taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Contributed by: Mark L. Harris
The state legislature is holding invitation only hearings on legislation designed to limit State and local government revenues. The legislation would generally limit increases in property taxes and fees to a CPI calculation and for the city would also allow an adjustment for 60% of new construction and for the State and Counties allow for an adjustment for population growth. There is at least two serious defects in the legislation. It does not take into account declining or stagnant intergovernmental revenues, such as revenue sharing, and it includes the gross proceeds on bonds as increased revenue. This would make it impossible for local government to do road construction, sewer and stormwater projects, flood abatement, water treatment, sewage treatment or any other public investment in infrastructure without a referendum. What do Eye on Oshkosh readers think about this? Would it benefit Wisconsin by slowing the growth in taxes or would it harm Wisconsin by causing the infrastructure to be ignored and by making new business and residential development impossible?
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, February 20 2006 @ 12:47 PM MST
You are correct on everything you say, but you'll never get the support of the everyday taxpayer until the public truly believes that all avenues have been made to be efficient.When times are supposed to be so tough, yet raises are still doled out. When the city employees pay a measly 5% for their gold plated health care. When a county worker pays $0.00 toward their retirement. When people hear stories of garbage collectors being home by 1pm everyday. When people hear stories of county workers who are embarassed about how little they do at work. When people see the finance director call raises in salary a cut just because the raise isn't as much as it used to be. When the public sees the city approve bonding in advance of state regulation and claims it will be for streets, then uses it to fund a swimming pool. When people see a sales tax proposed to partially cover operating expenses. And on, and on.While this legislation will definitely not be fair to local governments, possibly it will make them look for alternatives to solving their problems instead of alternative ways of raising cash from taxpayers.Benefits (health care) and pensions are the two things that will have to change. These antiquated programs are destroying some of the biggest corporations in the US. If government didn't have the taxing authority to "raise revenues", they would be in the same mess as GM or Ford. The pain that is going to come from the Taxpayers Protection Act will not be pretty, but it is necessary. Reagan defeated communism, and the taxpayers will defeat the socialist monster call local government.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, February 21 2006 @ 08:35 PM MST
I have to agree with Anonymous. TABOR does not prevent local government from doing things. It simply requires creativity in solving problems. The budget problems at the local level are primarily due to poor local decisions. Budget cuts should not be forced by outside pressures, they should be done proactively to allow better distribution of our tax dollars or tax cuts. Outsourcing is the obvious answer to many of the problems to reduce costs in health care, buildings, pensions, etc. Many potential opportunities are obvious, however need careful consideration by our political and managerial leaders to find real savings. Most reasonable people understand basic needs cannot be cut - but funding levels must change.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, February 21 2006 @ 10:36 PM MST
The budget problems at the local level are due to the state taking our tax dollars and not returning it (shared revenue) as the state promised originally. The budget problems also have to do with the state being incapable of keeping its own financial house in order but continually expecting local authorities to do more with less. Has local government made some poor choices? Yes. But it is mostly due to the state and its way of governing (and spending).
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, February 22 2006 @ 09:02 AM MST
You clearly don't understand what TABOR would do, and I'm sure you don't want to understand but hopefully those who do will read Mr. Harris' comments.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, February 22 2006 @ 06:11 PM MST
HERE HERE !!!!I hate my job and my boss/owners want it that way what makes these nepotists in local gov. think they deserve what they have much less more?The free market is cold and unforgiving. my sister just lost her job of 29 years due to a plant closing. Yes it sucks but this will NEVER HAPPEN IN GOV! They will close parks before firing anyone! after all "anyone" has 9..13...15....21...30....years in toward his/her pension that would just be unfair/cruel!!!Harris says its an either or thing! BALONEY!!! He is a LIAR!There is NO.. I repeat NO incentive to look out for the tax payer in any form of gov.Example: The goldbricking culture of Milw. County Gov.pension scandal The porn surfing Fond Du Lac gov. employeeThe teachers union shoving tax referendum after tax referendum down the voters throats in communities all across this state unti they get their wayFees replacing taxes ( This tactic makes my BLOOD BOIL!!!!)Oshkosh city garbage men working 6..7 hour daysTABOR is a good.....GREAT thing...its like tossing tea into Boston harbor its patriotic, inspiringwhat could be more American than the citizens forcing gov. to be accountable to the people via referendumWE HAVE HAD ENOUGH!! AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!ANGRY IN OSHKOSH
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, February 22 2006 @ 06:57 PM MST
Have you ever watched some of those city garbage men as they pick up garbage? Their assignment isn't based on HOURS, it's based on a job assignment. They have a route each day, and they are paid to complete their route. I have seen these guys RUN from house to house to pick up garbage. Their time involved is an incentive to them. They aren't dogging it- they're doing their jobs. And you have the gall to complain about it.If I could think of one of the most thankless jobs out there, it would be picking up garbage. Yet it happens, week in and week out, and the only time we notice it is when something goes wrong. My hat is off to these guys who work their butts off, and I, for one, don't care WHEN they finish as long as they get their jobs done.Your response to this will certainly be that if they finish in 6 hours, they should come up with 2 more hours of work to do. Tell them you're going to do that and I guarantee their routes will take 8 hours, or longer...and if that happens, you'll be back to paying an hourly wage, which will blossom into overtime. Guaranteed.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, February 22 2006 @ 08:52 PM MST
