Frequent commentator Puddytat beat me to it,but I wanted to keep this story out front through the weekend. If you needed any more evidence that the policies of Scott Walker's administration are geared for a select few, let me direct you to this story in Madison newspapers from Friday.
A recently released video of the Dec. 9 session at Beloit College shows [Wisconsin Lt. Gov Rebecca] Kleefisch and state Revenue Department Secretary Rick Chandler extolling state efforts to reduce taxes since Republicans took over state government in 2011, and saying they wanted private-sector ideas for another round of cuts.
“We want to know how we can love you more,” Kleefisch told the group of about 30 executives, managers, accountants and others during the 1-hour, 40-minute session.
Kleefisch is a real treat to begin with- she's a 38-year-old former TV bubblehead that had never held elective office when she became Lt. Gov., and was previously most famous for
saying marriage equality was 'ridiculous' and should be considered the same as someone being able to marry a clock or a table. The fact that this airhead is chosen to get information for potential tax reform is enough of a red flag, and shows just how much the business groups are calling the shots here.
The response from these oligarchs is telling. They want the same "race to the bottom" mentality that keeps much of the American South a third-world country.
They said the state should do more to attract new businesses and help existing companies, loosen restrictions on tax credits, simplify the tax code, cut commercial property taxes, consider lowering income and property taxes while increasing the sales tax, and issue more business loans that don’t need to be paid back in some circumstances.
Four of the 29 at the meeting are employed by Hendricks Holding Co. and its subsidiaries, including ABC Supply Inc. HHC’s owner is billionaire Diane Hendricks, who has been among [Gov. Scott] Walker’s top campaign donors. (she's the one Walker is literally kissing up to in the infamous "Divide and Conquer" tape).
ABC’s tax director, Scott Bianchini, said the state should stop disclosing how much residents pay in taxes, saying the information is used for “sabotage.” Contacted Thursday, he wouldn’t say if he was referring to 2012 newspaper reports indicating Hendricks paid no taxes in 2010 because of a change in her company’s structure.
Nope, nothing about improving state and local services or the quality of workers available to be hired. These rich jerkoffs are demanding "cut my taxes, allow us to influence you in private, and the hell with the effect on anyone else." It's also telling that they don't care about raising the sales tax, even though
trading income tax cuts for sales tax hikes would increase taxes for 80% of Wisconsinites. Sales tax is what the little people pay, in right-wing bubble-world.
Oh, and they definitely want this administration to kiss their asses while they're giving away the store.
Kory Stoehr, of the McGladrey accounting and consulting company, said his clients complain that state auditors disallow research tax credits, and they tell him what other states are doing to recruit new investment.
“(Company executives) are being flown around in helicopters, just luxurious stuff, and they were given millions in tax incentives,” Stoehr said.
Nothing but GIMME, GIMME, GIMME for these guys. You can see more of this on this video below
This is how these folks roll. It's also revealing that they're the only ones who get access to this administration for input on policy. The next unscripted meeting the Walker folks have with everyday, middle and lower-class wage earners will be their first. And you wonder why this state continues to lag all of its neighbors when it comes creating jobs?
George Carlin gave this amazing speech several years ago, and this farce of a "tax reform talk" shows he's more correct now than ever.
"It's a big club, and you ain't in it."
Time to turn those tables in 2014. Please do your part in throwing this ahead to others, to show just how bought-off and one-sided today's Wisconsin GOP really is. The Walker-endorsing Journal-Sentinel buried this telling story and video (they never gave it a prominent spot, choosing a small link halfway down their page with no pictures to lure in viewers), and it's non-existent in the Green Bay paper (not surprisingly, a lot of that page is Packers and "it's cold" stories, but they do have ink for Sen. (mo)Ron Johnson trying to sue over Obamacare - at least TRY to do your jobs, Gannett!).
We can't stand by and let the Wisconsin media let these things go away anymore.