Onalaska state rep. Doyle displeased with income tax cuts removed from state budget

The $76 million budget is over two months late 

More than two months late, Wisconsin lawmakers will make final votes on the state’s next budget this week.

One of the things that won’t get a vote: the income tax cut that Gov. Scott Walker had wanted for lower and middle income earners. It was removed from the budget by Republicans.

Onalaska Democratic state rep. Steve Doyle liked that plan as as a way to boost the economy, among other things.

“I would argue that … if you give the average person an income tax cut, they’re going to go out and spend it on some sort of consumer goods that will help the economy and probably even pay some taxes,” Doyle said. “The average per year would be about $44. We’re not going to be rolling in the dough but it would help.”

The cut would have helped about two thirds of state taxpayers

Instead, Republican legislators traded that and a sales tax holiday for a tax cut for businesses.

“They thought that those were only modest and they wanted something, I guess, that was a little more flashy,” Doyle said of removing income tax cuty. “They’re doing some tax cuts for businesses but I guess they’re forgetting about you and me.

“The argument is that a tax cut like that, especially if you apply it to a smaller business, it may help to increase hiring and send a ripple effect throughout the economy.”

When the budget gets a final vote by the full legislature, there’s $4 million for an airport next to an exclusive golf course; hundreds of millions more for schools; an alternate teacher licensing plan.