Senate Hits Snooze Button on Budget Repair
With the state of Wisconsin facing a $562 million budget
shortfall due to a national economic slowdown, state
government was faced with one of three decisions: raise
taxes, cut spending, or borrow. After Senate Democratic
Leadership first proposed tax increases and new spending,
they ended up passing a budget repair bill that resorts to
using the taxpayer’s credit card. With fiscal alarms sounding,
the Senate majority hit the snooze button, delaying making
real decisions about state government spending. Worse yet,
the final budget repair bill actually increases spending!
New taxes on health care and job providers, as Senate
Democrats originally sought, were fortunately rejected. Tax
increases would spell disaster for our state’s economy and
working families, already dealing with a faltering national
economy. As importantly, health care affordability is
challenging enough without adding new taxes that would be
passed onto patients.
However, the solution to delay state aid payments to local
governments and borrow more money to make ends meet is
fiscally irresponsible. It may be easy and buy time, but it will
simply delay making the hard choices. And, while the choices
get more difficult, the costs become higher as our bond rating
goes down and we mortgage our fiscal future. As working
families are budgeting to make ends meet, Senate leadership
continues to drive up our future obligations.
In the past, including when I served on the legislature’s
budget writing committee, we set priorities to cut state
government spending first and came up with $864 million in
state agency reductions while nearly cutting the structural
deficit in half. However, Senate leadership’s tax-first mentality
has rejected reining in the size of state government. We
need reforms that put the taxpayers first, such as public
employee health care reform. Substantive change in
Madison is going to require bold leadership and experience
that can take us in a different direction.
# 30 #
With the state of Wisconsin facing a $562 million budget
shortfall due to a national economic slowdown, state
government was faced with one of three decisions: raise
taxes, cut spending, or borrow. After Senate Democratic
Leadership first proposed tax increases and new spending,
they ended up passing a budget repair bill that resorts to
using the taxpayer’s credit card. With fiscal alarms sounding,
the Senate majority hit the snooze button, delaying making
real decisions about state government spending. Worse yet,
the final budget repair bill actually increases spending!
New taxes on health care and job providers, as Senate
Democrats originally sought, were fortunately rejected. Tax
increases would spell disaster for our state’s economy and
working families, already dealing with a faltering national
economy. As importantly, health care affordability is
challenging enough without adding new taxes that would be
passed onto patients.
However, the solution to delay state aid payments to local
governments and borrow more money to make ends meet is
fiscally irresponsible. It may be easy and buy time, but it will
simply delay making the hard choices. And, while the choices
get more difficult, the costs become higher as our bond rating
goes down and we mortgage our fiscal future. As working
families are budgeting to make ends meet, Senate leadership
continues to drive up our future obligations.
In the past, including when I served on the legislature’s
budget writing committee, we set priorities to cut state
government spending first and came up with $864 million in
state agency reductions while nearly cutting the structural
deficit in half. However, Senate leadership’s tax-first mentality
has rejected reining in the size of state government. We
need reforms that put the taxpayers first, such as public
employee health care reform. Substantive change in
Madison is going to require bold leadership and experience
that can take us in a different direction.
# 30 #
| Senator's Harsdorf's Desk |
Sheila will host a Tele-Town Hall forum where
people can call in and ask questions live.
To join the forum on Thursday, May 29, 2008,
constituents can call between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.
1-866-447-5149
(enter passcode #13620)
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