Posts Tagged ‘tax’

Milwaukee County to lay off up to 200 employees

Temporary job cuts to address budget shortfall, Walker says

By Steve Schultze of the Journal Sentine, posted: Oct. 28, 2009

Temporary layoffs of 150 to 200 Milwaukee County employees will be done to avoid a 2009 year-end shortfall now projected at $3 million, County Executive Scott Walker said Wednesday.

The layoff news came just before the County Board’s budget committee recommended its version of a 2010 budget that called for creation of a new $20 motor vehicle registration fee, or “wheel tax,” to pay for transit. That fee would raise nearly $9 million and would be in addition to state and City of Milwaukee registration fees.

(SNIP)

The finance committee endorsed the wheel tax on a 4-3 vote, with Coggs and Supervisors Johnny Thomas, Willie Johnson Jr. and Peggy West in favor. Supervisors Michael Mayo Sr., Jim “Luigi” Schmitt and Patricia Jursik voted against the wheel tax, but voted yes on the final budget package that included the tax.

Coggs said it might be tough getting a majority of the board to back the wheel tax, but noted the difficulty in reconciling the budget without raising the property tax more. Walker has threatened to veto a wheel tax, and at least 13 of the 19 supervisors would be needed for a veto override.

Language included in the wheel tax provision says it was the County Board’s intent to repeal it if the state granted the county authority for “another source of dedicated funding” for transit. That reflects supervisors’ interest in getting the OK to levy a 0.5% increase in the county sales tax for transit, an issue before the Legislature.

Read more at http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/67035477.html

Like a bad Halloween movie, the wheel tax is STILL alive. aarrggh!!  When will this County Board get it? Taxes are hurting this county, and the Board doesn’t care.

by RPW Communications, 10/19/2009

All three Assembly members from his district, including two Democrats, are opposed.

MADISON - State Senator Jim Sullivan’s (D-Wauwatosa) support for a 58% increase in the state’s liquor tax is the latest example of him pursuing a liberal government agenda opposed by his constituents and even other Democrat elected officials from his district, Republican Party of Wisconsin Executive Director Mark Jefferson said today.

“When all of the Assembly representatives from your district, including long-time Democrat representatives like David Cullen and Tony Staskunas think he’s wrong, it becomes clear just how out-of-touch Sen. Sullivan is,” Jefferson said.

On Friday, Rep. David Cullen (D-Milwaukee) issued a press release opposing an increase in the beer or liquor tax. “With our economy just starting to turn the corner and people finally getting a little bit of breathing room, now is not the time for beer and liquor tax increases,” Cullen said.

Rep. Tony Staskunas (D-West Allis), the Assembly author of OWI reform, has similarly opposed including a liquor tax in the bill. In a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article two weeks ago, Rep. Staskunas said of Sullivan’s liquor tax, “I’m concerned we’re not going to be able to come together on a final product.”

The third representative from the 5th Senate District, Leah Vukmir, is similarly opposed to raising beer or liquor taxes. Rep. Vukmir is challenging Sen. Sullivan in next year’s senate election.

“More than 130,000 Wisconsinites have lost their jobs in the last year and Sen. Sullivan’s party just got done raising taxes by $5 billion,” Jefferson said. “Instead of using any of that money to pay for OWI reform, Sullivan wants to impose a 58% increase on the liquor tax instead. Where does the taxing end?”

From http://www.wisgop.org/NewsBack.aspx?GUID=e66b8c9b-1aae-4893-9cd6-94bd18e32f6c

Why is the Democrat’s preferred solution to ALWAYS raise taxes??