much.
Wisconsin is currently on
the path to a more
attainable standard by 2015,
and we should reach that
bench mark first, before
setting new, arbitrary
goals.
Health care is also an
important issue among state
residents, but opposition to
more government involvement
is growing each day.
Instead of offering
solutions to control costs,
the Governor introduced
another government run
health care program. The
program is designed to be
self funded, but it remains
to be seen how long that
lasts, and when the
taxpayers may have to step
in to fund it. History has
shown some of the most
benevolent ideas crafted
inside the Capitol, tend to
fall apart outside the
Capitol.
By this time next year,
Wisconsin will have a new
Governor, who will have an
enormous responsibility of
putting the state back on
the road to economic
recovery. In his final
speech to the Legislature
and the people,
Governor Doyle pledged to do
all he can to create jobs
and rebuild the economy, and
we share that sentiment.
Unfortunately, his proposals may be too little
and
too late, as the legislative
session and his term as
Wisconsin's Governor
approaches its final days.
-30-
Sen. Kedzie can be reached
in Madison at P.O. Box 7882,
Madison, WI 53707-7882 or by
calling toll-free 1 (800)
578-1457. He may be reached
in the district at (262)
742-2025 or on-line at
www.senatorkedzie.com
