AFSCME’s Fight Against TABOR

 

What is TABOR?

 

TABOR, the so-called “taxpayer bill of rights”, is being debated in the Wisconsin Legislature and is expected to come up for a vote soon.  TABOR, introduced as Assembly Joint Resolution 55, is a constitutional amendment that would cripple government, cut back public services, and result in the layoff of countless public employees.  AJR 55 imposes spending limits on the state, local government, schools and technical colleges. Taxes collected in excess of those spending limits must be returned to taxpayers under TABOR, and tax rates would have to be reduced accordingly.  Voter approval in a referendum would be required for any tax increases, spending increases and most borrowing by government units.

 

If enacted in Wisconsin, TABOR would result in the “ratcheting down” of government, public service and public employees. Colorado adopted TABOR in 1992, and that state now is suffering the consequences.  Many Colorado legislators and citizens are working to undo the damage that TABOR has caused there.  In Wisconsin, supporters of TABOR have already backed away from Colorado-style TABOR and are to soften it and “Wisconsinize” TABOR. 

 

AFSCME Opposes TABOR in any form

 

AFSCME opposes TABOR and any constitutional or statutory spending and taxing restrictions of any kind.  TABOR is no taxpayer “bill of rights”; it is a sham and a slick public relations effort being pushed by the big business lobby and the right-wing of the Republican Party that are preying on citizen anger over taxes. These folks would like nothing more than to block any public discussion of Wisconsin’s complicated and unfair tax system, under which working families pay more than their fair share of the cost of society’s tax burden.  The rich and powerful have the most to gain by protecting the status quo. AFSCME believes TABOR really stands for Tax Avoiders Blocking Overdue Reform!  

 

AFSCME recognizes that Wisconsin citizens are angry about their individual tax burden. Our approach is quite different from those who back TABOR or last year’s property tax freeze.  We believe it’s time Wisconsin engaged in a comprehensive review of corporate, income, sales and property tax breaks and tax loopholes that benefit wealthy individuals and corporations at the expense of working people.  In addition, AFSCME must step up its efforts to make citizens aware of the vital public services that our members provide; services that citizens have come to expect and take for granted.  Tax revenues provide the funding for our democratic society, our public schools and our high quality of life.  As with anything, you get what you pay for.

 

Status of TABOR

 

Backers of TABOR are firmly committed to passing some form of TABOR this year. However, they’re having a tough time finding a way TABOR could work here. Republican legislators have been meeting in secret for months trying to find common ground, and we’re happy to report that so far they haven’t been successful.  Many Republican legislators are very uncomfortable about putting TABOR restrictions into the state Constitution. We fully expect Republicans in the state Assembly and Senate will reach an agreement on TABOR.  We are not waiting for them to unveil “TABOR II”; because once we know of their agreement, the vote will happen before anyone has time to respond.

 

AFSCME has been engaged in fighting TABOR through direct lobbying and promoting grassroots contacts to legislators.  We also have been working with a loose coalition of fellow anti-TABOR organizations, each of which has been working to kill TABOR. 

 

The Process of Amending the Wisconsin Constitution

 

As a proposal that would amend the state Constitution, TABOR (AJR 55) must be approved by legislators in two consecutive sessions and then be placed on the ballot for final approval by the voters.  TABOR supporters want AJR 55 to pass the Legislature this spring or summer and they’ll bring it up again sometime in the 2005-06 session. Unlike a regular bill, resolutions like AJR 55 cannot be vetoed by the Governor.  We cannot rely on him to stop AJR 55, like he stopped the property tax freeze. 

 

What you can do to help stop TABOR

 

AFSCME needs your help to stop TABOR.  Please contact your Assembly Representative and your Senator to voice your opposition to TABOR. You helped us kill the property tax freeze, and we need you again to make those phone calls, send those email or letters to help kill TABOR!

 

Here’s a sample message:

 

Dear ____________________,

 

I urge you to please vote against AJR 55, which would impose spending, taxing and bonding limits on the state, schools, technical colleges, counties and local governments.  This proposal would handcuff elected officials, cripple public services and rob citizens of Wisconsin’s high quality of life.

 

Furthermore, AJR 55 would slam the door on much-needed reform of Wisconsin’s unfair tax laws and the special interest tax breaks that working people end up paying for in the form of higher taxes!

 

Please do all you can to stop this flawed proposal.   Thank you!

 

            (Signed)  Your name, address, phone, and email (if applicable)

 

 

How to reach your legislator

 

Call the toll free Legislative hotline- 1-800-362-9472 and leave a message for your legislators.

 

Email your legislator: for Representatives use: Rep.(insert name)@legis.state.wi.us .  for Senators, use Sen.(insert name)@legis.state.wi.us .  (Insert last names only, with no spaces)    

 

Write your legislators.  Assembly Representative: State Capitol, P.O. Box 8952 (for Reps with names starting with letters A-L), Madison, Wisconsin  53708.  Or, P.O. Box 8953 for Reps with letters M-Z.

 

To reach all Senators, use P.O. Box 7882, Madison, Wisconsin  53707

 

Resources on TABOR

 

1. To see AJR 55, go to www.folio.legis.state.wi.us, and search for AJR 55

2. Colorado’s Bell Policy Center:    www.thebell.org

3. Colorado Center on Law and Policy:  www.ccponline.org

4. Wisconsin Council on Children and Families –WCCF New Wisconsin Budget Project report: "Should Wisconsin Handcuff Politicians Who Control the Public Purse?"  www.wccf.org

5. Wisconsin Alliance of Cities -   www.wiscities.org

6.

 

Get Involved!

 

AFSCME is already working to get voters out to elect worker-friendly candidates in the April 6th local elections and continues to build strength for the critical November election.  Please contact your local Take Back Wisconsin staff to get involved in those campaigns.  Call the AFSCME office at 608-836-6666 to find out how to reach the TBW staff

 

 

 

For more information, call AFSCME at 608-836-6666.