Yes, I realize that the Bong Recreation Park is named after Wisconsin resident Richard Bong, who was a fighter pilot ace and hero in World War II. And no I am not belittling him in any way…but sometimes the humor suggests itself.
But over the past year or so there have been any number of news articles about how much tax revenue is going to the states that surround Wisconsin as ‘sconnies’ travel out of state to buy marijuana. And when I say out of state, I mean each and every neighboring state that shares a border with Wisconsin. The tax revenues are stated in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Now, Governor Evers included legalizing marijuana in his most recent biennial budget and the Republican majority in the legislature summarily stripped it out.
Of course this goes beyond losing millions in tax revenue. It means lost commerce as residents travel elsewhere to spend their money. It’s lost local taxes. It’s lost local construction jobs. It’s lost local sourcing of business assets. It’s lost local sourcing of business supplies. It’s lost local job opportunities. It’s limiting local entrepreneurs. etc. etc. etc.
So the party of business seems to have no idea on how business grows, prospers, and supports the local economies that they represent…and they’d rather leave all of that money on the table.
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