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4/12/2007
Dumbest bills so far
Let’s start with the “Coke Tax”, SB 117, introduced by Senator Mark Miller (D-Monona). SB 117 would impose “a tax on the sale of soft drinks, creating a dental access trust fund, creating grants for dental public health and dental education projects, and making appropriations.” What is the world coming to?
Ok, we’ve got a tax on cigarettes, which is slated to rise significantly. We’ve got a new tax imposed on hospitals. And a million taxes already. Beer, liquor, telecommunications taxes. utility taxes. Recycling fees. Licensing fees. And on and on and on.
So now we’re going to tax soft drinks because they’re bad and contribute to tooth decay and because somebody wants to create more programs to improve dental health. Now, this isn’t to say dental health for all isn’t admirable and that dentists aren’t great. But why are we creating still another tax and still another set of grants and still another new program? On the back of soft drinks for gosh sakes. Just how much is the state of Wisconsin supposed to do? Geez, we have got to get a grip in this state.
The scary part is that this bill has a real chance of becoming law without more fiscally conservative heads prevailing.
And of course, we all know that money raised for a trust fund stays in that trust fund. Oh yeah, right…..
And the health bills keep coming.
All kinds of things legislators want to mandate be covered in all health insurance policies sold in Wisconsin. Very worthy, all. But also very expensive for all of us. Again, it’s got to be about priorities and choices.
AB 16 would “cover any drug that is prescribed by a physician for the treatment of a rare disease or condition.”
SB 88 would require health insurance policies “cover the cost of hearing aids or cochlear implants for any child under five years of age…who is certified as deaf….
AB 179 would require a “health care plan to cover the cost of one wig for each individual covered under the plan who has been diagnosed with cancer….”
Felon Lobbyists
How about this one, SB106 providing “that no person who is convicted of a felony in any court of this state or of the United States is eligible to be licensed as a lobbyist for a period of five years from the date of conviction or until the person has served his or her sentence…” Duh. Well, this really isn’t a dumb bill. It’s just dumb that it’s not a law already – and I guess it’s pretty dumb that we even have to legislate such obvious stuff. But I suppose this has something to do with former State Senator Brian Burke’s post-felony employment as a lobbyist. Geez.
COMMENTS
Jo - I completely agree with you...the soft drink tax is a joke. I brought this concept up on the County Board floor when the whole cigarette tax came up and I said at the time that this is a slippery slope to go down. People chuckled when I said that if we continue we will end up taxing everything based on its health care impact. The thing that bothers me the most is the Republican support of this bill. These guys and gals still don't get why they lost in November. It's not because they didn't support things like this, it's because they did.
I'm with you on that Jim. Hear, hear. Four Republican co-sponsors - and only three are needed to join all Assembly democrats; then a passed bill in the Senate and voila! - you've got a bill to send to the governor. Eeek. Thanks for your thoughts. JE
Jim Steineke (Thu Apr 12 08:14:12 2007)
Jo, It is a shame that I return from a wonderful vacation, and upon opening my email I read todays blog on Dumbest bills. Jo, I am losing faith in politicians. A "soft drink tax". The dentists love it. We need to tax "snack cakes" also. Wigs? A paper tax to cover infected paper cuts? Tax your blog to pay for tylenol for the headache todays blog has given me? The people who submit those bills should be censured and told to get serious about government.
Tax my blog - oh no!!! Welcome back from vacation Dale. JE
Dale (Thu Apr 12 12:25:55 2007)
Jo: Liked your 'Dumbest bills' opinion. Lord knows we have enough taxes already, without taxing soft drinks. However, if it's not right to tax soft drinks, why are we taxing beer, cigarettes, liquor - they're all not good for our health too? Or is it politically correct to tax those products and not soft drinks? Why tax only a few things that are not good for us - why not everything, or nothing? After all, most everything is not good for you according to some expert somewhere. I'm confused!
Marv Schuster (Fri Apr 13 12:04:35 2007)
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