Highlights of GOP budget proposal to be debated by Assembly
(Published Tuesday, July 10, 2007 10:21:20 AM CST)
A d v e r t i s e m e n t
Associated Press
MADISON, Wis. - Some of the proposals Republicans included in the budget to be debated by the GOP-controlled Assembly on Tuesday:
TAXES: - Reject Gov. Jim Doyle's proposals to increase the per-pack cigarette tax by $1.25, and impose new taxes on hospitals and oil companies.
- Reject the governor's proposed doubling of the real estate transfer fee and instead lower the existing fee.
- Allow $500 in retirement income to be excluded from taxes in 2009. The exemption would increase to $1,000 in 2010 and then go up $1,000 a year through 2029 before being capped at $20,000. That would amount to $270 million in tax relief, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau.
- Expand income tax credit for property taxes paid by certain veterans and their spouses.
- Institute tax breaks for health savings accounts totaling $6.5 million in 2008 and $13 million each year thereafter.
- Increase the income tax deduction for investments made in authorized college savings plans.
- Create a new tax break for those producing biodiesel fuel.
- Create a tax break for companies that provide wellness programs for employees.
- Eliminate the proposed new sales tax on music downloads from the Internet and other similar transactions.
- Delete a proposed $5 fee for filing tax returns on paper.
- Delete a $3 per ton increase on garbage dumped in Wisconsin.
- Increase fee to title a vehicle from $28.50 to $38.50.
EDUCATION: - Cut funding for K-12 education by $85 million compared to what the budget-writing committee recommended.
- Reduce the amount that schools could increase spending per pupil. The governor's plan would allow schools to increase spending $264 per student the first year and $271 the next. The Republican plan would cap the increase at $200. Supporters argue that would save money in property taxes while opponents say it would force schools to make deep cuts including firing teachers and reducing programs.
- Eliminate the so-called Chapter 220 school integration program by 2015.
- Expand Milwaukee's school choice program to all high schools in Milwaukee County and create a program in Racine County starting with the 2009 school year. The program allows students, using taxpayer money, to attend private or religious schools.
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN: - Cut funding for the University of Wisconsin by more than $100 million, including a 40 percent reduction in incentive money to keep high-demand faculty, gradually eliminate all funding for the law school, cut by 25 percent funding for university relations and communications functions and cut 17 administrative positions.
- Cap tuition increases at UW at 4 percent a year through 2010-2011.
- Disallow children of illegal immigrants from paying in-state tuition at the University of Wisconsin System or technical colleges.
HEALTH: - Reject Senate Democrats' universal health care plan that relies on a $15.2 billion payroll tax increase.
- Reject Doyle's proposed expansion of health care to cover 98 percent of the state's residents, including all children.
- Eliminate an increase in a fee on nursing home beds.
STATE EMPLOYEES: - Reduce the amount of money available for state employee salaries by $94 million.
- Stop having the state pay the first 5 percent of retirement contributions for state workers, including those at the University of Wisconsin, for a $66.3 million savings.
- Require state employees to pay 10 percent of their health insurance costs. They currently pay about 6 percent, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau.
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT: - Increase the penalty for disobeying a school crossing guard from no more than $40 for a first offense to $300.
- Require certain sex offenders to display chartreuse-colored license plates.
ODDS AND ENDS: - Delete requirement that recommendations be submitted by the state Department of Natural Resources to reduce the state's seagull population.
- Ensure that a sales tax exemption on the sale of clay pigeons sold to shooting facilities remains in place.
- Cut state funding for public television and radio by 50 percent and eliminate funding for public television and radio funded through the University of Wisconsin-Extension.
- Phase out a child care subsidy given to state workers in downtown Madison.
- Eliminate a sick leave benefit offered to a variety of elected officials, including state lawmakers and judges.
- Do not designate June 14 as "Fighting Bob LaFollette Day."
- Require voters to show identification before casting a ballot.
- Remove a prohibition, in place since 1980, on heated sidewalks and other walkways.
- Reduce authorized bonding from $60 million to $25 million for each of the next three fiscal years for the state Stewardship program, which enables the state to purchase land and distribute grants to conservation groups and local governments to buy land to protect wilderness. Under the Senate budget, bonding would increase to $105 million a year.
- Reduce aid to counties and cities by $58 million.
