• Home
  • News
    • Politics / Govt
    • Legislature
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
    • Archives
  • Sports
    • Badgers
    • Packers
      • Titletown Report
    • Brewers
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support

Wisconsin Radio Network

Wisconsin News and Sports

You are here: Home / Legislature / Cuts and targeted taxes

Cuts and targeted taxes

February 17, 2009 By WRN Contributor

Governor Jim Doyle arrives to deliver his 2-year budget address (Photo: Jackie Johnson). Governor Jim Doyle goes after the rich, the oil companies, and smokers in his proposed state budget. Doyle calls for deep cuts in state spending – $2.2 billion worth – deepest in state history according to Doyle, who also says he has no plans to increase middle class taxes. “My budget stands up for the people who earn regular paychecks, and the people who through no fault of their own, have lost theirs,” the governor told a joint session of the Wisconsin legislature Tuesday night at the Capitol in Madison. 

Doyle proposes three targeted taxes to help address the $5.7 billion deficit. If you're still getting a paycheck – make that a hefty paycheck – Doyle wants an additional one percent tax on incomes of over $0300,000 dollars a year. “If you're like 99 percent of Wisconsin, you won't pay this tax,” Doyle said to applause from Democratic lawmakers. Wisconsin, said Doyle, is the only state with an income tax that exempts sixty percent of capital gains. His second targeted tax would lower the exemption to forty percent of capital gains earnings, which Doyle said is “still one of the most favorable exemptions in the country.” And third, Doyle wants an assessment on profits by big oil companies. “These companies make money when people drive on our roads, so it is appropriate that they help maintain them,” said the governor, adding that the state “will go after companies that break the law, by passing (the costs) of that assessment on to consumers.”

Doyle said his proposed budget will do more than simply close the state's staggering budget gap. “Under this plan, we will finish the biennium with a positive balance of 270 million dollars,” said Doyle. “We will put our tax collections in line with our future spending commitments, and cut what is called the structural deficit to the lowest level in ten years.

The Governor also wants to increases the tax on a pack of cigarettes by 75 cents. “I hope that's a tax we don't collect for very long,” he said. “The purpose here is to stop kids from smoking, to help people quit, to include public health, and to drive down our state's health care costs.” The governor also renewed his call for a statewide indoor smoking ban.

Doyle also called for new measures to attract and retain talented employees. “We can make sure that domestic partners who work for the state have access to benefits,” said Doyle, who also said committed couples should have hospital visitation rights and the right to take leave if one has a serious illness. “I don't want the state to stand in the way of someone being able to care for their longterm partner,” said Doyle. “And I don't want the state to be less competitive at our university and other institutions, because we don't treat people fairly.”  

AUDIO: Governor Jim Doyle (33:40 MP3)

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Legislature, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Jim Doyle



Featured Stories

Evers delivers State of the State address

Abortion rights rally highlights Wisconsin Supreme Court race

Bail and benefits questions will be on Wisconsin’s April statewide ballot

Evers issues promised TikTok ban

Johnson, Baldwin both vote ‘yes’ to avert rail strike

TwitterFacebook

Sports Headlines

Giannis breaks franchise scoring record, Bucks beat Nets in OT

Wisconsin’s Davis declares for NBA Draft

Badgers to face Arizona State in Las Vegas Bowl

Williams likely out for the season with broken hand

Packers releasing TE Jace Sternberger

More Sports

Tweets by @WRN

Get our news delivered to your inbox:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Copyright © 2023 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC