CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – For the political left, taxes must always go up.
Governor Tony Evers proposed last week a revenue-sharing plan for cities, towns, and counties. If he just could have left it alone – it’s reasonable. 20 percent of the state sales tax will go back to municipalities. As the state’s economy grows, the sales tax will grow… and so will the pot of shared dollars.
But good isn’t good enough. Governor Evers wants to open the door to a sales tax increase. His proposal would allow Milwaukee County’s sales tax to rise from 0.5% to 1.5%. The county and the city would split the newfound money. When you buy something in Milwaukee county, the total sales tax would be 6.5-cents on each dollar. When buying a big ticket item, like a car or a large appliance, shoppers might look to a neighboring county to save money.
Other counties around the state would be allowed to raise their sales tax by a half-penny also. And cities with populations over 30,000 would be allowed a new, local sales tax of a half-penny if local voters approve it.
Well, we know what’s going to happen. County boards all across Wisconsin will decide that the 20-percent shared revenue increase isn’t enough. They’ll raise the sales tax too, just like 13 counties around the state passed a legally dubious wheel tax. Marathon County even promised that the wheel tax would be sunsetted after one year. That was in 2016, and we are still paying it.
And cities will try to immediately get in on the tax bonanza. Consider the make-up of Wausau’s city council and who sits in the Mayor’s office. They will immediately begin a campaign to get the public to say ‘yes’. And not a word will come out of their mouths about controlling spending or giving a break to the people who really fund city government – those who pay the property tax.
The debate over shared revenue is an important lesson about the very nature of government. They always want to spend more, and there is never enough money.
Chris Conley
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