Your Voice is Being Heard on Estate Tax!
Well before the end of the year we warned that the estate tax would be ended, costing our state some $300 million. As Wisconsin’s budgetary problems gained more news coverage, conservatives planned to bridge the gap by drastically cutting many good programs for the most needy. In response, we launched an online petition asking legislators to help bridge the gap by reinstating the estate tax, not by cutting important programs.
As we reported yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker has said that he favors reinstating the estate tax if it will help to rein in the projected deficit. Today, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has reported that more elected officials are becoming more open to this common sense alternative. Governor Doyle is quoted in the story saying that, ‘the estate tax (suspension) may be one that you just have to delay a year.’ The story also notes that rather than the expected knee jerk reaction, Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch ‘indicated he would consider all options to address the budget shortfall.’
At a time with so many budgetary challenges, it makes no sense to give the children of the richest estates in Wisconsin a tax break. While some are planning to cut important programs for the most needy, we should not be giving a pass to the privileged few. Leaders in our state are paying attention and our voices are being heard on this issue. If you have not signed our petition to Wisconsin Legislators about reinstating the estate tax, please take a moment to sign it today! Don’t forget to pass it on to your friends!