Assembly Democrats announced Thursday that fixing the economy will be their top priority in the next legislative session.
It should be the top priority of lawmakers of both parties, in both the Assembly and the Senate.
Rep. Mark Pocan, a Madison Democrat, says his party wants to spend $30 million on the state's energy independence grant program and create a 25 percent tax credit for energy research and development.
They also want to bar the state from contracting with companies that send jobs overseas and double spending on a program that helps businesses with manufacturing training. They want to require oil companies and Wall Street businesses that generate money in Wisconsin to disclose their taxes, too. They also want to enforce existing anti-gouging laws.
The federal government was nearing a taxpayer protection package Thursday, but state government shouldn't wait for the national financial bailout package to take effect, nor should they rely on it to fix problems facing Wisconsin residents. It won't.
It's great that state Democrats are being proactive, but some of their ideas have little to no chance of becoming reality.
Who's going to force big businesses and oil companies to disclose what taxes they pay? We're skeptical.
Who's going to monitor whether the state stops contracting with companies that send jobs overseas? There's enough checks and balances on the state level that already are being ignored.
Pocan issued a news release Thursday about the Democrats' plan, and instead of fostering bipartisanship on such a dire situation, he toed the party line.
"Assembly Democrats are ready to take the lead on improving the economy in Wisconsin ... Where Republicans have failed we will lead and deliver for Wisconsin families."
Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, did the same, issuing a rote statement attacking the Democrats' plan as "tax and spend."
Most Wisconsin residents are tired of partisan attitudes. What we need is to have state Democrats and Republicans working together to solve the economic problem. Already, and as usual, that appears unlikely.
It should be the top priority of lawmakers of both parties, in both the Assembly and the Senate.
Rep. Mark Pocan, a Madison Democrat, says his party wants to spend $30 million on the state's energy independence grant program and create a 25 percent tax credit for energy research and development.
They also want to bar the state from contracting with companies that send jobs overseas and double spending on a program that helps businesses with manufacturing training. They want to require oil companies and Wall Street businesses that generate money in Wisconsin to disclose their taxes, too. They also want to enforce existing anti-gouging laws.
The federal government was nearing a taxpayer protection package Thursday, but state government shouldn't wait for the national financial bailout package to take effect, nor should they rely on it to fix problems facing Wisconsin residents. It won't.
It's great that state Democrats are being proactive, but some of their ideas have little to no chance of becoming reality.
Who's going to force big businesses and oil companies to disclose what taxes they pay? We're skeptical.
Who's going to monitor whether the state stops contracting with companies that send jobs overseas? There's enough checks and balances on the state level that already are being ignored.
Pocan issued a news release Thursday about the Democrats' plan, and instead of fostering bipartisanship on such a dire situation, he toed the party line.
"Assembly Democrats are ready to take the lead on improving the economy in Wisconsin ... Where Republicans have failed we will lead and deliver for Wisconsin families."
Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, did the same, issuing a rote statement attacking the Democrats' plan as "tax and spend."
Most Wisconsin residents are tired of partisan attitudes. What we need is to have state Democrats and Republicans working together to solve the economic problem. Already, and as usual, that appears unlikely.
