Coalition Opposed to TABOR is Growing
Help fight TABOR WEAC members can help fight the proposal by contacting
their legislators. Local leaders are asked to urge their members
to visit the WEAC Cyberlobby in the Members
Only area of OnWEAC and e-mail their representatives. The
Cyberlobby also contains background information and talking
points to assist members in discussing the issue. For more information
about the anti-TABOR efforts contact Bob Burke, WEAC legislative
program coordinator, at burkeb@weac.org
or by phone at 800-362-8034 ext. 254. |
The coalition of education, local government, labor, and social service
groups opposing a constitutional amendment to restrict state and local
taxing authority is growing. WEAC is an active partner in the battle
against the so-called Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR).
The coalition believes that the concept of using the State Constitution
to manage state and local government budgets is bad fiscal policy.
Anti-TABOR coalition partners fall into these main categories: education
groups, local government groups, labor groups, health care/senior groups,
advocacy/religious groups. (See list below.)
WEAC's efforts to fight TABOR coincide with official WEAC Representative
Assembly policy to replace school district revenue controls with a fair
and adequate school funding system and to repeal the Qualified Economic
Offer law and restore collective bargaining rights to teachers. If TABOR
were to pass, it would enshrine the concept of revenue caps as part
of the Constitution.
"TABOR is fundamentally flawed and reckless fiscal policy,"
said WEAC President Stan Johnson. "It would cause long-term, irreparable
harm to Wisconsin's great schools."
Organized opposition to the amendment has slowed down its progress
in the Legislature, but proponents still may bring it up for a vote
in the Legislature this spring or summer. As a constitutional amendment,
TABOR would have to pass both houses of the Legislature in two successive
sessions and then be approved by voters in a statewide referendum. If
the Republican Assembly and the Republican Senate want to have this
constitutional amendment on the ballot in April of 2005 or November
of 2006, they must pass it for the first time by August 2004.
Proponents are attempting to rewrite the resolution to address some
criticisms, but Johnson so no matter what they do, a constitutional
amendment is not the appropriate way to achieve a fair and adequate
funding system for schools or tax fairness or relief for Wisconsin's
taxpayers. In its original form, TABOR would have required voter approval
for certain taxing, spending, and bonding decisions by the state and
local governmental units, emergency taxes, required reserves, refunds
of amounts in excess of the approved amounts, and reduction of tax rates
to reflect the excess of revenues over expenditures.
WEAC members are actively opposing TABOR at the local and UniServ levels
throughout Wisconsin. For example, about 100 teachers, education support
professionals, school board members, and community residents in Beaver
Dam, participated in a postcard-writing party in April focused primarily
on local budget problems that resulted in layoff notices being issued
to 26 teachers. They explained their budget woes and also expressed
opposition to TABOR,which would worsen the budget situation. The event
generated about 275 letters; and another 30 people who could not attend
the event also wrote letters.
Also, Sheboygan members wrote 100 postcards; members in Northwest United
Educators UniServ wrote 177 postcards; members in the South West Education
Association wrote 40 postcards at a recent board meeting; and Plymouth
members wrote more than 60 postcards to legislators expressing opposition
to TABOR. In February, nearly 100 WEAC leaders and UniServ staff participated
in a lobby day focused on opposing TABOR and other issues. Other locals
and UniServs were also planning activities involving anti-TABOR e-mail
and letter-writing to legislators.
The following groups have issued warnings about TABOR. Many are actively
opposing the issue by participating in the WI TABOR coalition:
AARP
AFSCME Council 11
AFT-Wisconsin
Association of Wisconsin School Administrators
Brown County
City of Milwaukee
Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups Inc
Community Alliance of Providers of Wisconsin (CAPOW)
Covenant Healthcare System Inc.
Dane County Cities and Villages Association
Dean Health System
Froedtert and Community Health
IBEW
Independent Care (i-Care)
Institute for Wisconsin's Future
International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139
Kenosha County
Labor Association of Wisconsin Inc.
League of Women Voters of Wisconsin Inc.
Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin
Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin & Upper Michigan Inc.
Madison Metropolitan School District
Marshfield Clinic
Meriter Management Services Inc.
Milwaukee Deputy Sheriffs Association
Milwaukee Public Schools
Municipal Electric Utilities of Wisconsin
National Associaton of Social Workers - Wisconsin chapter
Outagamie County Board of Supervisors
Professional Firefighters of Wisconsin Inc
PROFS, INC.
Rehabilitation for Wisconsin Inc.
Residential Services Association of Wisconsin
School Nurses
Smoke Free Wisconsin
United Council of UW Students Inc.
United Staff Union (USU)
UW-Madison
Waukesha County
Waukesha County Mental Health Center
Waukesha School Board
Wisconsin Alliance of Cities
Wisconsin Association of Health Plans
Wisconsin Association of Homes & Services for the Aging Inc
Wisconsin Association of School Boards Inc.
Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials
Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators
Wisconsin Association of School Nurses
Wisconsin Citizen Action
Wisconsin Coalition for Advocacy
Wisconsin Coalition of Independent Living Centers
Wisconsin Council 40 AFSCME, AFL-CIO
Wisconsin Council for Administrators of Special Services
Wisconsin Council on Children and Families
Wisconsin Counties Association
Wisconsin County Police Association
Wisconsin Education Association Council
Wisconsin Health Care Association
Wisconsin Hospital Association Inc (WHA)
Wisconsin Laborers District Council
Wisconsin Medical Society
Wisconsin Occupational Therapy Association
Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association
Wisconsin School Counselor Association
Wisconsin State AFL-CIO
Wisconsin State Council of Carpenters
Wisconsin State Employees Union
Wisconsin Technical College District Boards Association Inc.
Wisconsin Towns Association
Posted April 22, 2004