Wisconsin Disappoints...In a Big Way

Monday, June 15, 2009 5:41 PM by Mattie Duppler

While Wisconsinites suffer from one of the highest tax burdens in the country they are also plagued by an indefensible lack of transparency that has lent itself to the current economic quagmire in which the Badger State finds itself. While several efforts have been made to instantiate transparency efforts in legislation, all have been defeated by the Democrat-controlled legislature.

The budget process as it unfolded last week in Wisconsin is a perfect model for the necessity of transparency. While two amendments offered by Rep. Kramer that would have increased transparency were tabled, a litany of earmarks and taxes were passed without the bat of an eye. ATR and CFA submitted letters in support of both these amendment, urging Representatives to reverse the tide of opacity in the Wisconsin government but apparently our recommendations fell on deaf ears.

What’s laughable is the pontification of Wisconsin Representatives. Corey Mason (D-Racine) was a supporter of transparency back in March, but voted to table both of Kramer’s amendments during the Assembly’s budget debate. Similarly, Rep. Molepske (D-Steven’s Point) decried the late-night dealings that “denied the public its right to open government” but when confronted with the opportunity to shed some light on the devious budget deal, also voted to table Rep. Kramer’s amendments. And don’t forget Jeff Wood (I-Chippewa Falls) who left the GOP in 2008 for its abandonment of “fiscal responsibility” but voted for, as the MacIver Institute puts it: “$11.6 billion worth of bad.”

While the continual lack of transparency in Wisconsin is an affront to its taxpayers, the rushed, bloated budget passed in the morning hours by the Assembly makes the opacity of the badger state that much more intolerable. The budget forces taxpayers to shoulder an increasing burden of irresponsible state spending, and can be checked only by legislation that allows the public to track how their money is being spent. If you are in Wisconsin, contact your representatives and tell them you deserve spending transparency. The budget goes to the senate next - tell your senators to vote against the unjustifiable state budget!

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