In a piece at Urban Milwaukee, Steve Walter posits 12 Key State Budget Decisions with brief descriptions from Governor Walker’s 2017-2019 biennial Wisconsin budget and asks if we are for or against. I will take a stab at each one…one at a time:
5.End property tax levy for forestry: The governor wants state government to end the property tax levy that buys, preserves and develops forests. Approving Walker’s change would save property owners $180 million over the next two years. But there is no guarantee of how much – if any – of that forestry funding will be replaced. Yes/No
No…there is no reason that this minimal amount of property tax shouldn’t continue…and there is no reason that the state should halt the purchase of potential state parks or state recreational areas or state wildlife preserves or state wetlands. These areas provide more than just recreational or tourist activities. They provide a diversity in life throughout the state and relief from development that can be enjoyed by the mind and soul as well as the body. And no individual or foundation can do this as effectively as state government.
Previous posts:
Yes or No on Walker budget items #4
Yes or No on Walker budget items #3
Yes or No on Walker budget items #2
Yes or No on Walker budget items #1
This is a huge NO. In addition to paving the way to defunding the Forestry operations, it’s also going to cost taxpayers $180 million in this budget and $90 mil a year afterwards, because it uses General Tax dollars to make up the difference.
It’s a pathetic gimmick, and if you’ve looked at the recently announced “new and improved” GOP package, that’ll raise property taxes more than this will save.