HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 2004 (20) RESOLUTION RELATING TO TAXPAYERS
BILL OF RIGHTS (TABOR)
Resolution No. ab (2t
St. Croix County, Wisconsin
WHEREAS, Assembly Substitute Amendment to 2003 Assembly Joint
Resolution 55 was introduced in the Wisconsin State Assembly by Representative Frank
Lasee; and
WHEREAS, Assembly Substitute Amendment to 2003 Assembly Joint
Resolution 55 is a proposed constitutional amendment modeled directly after a
constitutional amendment adopted in Colorado in 1992 called the Taxpayers Bill of
Rights or TABOR; and
WHEREAS, Assembly Substitute Amendment to 2003 Assembly Joint
Resolution 55, like Colorado's TABOR, would place into the Wisconsin Constitution a
formula limiting annual increases in spending each year for all levels of government in
Wisconsin to the change in the Consumer Price Index plus varying factors depending on
the type of municipality; and
WHEREAS, Colorado is currently engulfed in a debate over whether to suspend
some of the provisions of TABOR or repeal TABOR due to a significant budget shortfall,
a growing backlog in road projects, and dropping to near the bottom of the fifty states in
graduation rates, immunization rates, higher education funding, health care coverage for
children and prenatal care; and
WHEREAS, Assembly Substitute Amendment to 2003 Assembly Joint
Resolution 55 is currently being reworked by work groups in the Assembly and Senate in
an effort to craft a new proposed Constitutional Amendment which attempts to remedy
some of the errors made in Colorado and make it more workable for Wisconsin; and
WHEREAS, the primary lesson learned from Colorado is that placing strict
formulas in the Constitution does not allow for government to react to changing
circumstances or inherent flaws in the formula; and
WHEREAS, before any Joint Resolution to amend the Wisconsin Constitution is
brought before the Legislature for first consideration, there should be a thorough public
discourse with the taxpaying public in order to ensure a proper understanding of the
proposal; and
WHEREAS, all governmental entities should have the ability to take whatever formula is
proposed and create fiscal models to learn what the impact would be if we had such a
formula in place in previous years as well as what it will mean in the future; and
WHEREAS, in 1990 the overwhelming majority of the voting public in
Wisconsin (70 %) went on record through an advisory referendum stating that the
Wisconsin Constitution should be amended to "require the state to fully fund any
program, service or benefit it requires local government to provide ".
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the St. Croix County Board of
Supervisors hereby urges the Wisconsin Legislature to allow time for meaningful
dialogue and input from Wisconsin taxpayers before moving forward with a proposed
amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors
urges the Wisconsin Legislature to propose amendments to the Wisconsin Constitution
for items of a constitutional nature and make fiscal policy in Wisconsin statutes, rules,
and/or regulations; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that any proposed changes to the Wisconsin
Constitution which address government spending must also include language reflecting
the full intent of the citizens to "require the state to fully fund any program, service or
benefit it requires local government to provide."
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to all state
legislators representing St. Croix County, Governor Doyle, and the Wisconsin Counties
Association.
Offered by the Finance Committee on May 18, 2004.
Negative Affirmative
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Greg mmerman
Corporation Counsel
This resolution was duly adopted by the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors on May
18, 2004.
Cindy Campbe
County Cler