April 19, 2004
Within the next week, Governor Jim Doyle will sign or veto legislation that will authorize referenda to reduce the size of county boards. Below are some emails pro and con as regards the legislation. Supporters of smaller county boards have long asserted, with no proof or even a touch of evidence, that smaller county boards are more efficient and less costly. Yet as noted in my email to governor Doyle (see links below), a recent Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance study has debunked those assertions. To my knowledge, the WTA study has not been contested by advocates of smaller boards. More troubling is the real possibility, also noted in my email, that the real goal of AB 606 sponsors is to reduce the size of county government so as to make it easier for them to raise taxes and increase spending--things that would have to happen if the Wisconsin shared revenue program continues to be whittled away. You can email Jim Doyle at this address: wisgov@mail.state.wi.us . Useful resources:
Propp Email To League of Women Voters:
This email is going to LWV members. I talked to both Gregg Underheim an Gov
Doyle on Friday about Gregg's Assem Bill 606 Authorizing Referendum to
Allow Reduction of Size of County Boards. This legislation passed and is awaiting
Gov Doyle's signature. THE GOV. IS CONSIDERING A VETO. The Wis Counties Assn
is lobbying him to veto it. WCA has told the governor that this bill could create
political mischief. I told the governor that I thought voters would see through
any shenanigans or less-than-legitimate attempt to reduce board size, and defeat
poor proposals.
Call his office or send an e-mail MONDAY at the latest. April 22 is evidently
the deadline by which he must sign it. Tell the Governor that Winnebago County
needs this referendum tool if there is ever to be reduction in the size of County
Board. Tell him that a smaller county board has broad community support.
Do this as an individual. Although our local league has a strong position to
reduce the size of county board, we cannot act at the state level.
Find at least one other person to contact the governor's office. THIS IS IMPORTANT. There may not be time to send a letter.
Gov phone number:608-266-1212.
Gov email: wisgov@mail.state.wi.us
Kathy Propp
Dear Governor Doyle :
I have both emailed you and called your office to urge you to veto or partially veto AB 606 and the accompanying SB Authorizing Referendum to Allow Reduction of Size of County Boards. The bill and/or the accompanying SB also has provisions that allows city aldermanic districts to also by reduced by referendum.
I could see a partial veto allow the public to mandate some reduction but not one that also lets a group of individuals to set the size that would voted on by the referendum. The voters had their say by reelecting County Board Supervisors who would have voted for a reduction in size. I come from the County where this legislation originated. What they could not get done at ballot done the first time. Sounds a lot like what they can do in the state of California.
There will be added cost to the county and local governments-will the state pay for these cost? This legislation passed on voice vote late in the session- how much thought was given to the legislation? Another way sneaky way that state legislature of trying to mandate something on to local governments.
I have been a supporter of yours in the past I do hope you will not disappoint me know,I urge you to veto AB 606 until the state legislature will let their size be determined by referendum as well.
Dear Governor Doyle,
I am writing to urge you to veto AB 606 and the accompanying Senate legislation
"Authorizing Referendum to Allow Reduction of Size of County Boards."
The sponsors of AB 606 must be aware of a recent study, conducted by the nonpartisan
and respected Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, showing that larger county boards
actually spend less money per capita than smaller boards of similar population.
As noted in a WTA news release: "Using sophisticated statistical techniques,
WISTAX researchers found that, after accounting for other factors, an
increase in county board size of one supervisor was associated with lower spending
of $8 to $10 per resident . . . 'Our staff’s research findings
came as a surprise to me,' Todd Berry, WISTAX President, said. 'Like many, I
expected smaller county boards to be more efficient. But that was not the case,'
Berry continued. "The research lends support to the notion that having
fewer constituents for each supervisor can help keep spending in check by making
each supervisor more accountable." Here is a link to the WISTAX release:
http://www.wistax.org/news_releases/2003/0310taxpayer.html
I do not think it is a coincidence that many of the sponsors of AB 606 have
in the past been hostile to the state's shared revenue program. If they succeed
in destroying the shared revenue program, then county residents will see substantial
hikes in taxes and spending. Sponsors of AB 606 realize that citizen outrage
over such tax and spending increases can be more easily ignored or deflected
by smaller units of government. Especially in these tight budget times, please
do not let the sponsors of AB 606 succeed in making it easier for county government
to spend more money and raise more taxes.
The major reform of government needed in Wisconsin is to restore the State
Legislature to part-time status. Only a full-time legislature of professional
politicians who pander to powerful interests and avoid making tough budget decisions
could dream up something like AB 606. A part-time citizen legislature would
not seek underhanded ways of raising taxes at the county level, as is the clear
intention of AB 606.
Please help citizens to keep taxes under control at the county level. Please
veto AB 606.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Tony Palmeri,
Winnebago County resident
Tony Palmeri welcomes your feedback. Send email to editor@tonypalmeri.com