Question No. 4: Dan Carpenter Response
I have traveled throughout the world in my lifetime. There is no place like Wisconsin; no place I would rather live. We enjoy the greatest level of services imaginable. Our education system is tops and one only needs to look at test scores for proof. Roads in Wisconsin take a beating in the winter, but when you drive the back roads of states like Georgia or Alabama you will see clearly just how important that system is. Environmentally, there is no more beautiful place to live with clean air and water. I don’t favor eliminating any of those services that we all enjoy so much.
Throughout my campaign I have spoken about inefficiencies. We all see them. We have a prison system that is out of control and costing the taxpayers huge sums. 7 percent of our budget or $846 million dollars per year are spent on the system. Our prison population has risen from 6,000 in 1987 to more than 21,000. Are we any safer? No. Are we poorer? Yes. Prison and sentencing reform is an absolute necessity.
A recent audit of our university system revealed that a whopping 25% of the employees are in administrative positions driving up the cost of enrollment and taxes. Our K-12 schools are being hit with unfunded state and federal mandates.
State government continues to expand. Our politicians in Madison have made sure that they have taken care of those who stuff money in their pockets. If and when they all come to trial, we will certainly hear much more as we have with the kickback schemes of Gary George.
A tax by any other name is a tax. You can call them fees, but they’re still taxes. Any parent with children in a school system knows about fees: book fees, athletic fees, class fees, etc. When parents have several children the cost can become staggering. Fees to drop off grass, fees to launch a boat and, maybe, a fee for our children to run on the grass in the park! We pay taxes for something and then pay fees. Before long we may pay a garbage fee, a plowing fee, a pothole filling fee or a street sweeping fee! How long before we pay fees for the fees? Fees are taxes and we do not need more taxes, we need less waste at the federal, state and local levels.
I would not support a higher sales tax for any purpose whether it is for education, lowering taxes of general revenue. Our focus needs to center on efficiency and waste, not higher taxes and fees. Sales taxes are regressive and would hit the business community resulting in fewer jobs, which in turn would lower the amount of income taxes collected.
George H.W. Bush said, “Read my lips” and he lied. People of this community who have known me will tell you that I would never do that. Honesty is a pillar upon which my candidacy is built.
Throughout my campaign I have spoken about inefficiencies. We all see them. We have a prison system that is out of control and costing the taxpayers huge sums. 7 percent of our budget or $846 million dollars per year are spent on the system. Our prison population has risen from 6,000 in 1987 to more than 21,000. Are we any safer? No. Are we poorer? Yes. Prison and sentencing reform is an absolute necessity.
A recent audit of our university system revealed that a whopping 25% of the employees are in administrative positions driving up the cost of enrollment and taxes. Our K-12 schools are being hit with unfunded state and federal mandates.
State government continues to expand. Our politicians in Madison have made sure that they have taken care of those who stuff money in their pockets. If and when they all come to trial, we will certainly hear much more as we have with the kickback schemes of Gary George.
A tax by any other name is a tax. You can call them fees, but they’re still taxes. Any parent with children in a school system knows about fees: book fees, athletic fees, class fees, etc. When parents have several children the cost can become staggering. Fees to drop off grass, fees to launch a boat and, maybe, a fee for our children to run on the grass in the park! We pay taxes for something and then pay fees. Before long we may pay a garbage fee, a plowing fee, a pothole filling fee or a street sweeping fee! How long before we pay fees for the fees? Fees are taxes and we do not need more taxes, we need less waste at the federal, state and local levels.
I would not support a higher sales tax for any purpose whether it is for education, lowering taxes of general revenue. Our focus needs to center on efficiency and waste, not higher taxes and fees. Sales taxes are regressive and would hit the business community resulting in fewer jobs, which in turn would lower the amount of income taxes collected.
George H.W. Bush said, “Read my lips” and he lied. People of this community who have known me will tell you that I would never do that. Honesty is a pillar upon which my candidacy is built.
posted by Miles Maguire at 3:25 AM
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