TABOR Fate Uncertain, Johnson Urges Members to Contact Legislators

The fate of a proposed constitutional amendment that undermines local tax authority remained uncertain Wednesday (July 28, 2004). Neither the Assembly nor Senate has scheduled a vote on the so-called Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR).

TABOR must pass both houses during consecutive two-year legislative sessions before moving to voters in a statewide referendum. If the current proposal fails to pass before Wednesday afternoon, the soonest it could go to voters is 2007.

The current TABOR proposal caps state and local government spending at 90% of the growth in personal income, which could lead to a severe reduction in governments' ability to provide essential services to citizens.

Sen. Majority Leader Mary Panzer also indicated she would ask legislators to consider a property tax freeze proposal and a reduction in the state's per pupil spending allotment for public schools.

The state Department of Administration's analysis of the TABOR proposal found it would have starved public schools of approximately $650 million in allowable spending had it become law in 1988. Without that money, public schools may have had 11,000 fewer teachers and may have been forced to increase class sizes by nearly 20%.

Johnson urged all WEAC members to contact their legislators to tell them to oppose TABOR and other tax gimmicks designed to take control away from local governments.

"WEAC is part of a large coalition that will continue to battle any plan that threatens our schools, teachers and education support professionals," WEAC President Stan Johnson said. "The Republican tax scheme would cause immediate and massive harm to Wisconsin's great schools and staff. It is flawed fiscal policy that will not create great schools for any child."

Gov. Jim Doyle called the hasty attempt to amend the state Constitution a "cheap political trick."

"In Colorado, a similar proposal has led to larger class sizes, lower test scores, toll roads, fewer people getting needed health care, and devastating service cuts," he said. "I call on the Senate to quit playing games with our Constitution and our schools."

Resource page on tax gimmicks

Posted July 28, 2004