It's the SPENDING, Stupid!

Mr. Schneider states the obvious (obvious to all except the PIG/Madistan types.)

According to the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, Wisconsin’s taxpayer burden ranks sixth in the nation relative to income. In 2004, state and local expenditures claimed 21.9 percent of personal incomes, up from 20.2 percent in 1999. Total state and local taxes and fees have increased 47 percent in the past decade, despite a reduction in income tax revenue in 2002 due to the slumping economy. When an economic recession hits and tax revenue declines, the state still manages to spend more and more every year—even when Republicans control both houses of the Wisconsin Legislature.

A great example was the Tommy Thompson experience. But apparently our Leggies are blind to the actual numbers. There seems to be no accountability, nor performance criteria for funded programs:

The way Wisconsin budgets also fails to provide adequate funding oversight. During the budget process, legislators are presented with documents that merely detail changes in funding—they get papers analyzing the governor’s proposals to add three percent here, and four percent there. Rarely are base reviews conducted as to whether programs deserve new funding. Programs about which there are questions receive smaller increases as punishment; nothing is ever actually cut.

And the Pubbies have standards which would make prostitutes blush with shame:

We are told that Republican budgets tax less “than the Governor,” spend less “than the Governor,” bond less “than the Governor,” and have smaller deficits “than the Governor.”

As taxes continue to rise, people will look at Wisconsin, decide the harsh winters and lack of jobs aren’t worth the trouble, and seek more fiscally friendly states. Rumor has it that trash even gets picked up in states below the Mason Dixon line, despite their lower tax burdens (we know that now because of the internet). As people flock from the state, so will businesses—leaving fewer taxpayers to pick up the ever-growing tab.

That is the case in California, where high-end earners are leaving for places like Nevada and Idaho.

By the way, sales-tax revenue is seriously down in many States this year. I've sent an inquiry to a friend about where one can find the numbers on the "informative" State webpage.

This should be interesting...

HT: Charlie Sykes