Most of the city garbage collectors are actually inmates from the local jail. So they are not commanding big salaries and benefits.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Thursday, February 23 2006 @ 06:58 AM MST
Most? I question that statement.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Thursday, February 23 2006 @ 07:30 AM MST
Check with the work release center. Then check with the city. I think you'll find there are relatively few actual city employees working in the portion of public works that collects trash. I beleive the number is something like 11.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Thursday, February 23 2006 @ 12:06 PM MST
I emailed Sean Hutchison of the city sanitation department and he said there are 17 full time sanitation workers and an averge of 4 inmates at any given time.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Thursday, February 23 2006 @ 12:20 PM MST
We are not talking about the entire sanitation department. We are talking about just the guys on the trucks.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Thursday, February 23 2006 @ 02:21 PM MST
His reply stated there was an average of 4 prisoners on duty per day. The balance of the crews were city workers.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, February 24 2006 @ 05:01 PM MST
Wasn't the Boston Tea Party about Taxation WITHOUT Representaion? Isn't that what the Tax Payer Protection Act would do when it removes the responsibilities as well as the opinions of publicly elected officials?
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, February 24 2006 @ 08:08 PM MST
Hey it worked in Colorado. Taxes were kept down. Of course, response times of police and fire also dropped, snow plowing stopped in some cities, and education (K-12) and the University system dropped considerably, and roads were considerably worse. You get what you pay for folks.
The state legislature is holding invitation only hearings on legislation designed to limit State and local government revenues. The legislation would generally limit increases in property taxes and fees to a CPI calculation and for the city would also allow an adjustment for 60% of new construction and for the State and Counties allow for an adjustment for population growth. There is at least two serious defects in the legislation. It does not take into account declining or stagnant intergovernmental revenues, such as revenue sharing, and it includes the gross proceeds on bonds as increased revenue. This would make it impossible for local government to do road construction, sewer and stormwater projects, flood abatement, water treatment, sewage treatment or any other public investment in infrastructure without a referendum. What do Eye on Oshkosh readers think about this? Would it benefit Wisconsin by slowing the growth in taxes or would it harm Wisconsin by causing the infrastructure to be ignored and by making new business and residential development impossible?
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Monday, February 20 2006 @ 12:47 PM MST
You are correct on everything you say, but you'll never get the support of the everyday taxpayer until the public truly believes that all avenues have been made to be efficient.When times are supposed to be so tough, yet raises are still doled out. When the city employees pay a measly 5% for their gold plated health care. When a county worker pays $0.00 toward their retirement. When people hear stories of garbage collectors being home by 1pm everyday. When people hear stories of county workers who are embarassed about how little they do at work. When people see the finance director call raises in salary a cut just because the raise isn't as much as it used to be. When the public sees the city approve bonding in advance of state regulation and claims it will be for streets, then uses it to fund a swimming pool. When people see a sales tax proposed to partially cover operating expenses. And on, and on.While this legislation will definitely not be fair to local governments, possibly it will make them look for alternatives to solving their problems instead of alternative ways of raising cash from taxpayers.Benefits (health care) and pensions are the two things that will have to change. These antiquated programs are destroying some of the biggest corporations in the US. If government didn't have the taxing authority to "raise revenues", they would be in the same mess as GM or Ford. The pain that is going to come from the Taxpayers Protection Act will not be pretty, but it is necessary. Reagan defeated communism, and the taxpayers will defeat the socialist monster call local government.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, February 21 2006 @ 08:35 PM MST
I have to agree with Anonymous. TABOR does not prevent local government from doing things. It simply requires creativity in solving problems. The budget problems at the local level are primarily due to poor local decisions. Budget cuts should not be forced by outside pressures, they should be done proactively to allow better distribution of our tax dollars or tax cuts. Outsourcing is the obvious answer to many of the problems to reduce costs in health care, buildings, pensions, etc. Many potential opportunities are obvious, however need careful consideration by our political and managerial leaders to find real savings. Most reasonable people understand basic needs cannot be cut - but funding levels must change.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Tuesday, February 21 2006 @ 10:36 PM MST
The budget problems at the local level are due to the state taking our tax dollars and not returning it (shared revenue) as the state promised originally. The budget problems also have to do with the state being incapable of keeping its own financial house in order but continually expecting local authorities to do more with less. Has local government made some poor choices? Yes. But it is mostly due to the state and its way of governing (and spending).
