Category Archives: Politics

Things that affect the way we think and live.

Corporate tax collections low

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According to a recent report, two-thirds of companies that operate in Wisconsin do not pay income taxes. However, the findings could be misleading. If a parent company does not pay, but instead its subsidiaries cover those expenses, then is it fair to say that the company does not pay? I’m all for companies paying their fair share of the tax burden (on top of a number of other things they should take responsibility for). But I also believe fair, objective analysis must not mislead people, and that analysis must be just that: fair and objective. Further evaluation should be done, but only by an independent organization that has nothing to lose or gain from such a study.

Wisconsin State Journal: 2 of 3 companies pay no state income tax

Wisconsin State Journal: Corporations: We paid taxes

Wisconsin’s Office of Privacy Protection

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The Office of Privacy Protection housed at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection opened earlier in 2006 to deal with the growing issues of identity theft and fraud. As these problems continue to grow, it’s nice to know that there is a source at the state level to help victims of identity theft. I know that it can be slow-going at times, but I find it at least somewhat useful to know that Wisconsin is serious about combating this problem.

Racine Journal Times: ID theft is growing, but there is help

More on sales tax initiatives

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If there is one thing to be said about sales tax, it’s that people really don’t like them at all. As I’ve stated, I’m no major fan of them either. Although the following editorial voices opposition to Senator Erpenbach’s (D-Middleton) proposal to re-evaluate and expand the sales tax, it does offer another viable option: join the Streamlined Sales Tax Project.

Wisconsin reported significant decreases in sales tax collections just a few years ago when the shopping on-line took off. This proposal does not introduce new taxes, but instead enforces the current tax laws. I think it makes perfect sense for Wisconsin to pass legislation to adopt this initiative. In the long run, it will help reduce the overall state tax burden. But I still also encourage the Legislature to review the current sales tax exemptions for frivolous goods and services.

Wisconsin State Journal editorial: Reject expansion of state sales tax

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Doyle urges uniform sales tax rules

Legislator gives up sick pay

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Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) announced that she will return about $45,000 in sick pay that can be converted into a retirement health benefit credit. On November 25, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel broke the story about how Wisconsin legislators have been building up sick pay instead of using it appropriately.

Although I do not typically agree with Senator Darling’s political decisions, I give her a lot of credit for her decision on this issue. I think it shows that she has integrity and is willing to do what is right for the taxpayers. I hope more state officials realize the importance of Senator Darling’s actions and this issue.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Darling to give up sick pay

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Lawmakers bypass sick days

Taxes worth review and debate

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I’m about as big a fan of taxes as the next person. Paying more in taxes means more out of my pocket for other things. But if it also means equalizing the playing field, reducing the overall tax burden on citizens, and restabilizing the state’s financial budget deficit, then I think it’s worth a discussion.

Senator Jon Erpenbach from Middleton proposes shifting existing sales tax exemptions to take away exemptions from certain services and providing them to others so that more revenue can be generated. Some “necessities of life,” such as food and medical care, would continue to remain exempt. But others, such as architectural services, public relation firms, and hair salons, would have to collect sales taxes.

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Political campaign phone calls are annoying

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Tomorrow is Election Day. In the past two days, I’ve received more pre-recorded telephone calls from the candidates than I’ve received on my phone in the past year (yes, I have no life). I signed up for the Wisconsin No Call list to avoid telemarketers from calling me, but it only covers for-profit organizations. That means that political candidates are free to call and ask me to vote for them. I just wish they’d stop… I know where I stand on the issues, and I don’t need a pre-recorded phone message telling me who to vote for or how to vote on specific referenda.

So here is one thing I recommend for new legislation: update the no call law to allow people to opt out from receiving phone calls from political candidates, political action committees, and non-profit organizations. Until then, I’m voting for the candidate that has called me the least.

How do you know a politician is lying?

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The punchline goes, “because his lips are moving.” The following article exemplifies that. 

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that several Republican state representatives voted against bringing major ethics reform to the Assembly floor. The ethics reform bill, 2005 Senate Bill 1, was introduced by State Senator Mike Ellis (R-Neenah) and approved by the State Senate. Yet Assembly Representatives Mike Huebsch (R-West Salem), Eugene Hahn (R-Cambria), and Judy Krawczyk (R-Green Bay) all voted against bringing this bill to the light of day. Now they are touting that they support ethics reform in their campaign literature.

So now you know when a politician is lying.

JS Online article: Reformers join ethics cause late

Safety standards gap identified

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The Washington Post indicates that there is a safety gap between agricultural products. It explains that the US Department of Agriculture has higher standards for meat and poultry certification than the Food and Drug Administration’s standards for produce certification. One option in discussion is stronger guidelines established by industry. I’m glad that I’m not the only person thinking about a produce certification program for the US.

Washington Post article: At E. Coli Hunt’s End, A Safety Standards Gap

Produce assurance

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I cannot speak about this only as a citizen only because I have researched this as a state employee. But I am home sick today, listening to Wisconsin Public Radio. During a call-in radio show, there was a discussion about the entire spinach outbreak and what can be done to prevent or avoid this. A variety of ideas were presented by the public.

Some suggested purchasing organic. The organic standards for production are more strict than the standards for producing mass-grown products. For starters, pesticides are not permitted on any product that is labeled “organic.” That means that consumers do not need to worry about unwanted chemicals on the produce that they buy. Also, composting methods that are set forth in the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines require organic farmers to compost the manure much more than is required for non-organic farmers. This reduces (not eliminates) the potential for foodborne illnesses.

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The facts mean nothing when you’re selling out Congress

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Here is a perfect example of useful statistical analysis being sold out to the mighty dollar. The following article shows that US Representative Sensenbrenner (R-Menomonee Falls, WI) would rather ignore statistical analysis and give in to the National Rifle Association lobby than to allow law enforcement to use the tools at their disposal to prosecute those that use guns to commit violent crimes.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “Sensenbrenner said opponents of the bill such as Barrett were ‘attempting to use statistics to take guns away from law-abiding citizens,’ and that the bill protected privacy rights of gun sellers and buyers without limiting law enforcement.” Perhaps Sensenbrenner is not aware that statistical analysis provides objective analysis of data and is used in making business and governmental decisions. He seems to believe that arms sellers have some unwritten right to privacy… I don’t remember reading about that in my constitutional law classes.

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