CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – It’s been a weekend of big smiles in mayors’ offices around the state. They’re getting a 20-percent increase in state aid under the shared revenue agreement that was reached last week.
You should ask your local elected leaders now whether they will commit not to raise property taxes in the next budget cycle. After all, they were anticipating a smaller 15-percent shared revenue increase until additional money fluttered down from the state house and landed on their heads. That, of course, is your money. It’s reasonable to ask how much of it will go to reduce your tax bill. But I’m a realist. They think the money belongs to them, the government, not to you and me, the taxpayers. In the mayor’s suite, they believe this is money that cities and towns are owed as if it’s paying a past-due debt.
The agreement is win for Republicans in that Governor Evers caved on what had been a red-line for liberals in the state: he’s agreed to a large increase in funding for school choice. Democrats have dreamed of de-funding school choice or getting a court to doom the program. (Governor Evers is still hopeful that the newly-liberal state Supreme Court will kill school choice in toto, and he may get his wish as numerous lawsuits are being teed up now.)
That Milwaukee will have to bear the costs of its pension give-aways is proper. Their city council and county boards are certain to deliver the two-thirds vote for a sales tax increase. It’s correct and proper that voters who’ve made such poor decisions will cover the costs of their choices.
Governor Evers will take credit for the Republican wins in the bill. He will cheer an increase in K-12 school funding and when the state budget is complete he’ll brag about being a tax-cutter too. This follows the same script from the budget cycle two years ago. Republicans will have to win the messaging war, the same way they just won the battle over policies.
Chris Conley
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