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, February 22 2006 @ 09:02 AM MST
You clearly don't understand what TABOR would do, and I'm sure you don't want to understand but hopefully those who do will read Mr. Harris' comments.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, February 22 2006 @ 06:11 PM MST
HERE HERE !!!!I hate my job and my boss/owners want it that way what makes these nepotists in local gov. think they deserve what they have much less more?The free market is cold and unforgiving. my sister just lost her job of 29 years due to a plant closing. Yes it sucks but this will NEVER HAPPEN IN GOV! They will close parks before firing anyone! after all "anyone" has 9..13...15....21...30....years in toward his/her pension that would just be unfair/cruel!!!Harris says its an either or thing! BALONEY!!! He is a LIAR!There is NO.. I repeat NO incentive to look out for the tax payer in any form of gov.Example: The goldbricking culture of Milw. County Gov.pension scandal The porn surfing Fond Du Lac gov. employeeThe teachers union shoving tax referendum after tax referendum down the voters throats in communities all across this state unti they get their wayFees replacing taxes ( This tactic makes my BLOOD BOIL!!!!)Oshkosh city garbage men working 6..7 hour daysTABOR is a good.....GREAT thing...its like tossing tea into Boston harbor its patriotic, inspiringwhat could be more American than the citizens forcing gov. to be accountable to the people via referendumWE HAVE HAD ENOUGH!! AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!ANGRY IN OSHKOSH
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, February 22 2006 @ 06:57 PM MST
Have you ever watched some of those city garbage men as they pick up garbage? Their assignment isn't based on HOURS, it's based on a job assignment. They have a route each day, and they are paid to complete their route. I have seen these guys RUN from house to house to pick up garbage. Their time involved is an incentive to them. They aren't dogging it- they're doing their jobs. And you have the gall to complain about it.If I could think of one of the most thankless jobs out there, it would be picking up garbage. Yet it happens, week in and week out, and the only time we notice it is when something goes wrong. My hat is off to these guys who work their butts off, and I, for one, don't care WHEN they finish as long as they get their jobs done.Your response to this will certainly be that if they finish in 6 hours, they should come up with 2 more hours of work to do. Tell them you're going to do that and I guarantee their routes will take 8 hours, or longer...and if that happens, you'll be back to paying an hourly wage, which will blossom into overtime. Guaranteed.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Wednesday, February 22 2006 @ 08:52 PM MST
Most of the city garbage collectors are actually inmates from the local jail. So they are not commanding big salaries and benefits.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Thursday, February 23 2006 @ 06:58 AM MST
Most? I question that statement.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Thursday, February 23 2006 @ 07:30 AM MST
Check with the work release center. Then check with the city. I think you'll find there are relatively few actual city employees working in the portion of public works that collects trash. I beleive the number is something like 11.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Thursday, February 23 2006 @ 12:06 PM MST
I emailed Sean Hutchison of the city sanitation department and he said there are 17 full time sanitation workers and an averge of 4 inmates at any given time.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Thursday, February 23 2006 @ 12:20 PM MST
We are not talking about the entire sanitation department. We are talking about just the guys on the trucks.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Thursday, February 23 2006 @ 02:21 PM MST
His reply stated there was an average of 4 prisoners on duty per day. The balance of the crews were city workers.
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, February 24 2006 @ 05:01 PM MST
Wasn't the Boston Tea Party about Taxation WITHOUT Representaion? Isn't that what the Tax Payer Protection Act would do when it removes the responsibilities as well as the opinions of publicly elected officials?
taxpayer protection act (TABOR)
Authored by: Anonymous on Friday, February 24 2006 @ 08:08 PM MST
Hey it worked in Colorado. Taxes were kept down. Of course, response times of police and fire also dropped, snow plowing stopped in some cities, and education (K-12) and the University system dropped considerably, and roads were considerably worse. You get what you pay for folks.
posted by Cheryl Hentz at 8:07 PM
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