IN TONIGHT'S LOOK AHEAD IF YOU
LIVE IN MILWAUKEE COUNTY YOU
COULD BE LOOKING AT PAYING MORE
AT THE CHECK-OUT.
THAT'S BECAUSE ELECTED
OFFICIALS AND EVEN BUSINESS
LEADERS THERE WANT TO HIKE THE
SALES TAX BY 1% TO HELP PAY FOR
SERVICES AND IMPROVEMENTS.
IT COULD BE A HEAVY LIFT AS IT
NEEDS LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL
BEFORE IT GOES TO A REFERENDUM.
DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE EVAN
GOYKE IS PROPOSING A BILL TO
ALLOW THE TAX INCREASE AND
JOINS US NOW FROM MILWAUKEE.
THANK YOU FOR DOING SO
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> ROBIN VOS HAS ALREADY SAID
THE PROPOSAL WILL BE A HARD
SELL.
IS THIS DEAD BEFORE IT EVEN
GETS OFF THE GROUND?
>> I CERTAINLY DON'T THINK SO.
I DON'T LIKE TO SPEND MY
LEGISLATIVE TIME WORKING ON
ISSUES THAT ARE DEAD ON ARRIVAL
IN THE STATE CAPITOL.
THE REASON WHY I THINK WE
AREN'T THERE YET IS WE HAVE AN
UNPRECEDENTED COALITION OF
LEADERS IN MILWAUKEE, LEADERS
FROM THE SUBURB, THE CITY, THE
COUNTY, CIVIC AND BUSINESS
LEADERS.
THIS IS A UNIFICATION OF
MILWAUKEE UNLIKE ONE THAT I
HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY TENURE IN
MADISON.
AND WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER, WE
CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS.
AND SO THAT'S OUR GOAL IS TO
STAY UNITED, PUSH FORWARD ON A
SOLUTION THAT WE THINK SOLVES A
LOT OF THE ISSUES FACING LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS IN MILWAUKEE COUNTY.
>> IF IT IS A HARD SELL DO YOU
THINK IT WOULD BE THAT BECAUSE
IT IS MILWAUKEE ASKING FOR THIS?
>> WELL, I THINK WE AS A
COALITION HAVE WORKED HARD TO
TRY TO TAILOR THE LEGISLATION
IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T PIT
MILWAUKEE VERSUS THE REST OF
THE STATE.
IF THIS LEGISLATION PASSES, NO
SCHOOL DISTRICT, NO ONE'S
HEALTHCARE OR NO ONE'S ROADS
ARE IMPACTED.
THIS IS OUR SOLUTION.
WE WILL BEAR THE BRUNT ON OUR
SHOULDER, OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR
VISITORS AND COMMUTERS WILL
RAISE THIS REVENUE, KEEP IT AND
SPEND IT LOCAL.
IF SOME OF OUR LISTENERS DON'T
LIVE IN MILWAUKEE COUNTY THEY
WON'T BE IMPACTED AT ALL BY
THIS OTHER THAN THESE
INVESTMENTS WILL GROW
MILWAUKEE'S ECONOMY AND OUR
RETURN ON INVESTMENT TO
TAXPAYERS IS LARGER.
>> WHY DOES MILWAUKEE NEED A
NEW SOURCE OF REVENUE?
>> WE'RE UNIQUE IN WISCONSIN
THE BIGGEST CITY AND REGION WE
HAVE UNIQUE CHALLENGES.
ALMOST EVERY OTHER LARGE CITY
OR LARGE METRO AREA IN THE
UNITED STATES HAS SOME ABILITY
TO CONTROL THEIR LOCAL REVENUE.
WE HAVE SUFFERED LOSS OF JOBS,
WE HAVE CONCENTRATED POVERTY.
WE NEED TO TOOLS TO ADDRESS
THOSE ISSUES.
CURRENTLY WISCONSIN'S LAW, OUR
STATE LAW, TREATS OUR
MUNICIPALITIES AS PRETTY
UNIQUELY AROUND THE COUNTRY.
WE'RE THE ONLY STATE IN THE
MIDWEST THAT DOES NOT ALLOW OUR
LARGEST METRO AREA TO CONTROL,
TO RAISE OR TO SPEND ITS LOCAL
TAXES.
AND SO WHAT'S HAPPENING IS OUR
NEIGHBORS ARE GROWING FASTER
THAN US.
OUR NEIGHBORS LIKE MINNEAPOLIS
OR CHICAGO ARE SEEING BIG
INVESTMENT THAT IS ABLE TO
ATTRACT AND RETAIN YOUNG
WORKERS AND THEY ARE GROWING
FASTER THAN OUR METRO AREA.
