End Corporate Welfare, Help the People

Wisconsin families are working harder than ever. But many are finding that no matter how much they sacrifice or how many hours they put in, they live every day on the verge of economic and financial insecurity. The burden of rising student loan debt, the outsourcing of jobs, and the ever increasing costs of health insurance and child care are making it difficult for families to get ahead.

Despite these challenges, we know a path to success, and we don’t have to look far for solutions. It starts with restoring tax fairness for the middle class, closing tax loopholes for the wealthy, and eliminating tax breaks for corporations that lay off workers and ship jobs out of state.

Gov. Tony Evers has made it clear that his state budget will include real tax relief for hardworking families by rolling back Republican tax giveaways to millionaires and corporations. At a time when infant care costs more than tuition at a University of Wisconsin school, Republicans continue to defend tax giveaways for corporations that don’t pay a single dollar in income taxes.

Think about that for a second: Corporations can claim a tax credit that isn’t tied to job creation, and they pay nothing in income taxes. These are the same corporations that rely on Wisconsin’s workforce, roads, hospitals and community services. Yet this credit lets them avoid their fair share of investments in our state.

Another loophole that has plagued municipalities of all sizes across the state is the dark store loophole. This loophole allows large corporate retailers to shift their tax liability onto Main Street businesses and local homeowners. It’s one of the reasons we saw a jump in property taxes last year.

Gov. Evers has vowed to close this loophole in his budget and prioritize tax fairness for seniors and working families.

Our economy works best when we level the playing field, strengthen communities, support local businesses and expand economic opportunities.

As we seek to build a brighter future for everyone in our state, Democrats are focused on the important issues at hand: sustainable tax relief for working families, seniors, small-business owners and family farms. It’s refreshing to be in a new era with a governor who is listening to the people and working to make our state a place where the next generation wants to live, work and raise a family.

Jennifer Shilling serves as the Senate Democratic Leader and represents the 32^nd District which covers La Crosse, Vernon, Crawford and parts of Monroe County.