From Wisconsin Assemblyman John Nygren

Wisconsin’s unemployment rate has jumped to 9.2 percent in June, just under the national average of 9.7.  Oconto and Marinette Counties’ unemployment rates were worse, 12.2 and 12.7 respectively according to the most recent data.  Because of these dire numbers you would think our current leadership would be pushing policies that create jobs.  Unfortunately, they have pushed through a budget that was described by an employer in Wisconsin like this, “They’ve sure given a lot of people the impetus to get the hell out of here.”

Included in the budget is an income tax increase that will impact 4,600 small business owners who file their taxes as personal income.  As well, capital gains (personal and employer gains on investment) taxes were doubled and corporate taxes were increased by hundreds of millions of dollars.  Taxes on your garbage and small business waste were raised to the highest levels in the nation.  These changes don’t exactly give incentives to employers to invest in Wisconsin.  These budget changes actually do the opposite.

The effect of the tax and policy changes in the budget has been immediate and damaging.  Harley Davidson cut 400 jobs earlier in the year and cited tax law changes (combined reporting passed into law by the governor and Democrats) as one of the reasons.  These changes were estimated to cost Harley $22.5 million.  Briggs and Stratton recently announced they will be cutting 430 jobs in Wisconsin and moving them to Alabama and Georgia instead of moving Alabama or Georgia jobs to Wisconsin.  This move is expected to save the company millions.

On top of these announcements, Mercury Marine of Fond du Lac has been discussing the possibility of moving 2,000 jobs to Oklahoma.  The move will depend on how aggressive either state is at attracting Mercury Marine.  Oklahoma has already stated they are doing everything possible to attract Mercury Marine.  The Oklahoma legislature voted to forgive $1.2 million in taxes owed by Mercury Marine and they’re in negotiations to offer other incentives to move the Fond du Lac plant to Oklahoma.  Considering Oklahoma is a right-to-work state and in the budget that just passed in Wisconsin Mercury Marine would be on the hook for additional taxes, I am not optimistic.

By rewarding special interests in the budget with billions in spending at the expense of private employers, the Wisconsin Democrats have given no reason for an employer to stay in Wisconsin if greener pastures are available.  Companies invest in states they feel will partner with them and grow their investment.  These investments create jobs – jobs that state residents desperately need. 

We should be doing everything possible to hold the jobs we have, to provide for the unemployed through direct benefits and job training assistance, and giving employers looking for business friendly states during this economic downturn incentives to plant their roots here.

Until we do these things we will continue to lose jobs.  At best, unemployment will begin to level off and stagnate.  If this happens, revenues from private employers and working individuals will continue to drop and the schools and social services that depend on these revenues to operate will suffer. 

Because of the actions taken in the budget passed by Democrats this year, the next budget will have a deficit that will be just as bad if not worse than the $7 billion we had earlier this year.  The odds of $2.2 billion in federal ‘stimulus’ money being available to plug budget holes in K-12, Medicaid, and local aids next budget cycle is not likely.  Wisconsin is already operating under a $2 billion structural deficit that will have to be closed in the next budget.  That number will grow if Wisconsin continues to lag behind in economic growth.

Wisconsin is in a competition with 49 other states for job creation and retention.  Based on the performance of our leadership this year we are losing that competition.  There are jobs moving and being created during this recession in the United States.  They are just in other states like Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Alabama.  Unfortunately, some of those jobs moved and were lost from right here in Wisconsin.

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FROM: The Liberty Tree Lantern

WE MUST RECALL DOYLE BEFORE ALL OUR SMALL BUSINESSES MOVE OR CLOSE UP FOR GOOD.

Signup as a volunteer circulator of petitions at www.RecallDoyle.com

He has tested, serviced and sold products made by Mercury Marine, the boat-engine maker that has called this city home for decades. He worked 24 years for the company and for the last 21 years has operated the Mr. Marine boat dealership.

So, Lloyd took notice when news began to surface this month that Mercury Marine might be looking to consolidate operations, either in Wisconsin or in Stillwater, Okla.

“It would be a devastating blow here; they’re the No. 1 employer in town,” Lloyd said, calculating the potential impact of Mercury choosing Oklahoma over Wisconsin.

The business climate in Wisconsin, due to State of Wisconsin socialist or what is called “progressive” spending programs, is deteriorating rapidly.  The Wisconsin State Assembly is moving Wisconsin toward socialist policies at lightning speed.    It must be obvious that the Democrats in charge are the worst offenders by far.  However, it should be noted that many, but not all, Republicans use smoke and mirrors to pretend they are for Freedom, Capitalism and Constitutional principles.

We The People have to work peacefully to restore the American Dream.  To start we can recall Gov. James Doyle, the ring leader of tax and spend, business and job killing budgets that has placed Wisconsin citizens  in grave economic harm.

www.RecallDoyle.com

See the rest of the Mercury Marine article here: http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/49395002.html

We need to reign in State of Wisconsin Government spending and taxation, before the last business and person to leave has to be told where the light switch is and to lock the door.  We can either do nothing and lose businesses, jobs and our money through all manner of taxation or we can do something peacefully to turn this around.  But sitting and doing nothing while the State of Wisconsin politicians have their way with spending, policy and our taxes will only make it worse.

For Immediate Release           June 25, 2009                

Contact:  Senator Glenn Grothman  800-662-1227 – Capitol 

                                                            262-689-8421 – Cell

Grothman Begs Democrats to Wait and Vote On

Compromise in Daylight

Today Senator Grothman (R-West Bend) asked Senate Democrats to delay the vote on their budget compromise, which was unveiled at 8:30 pm on Thursday night. Even Senate Democrats not in the privileged secret negotiating room, had no idea what these provisions were. A quick perusal indicates a complete turnover of the mediation arbitration provision to the teachers’ union position.

“The only possible reason to vote for the budget so late at night was to prevent school district administers and school board members from calling Senate Democrats like Kathleen Vinehout, Pat Kreitlow and John Lehman and telling them what a disaster this budget is,” said Grothman.

Several superintendents had been pleased the Senate Democrats had added language forcing arbitrators to take into account funding limitations and not take into account fund balances in determining arbitration awards.

“Removing this language invites massive teacher salary increases and removal of extra curricular activities and other programs to pay for them. It is not clear as of 9:30 p.m. what other special interest groups have run amuck; before the press corps could alert the public to the damage,” stated Grothman.

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Also see: Recall Doyle effort includes lawmakers