>> SO HOW MUCH COULD BE RAISED
AND WHAT WOULD IT GO TOWARD?
>> SO OUR ESTIMATE IS THAT 1%
OR 1 CENT ON A DOLLAR WOULD
RAISE ROUGHLY $160 MILLION.
THE FIRST ONE QUARTER OF THAT
WOULD GO BACK TO PROPERTY
TAXPAYERS.
WE HAVE AN IMBALANCE IN
WISCONSIN.
WE HAVE A LOW SALES TAX AND
VERY HIGH PROPERTY TAX AND WE
WANT TO BETTER BALANCE THAT
RATIO.
WE RESERVE SOME MONEY FOR
PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE TO
ADDRESS HEALTH DISPARITIES IN
OUR REGION AND THE REST IS
SPLIT BETWEEN THE COUNTY
GOVERNMENT AND OUR 19
MUNICIPALITIES SO THAT THEY CAN
USE IT ON THEIR OPERATION AND
CAPITAL BUDGET.
THAT'S FILLING POTHOLES, POLICE
AND FIREFIGHTERS, PARKS, PUBLIC
TRANSIT.
ALL PUBLIC SERVICES AND PUBLIC
GOODS THAT OUR RESIDENTS USE.
>> JUST BRIEFLY WITH A HALF
MINUTE LEFT ONE UWM ECONOMIST
SAYS LOWER INCOME RESIDENTS
WOULD SUFFER A HIGHER BURDEN.
THE INCREASED COST WILL HAVE
MORE OF AN IMPACT ON LOW INCOME
FAMILIES.
HOW DO YOUTO THAT?
>> THE SALES TAX IS NOT A
PROGRESSIVE TAX BY ITS NATURE.
I THINK THAT ECONOMIST IS NOT
WRONG IN THAT I GUESS THAT
ANALYSIS.
HOWEVER, WHEN GOVERNMENTS ARE
FOERLSED TO CUT SERVICES, THAT
SAME POPULATION, THOSE LOW
INCOME INDIVIDUALS, ARE FIRST
TO BEAR THE BURDEN.
SO WHEN WE CUT BUS ROUTES OR
PARKS DON'T GET MAINTAINED IT
IS NORMALLY THOSE POPULATIONS
LIVING IN POVERTY THAT ARE MOST
AFFECTED BY CUTS IN SERVICES.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE NEED TO LEAVE IT THERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> IN THE HARD SELL CAUCUS ON
THIS MATTER, STATE
REPRESENTATIVE JOE SANFILLIPO
OF NEW BERLIN.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK OF A LOCAL
OPTION SALES TAX INCREASE IN
MILWAUKEE COUNTY AND ITS LOCAL
MUNICIPALITIES?
>> YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY ALREADY
TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE SALES
TAX INCREASE THAT THEY HAVE.
THEY HAVE A HALF PERCENT.
I THINK THAT IT'S TOUGH -- IN
WISCONSIN WE'VE BEEN GOING IN
THE RIGHT DIRECTION WITH OUR
TAXES THE LAST FEW YEARS BUT
STILL ONE OF THE HIGHEST-TAXED
STATES IN THE COUNTRY AND IN
THE MIDWEST REGION.
ANY TIME WE WANT TO PUT AN
EXTRA BURDEN ON OUR CITIZENS IT
IS SOMETHING WE REALLY HAVE TO
TAKE WITH CAREFUL CONSIDERATION.
>> BUT WHAT ABOUT THE ARGUMENT
THAT MILWAUKEE HAS SEEN
DECLINING STATE AID AND NEEDS
SOME WAY TO OFFSET THAT FOR
NEEDED SERVICES?
>> SO I THINK THE COUNTY HAS
PLENTY OF AREAS WHERE THEY
COULD LOOK WITHIN THEIR OWN
BUDGET TO DO SOME TRIMMING.
I SPENT FIVE YEARS ON THE
COUNTY BOARD.
I'VE BEEN OFF OF IT FOR SEVEN.
WHEN I WAS THERE THERE WERE A
LOT OF AREAS WHERE TRIMMING
COULD BE DONE THAT THE COUNTY
WAS UNWILLING TO DO SO.
WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT NOW
THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT NEEDING
TO RAISE REVENUE FOR DEBT
REDUCTION AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WHEN I WAS ON THE COUNTY BOARD
WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF
LAND THAT IS UNUSED THAT
DEVELOPERS MAY BE INTERESTED IN
PURCHASING.
I THINK THAT OPTION OUGHT TO BE
EXPLORED.
TO RAISE SOME MONEY TO LOWER
DEBT SERVICE AS OPPOSED TO JUST
RUNNING TO THE TAXPAYERS AND
PUTTING AN EXTRA BURDEN ON THEM.
