MacIver News Service | Jan. 31, 2019
By M.D. Kittle
MADISON — Wisconsin got more good fiscal news Wednesday, when the Legislative Fiscal Bureau released data showing a projected $2.4 billion in additional tax revenue for the next state budget.
That means Democratic Gov. Tony Evers can breathe a lot easier than his predecessor, Republican Gov. Scott Walker, did when he faced a $3.6 billion budget shortfall upon taking office in 2011.
The new governor a few weeks ago asked for input from Republican lawmakers like state Sen. Tom Tiffany. The Hazelhurst Republican said he offered some simple advice about keeping a booming economy going: Don’t raise taxes and don’t raise regulations.
“That is what has gotten us a $2 billion surplus here in Wisconsin,” he said. “And if you (Evers) want to continue to have money to be able to spend on schools, which is your priority, and other public services in years to come and budgets to come, don’t raise taxes and don’t raise regulations.”
“If you reverse course and go back to the dark (Gov. Jim) Doyle days of a decade ago, you will kill the Golden Goose and it will make things much more difficult because people do react to incentives,” Tiffany continued. “The incentive for people in Wisconsin is you get to keep more money in your pocket and therefore people are investing more.”
Sen. Tiffany talks transportation, environmental extremism, and the restorative powers of bacon on this edition of MacIver Newsmakers.