Video Urges Walker, Neumann to ‘Break the Silence’ on How They Will Pay for Billion Dollar Tax Cut for Rich, Big Business

MADISON, Wis. — Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker and former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann have refused to detail how they will pay for three tax cuts for the rich and big business, which would cost the middle class $1 billion over the first two years. One Wisconsin Now has released a new video, available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9q8CyhS-Pw designed to get Walker and Neumann to “Break the Silence” and show how they will pay for these tax cut schemes.

The latest refusal by Walker and Neumann came yesterday – the anniversary of George W. Bush signing into law his first disastrous tax cut for the rich, which helped bankrupt the treasury and cause the national economic collapse.

“We’ve all suffered because of the fallout from the unpaid Bush tax cuts for the rich, and now Mark Neumann and Scott Walker have more of the same planned for Wisconsin,” said Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director. “With a $2 billion deficit, Walker and Neumann need to break the silence on exactly what they are going to gut from health care, education and police and fire protection to pay for these $ 1 billion in tax cuts for the rich and big business.”

Walker and Neumann have repeated three budget-busting tax cuts schemes as the cornerstones of their plans for Wisconsin:

• Slash income taxes for the top one percent of income earners who make more than $225,000 a year – two-year budget cost: $287 million.
• Reopen the “Las Vegas Loophole,” which allows Wisconsin businesses to shelter their tax obligations to Wisconsin families through phantom “offices” in states without corporate income tax – two-year budget cost: $375 million.
• Repeal changes made to the capital gains tax deduction, despite the fact 70 percent of capital gains filings are from those earning more than $200,000 a year – two-year budget cost: $243 million.
• [Legislative Fiscal Bureau, 2/23/09, 7/8/09]

“Scott Walker and Mark Neumann are cowards,” said Ross. “They should have the guts to break the silence and tell us how many kids will have their education compromised, how many police and fire fighters will be yanked from the streets and how many people will be denied access to health care to pay for their ridiculous $1 billion tax cut for the rich and big business. George W. Bush couldn’t and we see where that got us.”