>> SUPPORTERS, INCLUDING THE
MILWAUKEE ASSOCIATION OF
COMMERCE, SAY THE INCREASE IN
THE SALES TAX WOULD PROVIDE
PROPERTY TAX RELIEF BY PUTTING
25% OF THE SALES TAX PROCEEDS
TOWARD THAT.
THEY ALSO CALL IT A SOUND
INVESTMENT OF THE FUTURE IN
MILWAUKEE.
WHAT ABOUT THE IDEA THAT
BUSINESS LEADERS SUPPORT THIS?
>> SO I THINK YOU HAVE SOME
BUSINESS LEADERS THAT WILL
SUPPORT IT.
IF YOU'RE IN DOWNTOWN
MILWAUKEE, DEPENDING ON THE
TYPE OF BUSINESS YOU'RE IN.
YOU AREN'T AS AFFECTED.
IF YOU'RE IN SOME OF THE
SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES
NEIGHBORING OTHER COUNTIES.
WAUKESHA COUNTY IS A HALF
PERCENT LOWER THAN MILWAUKEE
COUNTY IN ITS SALES TAX.
IT WILL TRANSLATE TO 1 1/2
PERCENT IF THIS FWOES THROUGH.
IF YOU LIVE IN SUBURB BAN
COMMUNITIES YOU CAN SHOP IN
WAUKESHA COUNTY AND SAVE 1 1/2%.
THAT ADDS UP THROUGHOUT THE
YEAR.
A LOT BUSINESSES AROUND THE
OUTER EDGES OF MILWAUKEE COUNTY
MAY NOT FEEL AS MUCH, YOU KNOW,
INSULATED FROM ANY DAMAGE THAT
COULD BE CAUSED BY THIS
INCREASE AS THOSE IN DOWNTOWN
MILWAUKEE ITSELF.
>> IS THIS IN YOUR MIND A GOOD
EXAMPLE OF LOCAL CONTROL,
THOUGH, THROUGH THE REFERENDUM
PROCESS?
>> WELL, I THINK IT'S A GOOD
EXAMPLE OF THE STATE -- OF THE
LOCAL COMMUNITY, IN THIS CASE
THE COUNTY AND LOCAL
MUNICIPALITIES, COMING TO THE
STATE AND WANTING THROW IT IN
OUR LAP, RIGHT?
LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES AND
COUNTIES ALREADY HAVE AN OPTION
TO HOLD A REFERENDUM AND RAISE
TAXES IF THEY SEE THAT THEY
NEED TO.
BUT IN THAT CASE THEY HAVE TO
SELL THAT IDEA TO THEIR LOCAL
VOTERS.
IT IS MUCH EASIER FOR THEM TO
COME TO MADISON AND ASK
LEGISLATORS TO GIVE THEM THE
AUTHORITY TO RAISE THE SALES
TAX AND TRY TO SLAM IT THROUGH.
IN AN ELECTION WHERE YOU MAY
HAVE LOPSIDED RESULTS.
>> AND SO AS TO THAT SPEAKER
VOS CALLED IT A HARD SELL.
DO YOU THINK IT'S ACCURATE?
>> I THINK IT WILL BE A HARD
SELL.
WE'VE WORKED VERY HARD THE LAST
EIGHT, NINE YEARS TO LOWER
TAXES IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN
TO GET US MOVING IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION.
SO NOBODY IS GOING TO WANT TO
DO SOMETHING TO START REVERSING
THAT TREND.
NOW THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT IS I
THINK THAT IF YOU SEE WHERE IS
THE MONEY GOING TO BE SPENT AND
HOW DO WE SAFEGUARD -- YOU TALK
ABOUT PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THE
PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ISN'T JUST
THERE RIGHT AT FIRST AND ALL OF
A SUDDEN DISSIPATES AS TIME
GOES ON AND THEY END UP HAVING
YOUR PROPERTY TAXES GOING UP
AND NOW YOUR SALES TAX IS UP AS
WELL?
THERE WILL BE A LOT OF
DISCUSSION GOING FORWARD.
THERE IS NO DOUBT THERE ARE
SOME AREAS OF NEED.
THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE HAS A
HORRENDOUS CRIME PROBLEM RIGHT
NOW.
THEY REFUSE TO PUT MORE MONEY
INTO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I THINK IF YOU ASKED THE
AVERAGE CITIZEN THAT WOULD BE
SOMEWHERE WHERE THEY WOULD
AGREE TO HAVE SOME EXTRA
SPENDING IF THEY KNEW IT WOULD
GO TO SAFETY.
HOW DO YOU PROTECT THAT MONEY
AND MAKE SURE THAT'S WHERE IT
REALLY GOES?
>> WE'LL CONTINUE TO