May 5, 2017
[Madison, Wis…] Dozens of Assembly Republicans joined Rep. Dale Kooyenga and Assembly leaders on Thursday afternoon at the state Capitol to present their caucus’s plan to reform taxes and expand transportation funding in Wisconsin.Dubbed “The Road to a Flat Tax,” the plan combines a major income tax overhaul that would lead to a 3.95 percent flat tax by 2030, a reduction in the minimum markup on gasoline, elimination of the sales tax exemption for gasoline, and other measures. The plan would also pay down transportation bonding and result in a net increase in transportation revenue of nearly $300 million.
Read the MacIver Institute’s breakdown of the plan here.
GOP packing in for Transportation funding presses. #wibudget #wiright pic.twitter.com/kiduG7QkwD
— MacIver News Service (@NewsMacIver) May 4, 2017
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Majority Leader Jim Steineke said the plan is an example of the Assembly Republicans’ leadership in making long-overdue reforms.
@WIAssemblyGOP once again are leading the way, offering ideas to solve problems and cut taxes.#Road2FlatTax https://t.co/euSfsNX2SN pic.twitter.com/2eTnuA9qaj
— Speaker Robin Vos (@SpeakerVos) May 4, 2017
Now is the time to move towards a sustainable transportation fund. The @WIAssemblyGOP plan moves to sustainability and fairer, flatter tax
— Rep. Jim Steineke (@RepSteineke) May 4, 2017
While Vos said he doesn’t think the plan is perfect, he said it makes progress toward the goal of higher transportation revenue. The plan’s author, Rep. Kooyenga, described his practical approach.
I don’t like to let perfect be the enemy of the good. This plan does a lot of good & improves our roads, state budget and economy. #GOPleads pic.twitter.com/z14dBuJNav
— Dale Kooyenga (@DaleKooyenga) May 4, 2017
Under our plan, the transportation fund solvency will improve, roads will be in better condition & income taxes will be lower/fairer/flatter
— Dale Kooyenga (@DaleKooyenga) May 4, 2017
.@DaleKooyenga deserves credit for bold ideas, long-term thinking. Now is not time to worry abt special interests… https://t.co/0Zwt9PK0FW
— MacIver Institute (@MacIverWisc) May 4, 2017
Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald did not endorse the plan, but said his caucus may consider some of its elements.
The transportation & tax plan that Assembly leadership rolled out today contains a number of good ideas that are worth a closer look. (1/2)
— Scott Fitzgerald (@SenFitzgerald) May 4, 2017
I plan to review the proposal in its entirety to determine how closely it reflects Senate transportation priorities as talks continue. (2/2)
— Scott Fitzgerald (@SenFitzgerald) May 4, 2017
Meanwhile, opponents on the other side of the aisle bashed the plan as a tax increase that they claimed won’t fix roads – even before the proposal was actually rolled out.
Republicans have had more than six years to solve our transportation issues and their ideas create more problems and won’t solve the crisis. https://t.co/Tst30oSxMT
— Katrina Shankland (@RepShankland) May 2, 2017
Still nothing from GOP to fix potholes and reduce wasteful freeway spending.
— Daniel Riemer (@RepDanielRiemer) May 4, 2017
Keep an eye on the MacIver Institute for more analysis of the Assembly GOP plan and any new developments as they unfold.