In view of the dire financial shape of governments at every level, it is imperative that we reduce expenditures. (See previous blog post on this topic) My friend Bob Dohnal made a few suggestions of his own on how to accomplish this, and asked the rest of us on his mailing list to make recommendations of our own. The following is my response:

Even with the 67% increase in income taxes in Illinois, Wisconsin taxes are still higher. Here is what I would propose:

1. State government grew by 7% last biennium, and grew every year in the past administration. We should have a MINIMUM 10% across the board cut, with the possible exception of the Attorney General's office. If this means terminating state employees, so be it.

In view of the dire financial shape of governments at every level, it is imperative that we reduce expenditures. (See previous blog post on this topic) My friend Bob Dohnal made a few suggestions of his own on how to accomplish this, and asked the rest of us on his mailing list to make recommendations of our own. The following is my response:

Even with the 67% increase in income taxes in Illinois, Wisconsin taxes are still higher. Here is what I would propose:

1. State government grew by 7% last biennium, and grew every year in the past administration. We should have a MINIMUM 10% across the board cut, with the possible exception of the Attorney General's office. If this means terminating state employees, so be it.

I have noticed an increase of opinion letters throughout the state by government worshipers and union lemmings in support of the ‘high-speed’ rail project that is being shoved down the taxpayer’s throats.  It’s almost as if a coordinated effort of propaganda is being executed to overwhelm citizens with their side of the story.

The majority of the letters are focusing on the liberal/progressive talking points about the supposed jobs that will be created with such a project.  According to some of these utopian fantasies, thousands of high paying jobs will be created throughout the state.

When I kicked off my campaign I pledged to transform the lieutenant governor's office into the leading taxpayer watchdog in the state with the chief mission of rooting out waste, fraud and abuse.  There is no greater example of wasteful spending in government today than Jim Doyle and Barack Obama trying to force a costly and unneeded Madison-Milwaukee train on the taxpayers of Wisconsin.  To help stop this boondoggle, I created www.stopthetrainwisconsin.org, which was featured on a recent TMJ4 newscast where I also spoke out against Governor Jim Doyle and the Department of Transportation’s plan to waste millions of dollars on a new train depot.

At a time when the Milwaukee Public School (MPS) District is broke, nearly 60% of 10th graders in the district can't read, and 70% can't perform math at proficient levels, the teachers union negotiated an agreement where some teachers will receive taxpayer reimbursement for spring break hotel expenses.

At a time when many Wisconsin families can’t afford a vacation, it is outrageous to think that taxpayers could be on the hook for MPS teachers’ spring break expenses.  MPS is in desperate need of reform and Wisconsin citizens simply cannot afford more irresponsible spending by the Milwaukee Public School District.