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State Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) represents parts of four counties: Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine, and Walworth. Her Senate District 28 includes New Berlin, Franklin, Greendale, Hales Corners, Muskego, Waterford, Big Bend, the town of Vernon and parts of Greenfield, East Troy, and Mukwonago. Senator Lazich has been in the Legislature for more than a decade. She considers herself a tireless crusader for lower taxes, reduced spending and smaller government.

State Budget Watch: Governor wastes opportunity to salvage irresponsible budget

By Mary Lazich

June 30, 2009

There is almost nothing to be happy about in the entire 2009-2011 state budget signed into law by Governor Doyle, that is, unless you are an advocate of over-taxing, over-spending, over-borrowing and bloating the budget with pork and policy during a recession. Then you are probably ecstatic.

As I have stated in the past, this is the most irresponsible state budget in the history of Wisconsin. I find it to be a sad and revealing commentary that the first talking point Governor Doyle highlights to defend the budget he signed in his veto message is that the budget got done on time. True, it is nice if you can get the document finished by the deadline. However, it is far more important to get it done right, and this budget failed in every way imaginable. It taxes too much, spends too much, borrows too much and is just loaded with pork and non-fiscal policy.

Governor Doyle squandered a golden opportunity to fix this atrocious budget by using his powerful veto pen to eliminate the horrendous taxing and spending. Unfortunately for taxpayers, he let that opportunity slip away and he and legislative Democrats have the unenviable task of trying to sell this budget to the public. Judging from the reaction I am getting from angry constituents, that will be a very tough sell because they, unlike the Governor and legislative Democrats understand what a mess this budget is. Taxpayers are absolutely livid and who can blame them?

The entire budget is a travesty. What is most breathtaking is the astounding fiscal damage caused and the vicious assault on taxpayers. I don’t have the final breakdown on the exact fiscal impact of the budget after the governor’s vetoes from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. I do know this. The budget that was sent to the Governor included a $4 billion or 6.8% spending increase. Remember, the Democrat-controlled legislature and Governor Doyle approved a budget adjustment bill during February of this year. Combine that bill with the conference committee action and Democrats have increased taxes by $5 billion during five months of 2009.

The governor did some tweaking with his veto pen. However, he certainly failed to make any dramatic or significant changes to put a noticeable dent in that $5 billion figure. That is simply outrageous. Legislative Democrats have been content in the past 5 months to raise taxes $5 billion.

Under the budget sent to the governor, the increase in taxes and fees was, remember, we are in a recession, $2.1 billion. Property taxes would increase on a median valued home by $90 in the first year of the biennium and $130 in the second year. Property taxes increased by $1.5 billion over the biennium. The budget sent to the governor borrowed an additional $2.9 billion. The budget sent to the governor created a structural deficit of $2.3 billion.

With pen in hand, the governor had the authority to right the many wrongs plopped on his desk. Instead, the governor turned his back on the taxpayers by refusing to use his veto pen to repair the bulk, if not all of the damage, thereby breaking his promise made a few years ago to not raise taxes.

It is unconscionable that as hard workers in the private sector are forced to endure salary cuts, benefits being taken away, or even loss of jobs that we are telling them state government is expanding. The message from this budget to the people who pay the bills is that you’re not paying enough. You’re not paying your fair share. You must and you will pay more.

One of the most outrageous components in the state Senate budget changed how capital gains are taxed, going from 60% to 100% full taxation of capital gains. The conference committee changed it to 30 percent; however that is still an incredible tax increase.

How did the governor respond to the dozens of earmarks? He vetoed five of them. The budget still contains $500,000 for the Oshkosh Opera House, the recycling bins for Wrightstown, and how about that study for a high speed rail stop in Waterloo…who wants the train to stop in Waterloo? And there are so many more that are unwarranted anytime, but especially during a recession.

Then there is the highly questionable process that has been highlighted by the news media. I am not surprised that the overwhelming majority of this budget was crafted in secret, behind closed doors, outside the view of the public and the news media. Too many tax increases. Too many fee increases. Too much spending. Too much pork. Too much policy. If I were the author, I wouldn’t want anybody to see all the damage that was being inflicted upon taxpayers, either.

This is the Unaffordable Budget that is the most fiscally irresponsible in Wisconsin history and is the taxpayers’ worst nightmare.

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