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7/17/2007
We demand - and lo and behold, the state spends

“Plenty of ideas for cutting fat.” That’s the headline on the jump page of an above-the-fold all-over-the-front-page article that asked members of the local paper’s “Reader Reaction Forum”: What spending should the state Legislature cut from the budget?

With all due respect, the answers are pathetic.

“How about a reduction in each of their [legislators’] salaries?”
“I’m sure there are pork-barrel monies… handed out under the table….”
“Cut their own salary, their staff and their many benefits… like private airplanes.”
“The pork barrelers [should] be required to defend each fatty morsel….”
Our resident atheist (more power to him – he’s well-reasoned and consistent) says “school vouchers are blatantly unconstitutional.”
“…do away with [the legislators’] salary for a year and live on nothing but Social Security.”

A few of the folks did make a modicum of sense.

“…cut down those fat salaries and benefits that all the government employees receive.... Eliminate the special education and other costly programs for the illegal immigrants…stop putting in those costly ‘roundabouts’….”

Government and school employees, yes. A huge problem in Wisconsin’s budget. And I don’t know if I’d agree with the listing here, but the point is, the reader has started to list programs critical to somebody out there. It’s somebody’s programs put together to make a whole bunch of programs that cost the people of Wisconsin a whole bunch of money.

“I tried to read the budget but got a little discouraged after I found out there were 1,800 pages…. I would take a look at the universal health care plan…. The working people will get stuck with this one.”

Yes, it’s long. It’s complicated. It’s manipulative and calculating politics. And yes, it contains a new $15B health care plan that didn’t even receive a committee hearing!

“In general, based on past presentations by Sen. Mike Ellis, I would agree with whatever he recommends.

Now, this last fellow knows where his bread is buttered!

Spending and taxes in Wisconsin are not high because of excessive legislators’ salaries and pork projects.

Spending and taxes in Wisconsin are high because we – Wisconsin residents – demand things. “I know what they shouldn’t cut out of the budget: programs for the disabled, veterans, children and elderly.” (Was that the question?)

Here’s the deal. It’s the same old thing. There Is No Such Thing As A Free Lunch. Lots of reasons why Wisconsin spending and taxes are high – and here are two of the most important.

We provide more services to more people than most states. We build more roads, we have more units of government, we have more school buildings, and we have more college and university buildings than most states in the country.
We pay our public employees wages comparable to the private sector – and then we pay them Cadillac benefits that are very, very expensive.

You and I drive these budgets. We have met the enemy, and it is us.

COMMENTS

Jo, you failed to mention the insightful comments of Fran Hart--that Wisconsin residents pay less for many things than residents of other states. I have been harping on the need to look at overall cost of living rather than any one tax. Some of our taxes are high, some (like some on business and auto registration) are low, relative to other states. We do get an awful lot for what we pay. When I was a resident of Maryland, we paid a lot less and got a lot less. Many people there did not want to send their kids to public schools.

Regarding the health care proposal, I understand the Wisconsin Taxpayer's Alliance has done an analysis that suggests large employers would pay less, small employers more. Could be that individuals would pay less and "keep more of their hard-earned money." But it's not likely to be reality in the end anyway.

I really don't believe our legislators' salaries are too high. And I think most work for every penny they get. I would not wnat their job. But the never ending cycle of needing/wanting to be re-elected and how that influences rhetoric and decision-making is a significant problem, IMHO.

Far too many legislators rely on sound bites to keep their name in the media and that position thmeselves favorably in the minds of the electorate rather than having a reasoned comment and analysis. Mike Ellis is someone who I especially respect because he tells it like he sees it, whether it counters the dogma of his party or not.

