This Just In ...
Kevin Fischer is a veteran broadcaster, the recipient of over 150 major journalism awards from the Milwaukee Press Club, the Wisconsin Associated Press, the Northwest Broadcast News Association, the Wisconsin Bar Association, and others. He has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for over three decades. A longtime aide to state Senate Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature, Kevin can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, "InterCHANGE," on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10, and heard filling in on Newstalk 1130 WISN. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, and their lovely baby daughter, Kyla Audrey, in Franklin.
Doyle dishonest on Social Security taxes
With a state budget deficit at $5.4 billion, according to Governor Doyle, the phrase, “Everything’s on the table,” is being bandied about when talk surfaces about how we crawl out of this ugly mess. A report this week suggests that the state might reconsider its decision to exempt Social Security Income from taxes. The taxes are being phased out and will be eliminated completely for tax year 2008 after the exemption was made part of the 2005-07 state budget.
Enter Governor Doyle, posing for holy pictures. From wispolitics.com:
"'This is something that I fought really hard for and people have been counting on it. We've been phasing it in, and I'm really proud of the fact Wisconsin no longer taxes Social Security,' Doyle told reporters following a reception for the opening of a Google office in downtown Madison."
Sounds like a nice sound bite, perfectly timed and appropriate. Problem is, that part about, “This is something that I fought really hard for,” simply isn’t true.
Assembly Republican Leader Jeff Fitzgerald sets the record straight:
“The repeal of the Social Security tax is clearly a Republican initiative. For Governor Doyle to publicly claim it as his own is disingenuous at best. Governor Doyle has introduced two budgets – neither one of them included even a reduction of Social Security taxes, let alone repeal. Make no mistake; Republicans repealed the Social Security tax.”
Fitzgerald adds Republicans did more than that.
“Republicans stood firm and removed 98% of the tax increases during the last budget negotiation.”
Read Fitzgerald’s news release.
Governor Doyle, not being completely truthful? Shocking, isn’t it?
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