How to Think About Wisconsin's Budget

This is a handy-dandy primer on Thinking About Budgeting. It's (largely) devoid of polemic, and mirrors what most normal, walking-around, working people do.

Highlights:

The next biennial budget should spend less, tax less and bond less than the current
budget, period.

Until the newly elected Governor and the next Legislature decide what Wisconsin’s spending priorities are, all nonessential spending should be put on hold.

...build a budget from the ground up, using zero-based budgeting

State government must only take on those functions that cannot be accomplished by an
individual or any other entity. [Which could be combined with]: If a level of government determines that a spending program is beneficial to all of its citizens, that level of government should pay for the entire cost of the program

Needs, not "wants" or "nice-to-haves."

...every single current administrative rule should sunset by years end and require re-authorization

...Once submitted by the Governor, the Legislature should address the plan and make any modifications in public, in the light of day. Every amendment should have an author...

All eminently sensible. To do less would be to risk one's re-election.

HT: Jo