Notes from the West Wing

By State Representative Garey Bies

Politics & Policy:  A Veto Override

             If you have not gathered from the recent spate of newspaper articles on the subject, the Legislature is in the middle of it's own version of a soap opera with the build-up to an override vote on the governor's veto of the property tax freeze.  Since I have already explained my position on the subject in a previous edition of Notes from the West Wing, I will not do so again here.  What I would like to do is talk briefly about the arm-twisting for the vote on the override.  

The veto override attempt is going to be a very difficult vote for my Democrat colleagues, but this is where the rubber meets the road.  They have a very difficult decision: they want to support their governor but they have a responsibility to represent their constituents as well.  This may be a situation where they are unable to do both and will have to make a tough choice.  During the course of a 2-year legislative session, legislators will face a number of critical or even controversial votes where one can assume 50% of the public support one position and 50 % oppose that position. This override vote is not such a situation.  Residents across the state have made it abundantly clear that they are tried of seeing property taxes continue to outstrip inflation.  Public opinion polls performed during the budget process ran 80/20 in favor of the freeze as formulated in the legislature’s version of the budget.  At that time, constituents expressing their opinions to my office on the subject of the freeze also ran about 80/20 percent in favor of the freeze.  However, at the recent Kewaunee and Door County Fairs, support for the freeze has apparently increased markedly.  Very few people have asked me not to override the veto.  A prevailing sentiment seemed to have people questioning when the government will learn it cannot spend with an open checkbook and just raise taxes to cover what they spent.  I also must tell you that a good number of those saying not to vote for a tax freeze are associated with local government.  It may be that you need to talk to your local government officials as well if you have strong feeling on this issue. 

Just in closing, I want to provide readers with some interesting numbers.  In the last 5 years, we have seen a 12.5% increase in the cost of living.  In that same time period, the average municipal property tax levy has increased by 32.9%, the school property tax levy by 23.2%, the technical college property tax levy by 46.0% and the county property tax levy by 36.8%. 

As always, if you have questions or comments on this column or any other topic you might see or read in the news, I can be reached by e-mail at Rep.Bies@legis.state.wi.us or by telephone, toll-free at 1-888-482-0001.