Conservatively Speaking
State Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin), whose district includes New Berlin, Franklin, Greendale, Hales Corners, and parts of Greenfield, has been in the Legislature for more than a decade.
She considers herself a tireless crusader for lower taxes, reduced spending and smaller government.
I voted against the budget repair bill
By Mary Lazich
Tuesday, May 13 2008, 06:13 PM
The state Senate approved a budget repair bill, 17-16. I voted against the bill.
Here is a link to a summary of the bill prepared by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. (LFB).
The budget repair bill is problematic because it includes a raid on segregated funds, using the tobacco settlement money, delaying payments to schools and counties, more borrowing, and, can you believe it, more spending. This irresponsible package merely uses accounting mischief and borrowing to create fiscal problems in the near future, setting the stage for another budget crisis.
The director of the LFB, Bob Lang says that if this budget repair bill becomes law, the state will have a structural deficit of $1.7 billion. The structural deficit is caused by future budget spending commitments exceeding future expected revenues.
There are some troubling provisions contained in the bill, including a property tax exemption for housing projects funded by WHEDA, and yet another fiscally irresponsible raid of the Transportation Fund of $50 million.
A tobacco settlement restructuring to grab some ready cash allows the state to receive $1,626 million from 2008-09 through 2029-30, and the state would lose $2,414 million over the same period, resulting in a loss of $788 million.
The Wisconsin driver's license fee was increased by $10 to pay for the REAL ID law. The bill proposes the $10 be used for other purposes to balance the budget. Under this scenario, it is likely your license fee will increase another $10 in the next state budget to pay for the REAL ID law.
Deductions for rental payments and interest payments to related entities are eliminated, resulting in additional taxes on businesses. Democrats call the deductions the Wal-Mart loophole. When I drive past Wal-Mart parking lots, I see a lot of my constituents’ cars in those parking lots. I don’t take kindly to increasing the price they will pay for goods.
Tobacco settlement money would be used to pay for Badger Care and Medical Assistance.
Wisconsin’s Do Not Call List would be expanded to include cell phones. That and a few other policy items beg the question as to why policy measures have been inserted into a budget bill.
Add it all up and the budget repair bill does not repair a thing. It only causes fiscal chaos. I voted no.
