January 18, 2011

 

Walker Breaks His #1 Brownbag Rule:

Don’t Spend What You Don’t Have

Taylor Voices Serious Concerns about Fiscally Irresponsible Bills, $128 million in Debt Spending

(MADISON) – Senator Lena C. Taylor (D-Milwaukee) released a statement today voicing her concerns over the actions of the Joint Finance Committee.  The Committee took action on three special session bills:  SB 2, SB 3, and SB 4; none of which create any jobs. 

“Wisconsinites want to go to work, and yet these bills don’t create a single job.  The Governor contends that these bills will be a ‘signal’ to the business community.  But signals don’t put food on the table of struggling Wisconsin families, they don’t put gas in the car, or pay an electric bill,” Taylor commented.  “I hope as we move forward this session that Republicans will start to focus on real change and the job growth that Wisconsin needs and deserves.”  

Senate Bill 2 creates a tax credit for Health Savings Accounts.  This bill adds to the deficit without any corresponding spending cuts.  Senate Bills 3 and 4 are both tax credit bills for businesses; however, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau these bills increase costs, add to the deficit and create no jobs.      

“Governor Walker and his Republican Colleagues on the Joint Finance Committee have broken their promise to the people of Wisconsin to create jobs and to act in a fiscally responsible way,” Taylor stated.  “Rule number one of Scott Walker’s Brown Bag Movement was ‘don’t spend what you don’t have’.  The bills that were scheduled for action today added an estimated $128 million to the structural deficit.  Governor Walker is breaking his own rule and digging Wisconsin further into a dangerous financial hole.  This Legislature needs to stop acting in a fiscally irresponsible way and start to use pay-as-you-go legislation to ensure we aren’t spending ourselves further into debt”

Taylor added that she hopes the Joint Finance Committee will take action to show people of Wisconsin that they are serious about saving money, making necessary cuts, and most importantly creating good paying jobs immediately.