Generally speaking, I believe NEW has very good legislators, but those voting with the Assembly majority disappoint me, because that budget suggestion is just too outlandish. It really diminishes the intellect of people like Kaufert, Weickert, and Ott.
Oh, so much to comment on. Good, helpful thoughts. Yes, what you say about Healthy Wisconsin is correct, however you left out the part of the WISTAX analysis that expresses concern about the fact that adequate cost controls are missing. More to say, no more time at the moment! Thanks for your thoughts Jim. JE

Jim Perry (Tue Jul 17 07:40:09 2007)

The demanders aren't the payers. It's well known that total compensation (wages and benefits) for public employees in Wisconsin are higher in relationship to total compensation for equivalent jobs in the private sector.

Here are the consequnces:
A recently retired lady in Brookfield was interviewed as she was packing up with her husband to move to another state. When asked why they were leaving she said. "Wisconsin is a welfare state for public employees and my husband and I are no longer willing to write the welfare checks". It's come to be that, some, usually well off, retirees leave the state because they are no longer willing to pay for Rolls Royce public worker benefits. Where does it end??

Russ (Tue Jul 17 08:32:48 2007)

Way to take a shot at working folks who don't have the time to digest an 1,800-page document in three or four days and give an insightful, intelligent answer in 150 words or less, Jo. Try it sometime, see how easy it is. I'll trust your answers won't be "pathetic."
Ooh, that's not a very fair shot. Just for the record, I try to do my share of "insightful, intelligent writing." I try to stay informed. Matt, what is the P/C's responsibility in this situation to help readers "digest" the document and to correct incomplete understandings rather than touting them in the jump page headline? JE

Matt Neistein (Tue Jul 17 08:42:39 2007)

I don't really see myself as the enemy as said at the end of the piece.

People focus on legislative perquisites because they are excessive... like being paid per diem with a no-show vote by computer email.. the worst sort of drop-ass laziness that I can imagine.

Legislators get paid once by salary and second time by per diem for simply showing up-- sometimes as email or sometimes at the office for as little as an an hour to claim the per diem "day."

It's these sorts of inexcusable excesses that get on people's nerves.
First of all Lon, lighten up. The Pogo quote at the end isn't calling you or me or anyone else the enemy. What specifics do you have about per diem's being paid for no-show votes by computer email? JE

Lon Ponschock (Tue Jul 17 14:48:03 2007)

A follow up to Matt Neistein’s comment that working people don’t have time to digest an 1800 page document in a couple of days to register an intelligent comment. Matt, if it is such a challenge, then why does the PC pose the question?

Working people, which includes most of us, should be absolutely outraged that their Democratic legislators hatched a universal health care plan, with one of the largest cost shifts and expenditures for any program in the history of the state, without even the benefit of a public hearing. The fact that the local public doesn’t know anything about this travesty is primarily because the PC chooses not to expend the effort to report it.

Charlie Goff (Tue Jul 17 21:25:02 2007)

I recall a WPR talk show which I think was discussing a pay raise for legislators. I think the major participant was Mike McCabe from Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.

The way to clear this up is to get a position from the Steve Weigert or Dean Kaufert offices stating what exactly they are doing or can or cannot do.

At that time I would apologize for any factual errors. But this is not formal journalism.

What I recall is being shocked and outraged at what was being reported as every day behavior. I'm pretty sure it was a Ben Merens program from my listening patterns back then.

A day or two ago FoxPolitics was talking about additional referenda for local expenditures. I wonder what would happen if these things which the WI legislature have granted themselves were voted on by the public.
Ok Lon, good insights. I'll ask a few assemblymen/women the questions about per diems. As you may know, Wisconsin doesn't allow statewide direct legislation. Would you have the public vote on municipal and school district employee contracts as well? JE

Lon Ponschock (Tue Jul 17 22:58:55 2007)

This last inquiry is, figuratively speaking, above my pay grade. I do not know the definition or application of indirect legislation.

But details on how the per diem works would be appreciated.

Lon Ponschock (Wed Jul 18 08:06:25 2007)

Help me out here.

What was that proposal floated a year or two ago about capping annual growth in state spending & approaching voters directly if a spending unit wanted to exceed that caps?

Mark A Framness (Wed Jul 18 22:04:48 2007)

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