Wisconsin Voters Overwhelmingly Back Taxpayer Bill of Rights
Voter Support for Plan Hits 74 Percent in Statewide Survey

MADISON – In a statewide survey, 74 percent of Wisconsin voters say they will back a constitutional amendment to cap government spending and require tax cuts, WMC announced Wednesday.

“Wisconsin voters want tax relief, and they know the only way they are going to get it is through reasonable limits on government spending,” said James S. Haney, president of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, which sponsored the poll.

The poll found 74 percent would vote to amend the Wisconsin state constitution to limit government spending at all levels, require funds to be set aside for a “rainy day,” return surpluses to taxpayers and require a referendum to exceed spending limits. Eighteen percent opposed the plan, and 7 percent were undecided.

“The Taxpayer Bill of Rights has huge support because Wisconsin taxpayers are tired of huge tax bills,” Haney said. Voter support has increased since polls conducted late last year.

The survey of 500 Wisconsin residents was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies of Alexandria, Va., on Sunday and Monday. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.38 percent.

Voters continued to support the plan even when presented with criticisms of the proposal leveled by public employee unions, and government officials, who oppose spending limits.

Respondents were told that critics say the plan would prevent Wisconsin from investing in programs to help the underprivileged, provide subsidized health care, put more police on the street, hire good teachers, or reduce classroom sizes. In addition, they were told proponents said the plan would make it harder to raise property taxes, and force elected officials to set spending priorities and help create jobs.

After receiving the arguments on both sides, 65 percent said they would support the plan; 21 percent would oppose it; and 14 percent were undecided.

“The spending interests have cried wolf so many times, and voters aren’t buying the predictions of doom and gloom any more,” Haney said. “They see their tax bills and they know that if government has spending limits, they’ll see some relief.”

The Taxpayer Bill of Rights constitutional amendment has been introduced in the state Assembly as AJR 55 by Rep. Frank Lasee (R-Bellevue).

Under the state Constitution, the amendment must pass two consecutive terms of the Legislature and must be approved in a statewide referendum in order to become law. The governor, under the Wisconsin constitution, cannot veto a proposed constitutional amendment. Governor Jim Doyle last year vetoed a property tax freeze, and opposes the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

“We need this plan to pass both houses, and then let the people decide,” Haney said.

The amendment is modeled after a spending cap system in Colorado. That state has rebated $3.2 billion in tax cuts under the plan since 1992, reports The Bell Center, a Colorado think tank.

“Colorado has lower taxes and has had better economic growth than Wisconsinin the past few years,” Haney said. “If we limit government spending and cut taxes, businesses will make greater investments here and our families will be able to find jobs to help keep our kids in Wisconsin.”

Last year, Wisconsin had the 7^th highest state and local taxes in America based on ability to pay, according to the non-partisan Taxpayer Foundation in Washington, D.C. Colorado, however, ranked 32^nd in state and local tax burden. Wisconsin’s state and local tax burden is more than 10 percent greater than Colorado.

“In Colorado, families are wealthier,” Haney said. “In Wisconsin, governments are wealthier and families are poorer.” In 2001, Colorado ranked 7^th in personal income with $33,470 annual incomes on average. Wisconsin ranked 20^th, with incomes of $29,270 on average, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The U.S. Small Business Administration reports that Colorado ranked fifth in the nation in new business creation from 2000 to 2001, while Wisconsin ranked 36^th with a meager .2 percent growth. The Tax Foundation reported that Colorado in 2002 had the fourth business friendliest tax system in the nation, while Wisconsin ranked 28^th.

Growth of Colorado’s gross state product – market value of goods and services produced in the state – ranked 7^th in the nation from 1996 to 2000 with a 17.4 percent increase. Wisconsin ranked 20^th with a 12.6 percent increase, below the national average of 13.4 percent, reports U.S. Department of Commerce.

“We need to get to basics,” Haney said. “Our economy is poised to take off, and we need to make sure that families benefit from the recovery by requiring reasonable limits on government spending.”

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
James A. Buchen, (608) 258-3400
Jim Pugh, (608) 219-0157

Posted: February 27, 2004