Regressive Tax Swap Idea Dies a Speedy Death; Why Don’t I Feel Happy?
At a public forum last week, Rick Chandler, a member of the Governor-elect’s transition team, floated the idea of increasing the sales tax by at least two cents – as part of a plan to pay for significant reductions in income and property taxes. The idea was declared dead by the Governor-elect and other lawmakers almost before the public even got wind of the proposal.
In a new post on the Wisconsin Budget Project blog, Jon Peacock expresses relief that the the regressive tax shift was rebuked. However, that relief is tempered by disappointment that it now appears that any plan to shift or reform taxes, even in a revenue-neutral way, could be immediately denounced before there can be deliberative consideration of the merits of the proposal.
