• 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 / News / Raising taxes would be “super” hard

Raising taxes would be “super” hard

December 5, 2013 By Jackie Johnson

A required “super-majority” to raise state taxes would become part of the Constitution under a proposed amendment by two Republicans who say this measure would “protect taxpayers.”

Hudson Representative Dean Knudson (R-Hudson) is co-sponsor of the proposal. “Sales tax rates have tended to be on a one way upward ratcheting effect. They tend to go up and never come down. We’ve yet to lower them in Wisconsin, but certainly there’ve been plenty of proposals to increase the sales tax.”

The Republican majority had already passed a state law (AB-5) requiring two-thirds majorities in both the Assembly and the Senate before sales, income, or franchise taxes could be raised. Now, Knudson and Senator Leah Vukmir (R-Brookfield) want to add the requirement to the state Constitution, where it would be harder to change in the future.

“It’s one way to address the tendency for a majority to raise taxes as a simple way to balance the budget,” Knudson says, “rather than address the much tougher problem of controlling spending.”

Amendments require passage by both houses in two consecutive legislative sessions, and voter approval in a statewide referendum.

The proposal does not address user fees, which have become more common at both the state and local government levels in recent years amid political pressure against raising more general taxes.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: News, Politics / Govt, Taxes



Featured Stories

Wisconsin public health officials urge continued caution as COVID-19 variants drive an increase in cases

State agencies defend budget priorities at Republican controlled Joint Finance Committee

Alvarez finalizes retirement plans from UW (AUDIO)

Brewers send Arcia to Atlanta

UW Volleyball team awarded the top overall seed in NCAA Tournament

TwitterFacebook

Sports Headlines

Alvarez finalizes retirement plans from UW (AUDIO)

Brewers send Arcia to Atlanta

UW Volleyball team awarded the top overall seed in NCAA Tournament

Brewers open their season today, after COVID scare (AUDIO)

Caufield signs with Montreal Canadiens

More Sports

Tweets by @WRN

Get our news delivered to your inbox:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Copyright © 2021 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC