On the eve of the fifth anniversary of Act 10, the vast majority of respondents chose collective bargaining reform as Wisconsin’s top achievement during the tenure of Gov. Scott Walker in a recent MacIver Institute poll.
The poll found 86 percent of respondents thought the reforms under Act 10 to be the state’s top achievement since 2011. Other respondents cited:
- The state’s record-high rainy day fund, which is 165 times larger than in 2011;
- The 6-year property tax freeze, saving $1,227 for the median household from what was projected based on the rate of increases prior to Walker taking office; and
- Wisconsin’s 4.2 percent unemployment rate, which is down from a high of 8 percent in 2011
The results of the poll show that the effects of the transformational Act 10 are still reverberating around the state five years after its enactment.
An accompanying widely-shared social media graphic drew a wide variety of comments from people throughout the state. Many praised Walker’s reforms and focus on keeping taxes in check:
Others said they haven’t seen the benefits of lower property taxes, with some acknowledging increased local taxes:
One commenter noted that, despite the many achievements over the past five years, there is still a lot of work to do in Wisconsin:
The online poll was published on the MacIver Institute’s website and promoted via social media from Jan. 19-Jan. 25 following Walker’s State of the State address.