MADISON – Assembly Committee on Ways and Means Chair Representative Jerry L. O’Connor (R-Fond du Lac) issued the following statement in response to yesterday’s Legislative Fiscal Bureau report detailing new state revenue estimates:

“Wisconsinites continue paying too much in income taxes.  If you go into a store and purchase items for $18.00 and hand the clerk a $20.00 bill, are you entitled to the return of your $2.00?  You receive change in every other area of money exchanges, but this is not true with your income taxes in Wisconsin. 

Wisconsin continues a multi-year pattern of generating budget surpluses because we are taxed for more than we spend.  What happens to those excess dollars?  Ongoing expenses need to be adjusted for annual operating increases, so we need to cover that.  Then, we consider prudent consideration of limited expansion or introduction of new spending needs agreed to by BOTH the Governor and the Legislature.  The balance should be returned to you, the taxpayers.

Not so with our Governor.  If he follows through with his previous budget bills, he would spend the $4 billion surplus and then increase spending and taxes for another $4 billion.  Instead of giving you change on your purchase of government goods and services, the Governor informs you that he has a better use for your change.  He has a better place to spend your money without asking you what you would do.  Wisconsinites and Americans are tired of reckless excess government spending.  We need to hold dear to the conservative course of small government and small taxes.

In response to the updated surplus estimates, I agree with our Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) Co-Chairs Senator Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) and Representative Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) comments:  “Our substantial surplus remains here in the state coffers instead of the pockets of hard-working Wisconsinites for one simple reason; Governor Evers. His refusal to support meaningful tax relief has kept that money locked up here in Madison. Legislative Republicans remain committed to returning the surplus to the people who paid it, the taxpayers.” “These estimates show that not only can we continue to fund our obligations and priorities, but that we can also give substantial tax relief to hard-working Wisconsinites.” 

We don’t need a one-time refund; we must reduce taxes on all Wisconsinites and stop generating these unnecessary surpluses. Let’s do what every other vendor does with an excess payment.  Hand the customer their $2.00 in change and thank them for doing business with your organization.”