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“We are the potential tone setters of the world, and we can do anything we want to do.”

— Betty Franklin-Hammonds

August 4, 1995

These days, you just can't rest a moment. After all, it is a political campaign season. But while all eyes were on Boston and the Democratic convention this week, members of the state legislature on the Republican side of the aisle were up to a little election year issue making. A Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR) was introduced last Friday. If you had sneezed, you might have missed the passage or defeat of this bill if it had ever come to a vote.

TABOR is a constitutional amendment that would limit the growth in state spending to 90 percent of the average gain in statewide personal income over three years. What does this mean? Most everyone, including many of the state legislators, didn't really know. I'm not sure I know.

The issue came flying to the forefront when state Senator Mary Panzer, the Republican majority leader from West Bend, was suddenly challenged in the Republican primary by a very conservative opponent who favored TABOR. Panzer was forced to fly her conservative credentials and suddenly, called for a special legislative session to pass TABOR. It had to be approved by both legislative houses by August 2.

So, for the sake of some electioneering and posturing, a significant measure whose written form was only available right before a hastily called public hearing, would have been introduced and passed within one week when members of both parties are at various conventions. Others were probably on vacation somewhere. When something like this is rushed through with little public comment, it is usually done by people with little regard for the democratic process.

TABOR would take a lot of decision-making out of the hands of local governments and vocational-technical colleges. It would also take a lot of decision-making out of the hands of our state representatives. They would be hamstrung to deal with emerging issues. Slowly, the quality of our public institutions, including schools, fire and safety, would slowly ebb away.

I don't think TABOR was a good idea. But even if I thought it was a good idea, I wouldn't have had a chance to voice my opinion. Apparently, there are special interests like the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) who know exactly what it is and were looking for an opportune time to introduce the measure and have it pass. I wonder if any members of WMC have made contributions to Panzer's opponent?

TABOR could have frozen in some very inequitable tax structures in Wisconsin forever. Wisconsin no longer has a progressive personal income tax structure. And there are many interests, businesses, and organizations that pay no tax on their personal property. I may be overtaxed not because our overall taxes are too high, but because someone else stopped paying their fair share of property and income taxes a while back. Maybe that's where we should be looking to ease the tax burden.

And I hate the simplistic slogan that Wisconsin is one of the highest taxed states in the country. We may have higher taxes, but we also have a higher quality of life. It doesn't appear that our "high taxes" are discouraging tons of people and businesses from moving to the Madison area. We have wonderful parks and decent roads and adequately staffed fire and police departments. We have Badger Care that helps poor children stay healthy and get the medical attention they need. We have a great educational system that turns out many fine scholars and well-prepared professionals who are then employed by businesses residing outside of the state, businesses that want to avoid paying higher taxes, but want the kind of educated person that a decently funded university system graduates year in and year out.

I get tired of hearing the whining and complaining of people who have almost every asset known to humankind and it still isn't enough. They still have to shift more of the tax burden onto me and then want to freeze it in place. I guess I just work on their plantation.

If TABOR is a good idea, then it will withstand the scrutiny of the public process. Those who want to sneak it in under the cover of darkness have no faith in the merits of their ideas. They just disdain democracy and fear it.

Bring TABOR up next year when it can be scrutinized for any merit it may have. Otherwise, it's just another special interest bill being pushed through by people who have enough money to grease the process. They have no shame!

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