Rep. Hintz wants your input on state budget process
[we have received the following op-ed piece by State Rep. Gordon Hintz from the 54th Assembly District and are pleased to publish it here...]
State Budget Process Needs Your Input
In my first two months in the legislature, I have met with many individuals and organizations. Although there are many issues confronting the legislature, our primary challenge is adopting the 2007-2009 state budget.
Every two years the Governor proposes a budget to fund our state government for the next two years. This is the beginning of the budget process. Over the next few months, the legislature will consider what programs are worth funding, how much should be spent, and where that money should come from. By now you have seen headlines and heard radio and TV spots highlighting the programs, costs, and potential impacts of the proposed budget. The size and complexity of the state budget can be overwhelming. But the decisions and programs included in the budget affect all of us and it is important to understand what is being proposed.
During the campaign, the issues I heard most about were often local (garbage fee) or national (the Iraq War). Yet over the next two years Wisconsin is budgeted to spend more than $27 billion of our general fund tax dollars on programs, many of which impact us directly. Over the next few months, I will be soliticiting your input. After all, this is your state budget.
Some of the decisions we need to make as a state include:
Can we afford to provide health care to all children and the uninsured? The Governor has made an ambitious proposal to cover all children and increase eligibility for childless adults. The funding for this proposal comes from an increased assessment on hospitals, a tax on tobacco, and increased federal matching funding.
How much should the state spend on K-12 education and what is proposed budget’s impact on the Oshkosh Area School District? Many of the challenges our school district faces on spending, closing schools, and revenue caps are affected by decisions made by the legislature. Is the proposed funding for K-12 education in Wisconsin enough to provide quality education in Oshkosh and to keep property taxes under control?
How much should the University System and UW Oshkosh receive? For the first time in several budgets, there is a significant increase in funding for the UW system, including money to support UW-Oshkosh’s Growth Agenda and increased financial aid.
What is the cost of tracking sex offenders and hiring additional DNA crime lab analysts and how much should we spend? There has been increased attention on how to effectively deal with sex offenders as well as the need for additional DNA analysts in our state crime labs. This budget includes increased funding for both of these.
How should we pay for highways? For years, Wisconsin’s gas tax automatically increased with inflation, leading to steady funding for a quality transportation system, but it also created the second highest gas tax in the U.S. The legislature repealed the automatic increase last year and the Governor has proposed taxing oil company profits to pay for the additional highway infrastructure.
What is the best way to pay for state services and what can we afford? The Governor’s budget does not increase the income or sales tax, but does increase fees and other taxes on cigarettes, hospital and oil company profits, while providing a number of targeted tax cuts and exemptions.
Decisions on what programs to fund and whether we can afford them will require more than the opinion’s of legislators. It will require the feedback of people such as you. I will be hosting several public forums to discuss the state budget and I really hope that people will attend to ask questions and provide comments. If you cannot attend, you are always welcome to contact me directly.
The first forum will be held on April 5, from 7pm to 9pm at the Oshkosh Public Library, 106 Washington Avenue in Room A & B.
Gordon Hintz
State Budget Process Needs Your Input
In my first two months in the legislature, I have met with many individuals and organizations. Although there are many issues confronting the legislature, our primary challenge is adopting the 2007-2009 state budget.
Every two years the Governor proposes a budget to fund our state government for the next two years. This is the beginning of the budget process. Over the next few months, the legislature will consider what programs are worth funding, how much should be spent, and where that money should come from. By now you have seen headlines and heard radio and TV spots highlighting the programs, costs, and potential impacts of the proposed budget. The size and complexity of the state budget can be overwhelming. But the decisions and programs included in the budget affect all of us and it is important to understand what is being proposed.
During the campaign, the issues I heard most about were often local (garbage fee) or national (the Iraq War). Yet over the next two years Wisconsin is budgeted to spend more than $27 billion of our general fund tax dollars on programs, many of which impact us directly. Over the next few months, I will be soliticiting your input. After all, this is your state budget.
Some of the decisions we need to make as a state include:
Can we afford to provide health care to all children and the uninsured? The Governor has made an ambitious proposal to cover all children and increase eligibility for childless adults. The funding for this proposal comes from an increased assessment on hospitals, a tax on tobacco, and increased federal matching funding.
How much should the state spend on K-12 education and what is proposed budget’s impact on the Oshkosh Area School District? Many of the challenges our school district faces on spending, closing schools, and revenue caps are affected by decisions made by the legislature. Is the proposed funding for K-12 education in Wisconsin enough to provide quality education in Oshkosh and to keep property taxes under control?
How much should the University System and UW Oshkosh receive? For the first time in several budgets, there is a significant increase in funding for the UW system, including money to support UW-Oshkosh’s Growth Agenda and increased financial aid.
What is the cost of tracking sex offenders and hiring additional DNA crime lab analysts and how much should we spend? There has been increased attention on how to effectively deal with sex offenders as well as the need for additional DNA analysts in our state crime labs. This budget includes increased funding for both of these.
How should we pay for highways? For years, Wisconsin’s gas tax automatically increased with inflation, leading to steady funding for a quality transportation system, but it also created the second highest gas tax in the U.S. The legislature repealed the automatic increase last year and the Governor has proposed taxing oil company profits to pay for the additional highway infrastructure.
What is the best way to pay for state services and what can we afford? The Governor’s budget does not increase the income or sales tax, but does increase fees and other taxes on cigarettes, hospital and oil company profits, while providing a number of targeted tax cuts and exemptions.
Decisions on what programs to fund and whether we can afford them will require more than the opinion’s of legislators. It will require the feedback of people such as you. I will be hosting several public forums to discuss the state budget and I really hope that people will attend to ask questions and provide comments. If you cannot attend, you are always welcome to contact me directly.
The first forum will be held on April 5, from 7pm to 9pm at the Oshkosh Public Library, 106 Washington Avenue in Room A & B.
Gordon Hintz
posted by Cheryl Hentz at 10:18 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home