Just when we thought it was safe to go back to living and working in Wisconsin, 'Jaws' Doyle used his 'Frankenstein' veto tool to rewrite the budget deal.
The 2% property tax cap magically became a 3.86% property tax cap for next year. Doyle cobbled that together by using the current veto law to strike parts of sentences in order to find the numbers 3, 8 and 6 along with a couple of periods.
So, not only did MATC pick up the ability to go back to its 5% property tax increase, but all communities in Wisconsin received the Halloween 'treat' of raising property taxes as much as 3.86% instead of being required to limp along on only 2%.
Now, the state's Democrat-led Senate's new majority leader, Sen. Russ Decker, sits in control of the potential amendment to the state's constitution that would eliminate the 'Frankenstein' veto power used by Doyle. Sen. Decker says that he hasn't made a decision about putting this amendment to a vote. That would kill any chance of the constitutional amendment for another several years.
Welcome to hardball politics as played by the Democrats. Still think that Colorado won't get the combined headquarters for Miller/Coors? Our state's tax ranking just took another hit. It wouldn't be a surprise if this fiasco were to lead to Wisconsin being dropped to 40th or 41st or worse next year in the raging battle to see which state can be the worst place to live and work due to taxes.
Thanks Governor Doyle. Thanks Democrats.
