Despicable Duey: Legislator Exploiting Loopholes to Cut His Own Taxes Wants To Hike Property Taxes on People Voting to Support Their Public Schools
Republicans Propose Property Tax Hike to Punish Communities for Voting to Support Their Public Schools
Duey Stroebel. Photo from the State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2013-14.
MADISON, Wis. — As part of a series of proposals to restrict local decision making about public schools Republican State Sen. Duey Stroebel is pushing a property tax increase on communities that approve referenda to support their local public schools. One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross blasted the scheme for punishing communities willing to step up and support their local public schools after legislators like Stroebel have cut state support for public education by record amounts.
“The same gang that cut our state public schools by record amounts now wants to punish communities voting to support their public schools with retaliatory property tax increases,” commented Ross. “The hypocrisy of Duey Stroebel and his Republican cohorts knows no bounds.”
The bill, currently being circulated by Stroebel for sponsorship by state legislators, would impose a punitive reduction in state general school aid of 20 percent of the amount of a referendum approved by voters in a district to exceed state imposed revenue caps to fund the operations of their schools. Local property taxes could then be increased to make up for the cut in state aid.
As a member of the Assembly, Stroebel voted for 2011 state budget that imposed the largest cuts to public education in state history to instead recklessly give away billions of dollars in state tax giveaways to the wealthy and big corporations.
Ross noted that while Stroebel is proposing property tax increases as retaliation on communities that support their public schools, he’s happy to take money from the public to lower his own taxes. Publicly available state and federal records and media reports reveal State Sen. Duey Stroebel has taken tens of thousands of dollars in state and federal government subsidies and tax breaks while routinely reporting no personal state income tax liability. Stroebel resides in a million dollar plus mansion and owns over 300 acres in the immediate area of his estate.
According to a newspaper reports and review of government records Stroebel, who is not a farmer, has received federal U.S. Department of Agriculture subsidies totalling over $63,000. He has also enrolled large tracts of property comprising his estate in the state Managed Forest Land program that provides breaks of up to 75 percent on property taxes for owners of enrolled properties.
In addition, while grabbing tax subsidies, records reveal Stroebel has also avoided state taxes in at least two years. As reported in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, he “reported owing no state income taxes” in 2009 and 2010.
He concluded, “Duey Stroebel has exploited every loophole he can to try to cut the taxes he pays on his mansion and 300 acre estate and now he want to slap a property tax increase on people who vote to support their public schools by passing referenda. That’s despicable.”
One Wisconsin Now is a statewide communications network specializing in effective earned media and online organizing to advance progressive leadership and values.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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Ah ,Yes! Remember, Dewy, Cheatem and Howe!
More Statehouse scum! But, not surprising. Walker and Company have no interest in improving anything in this state- only more ways to squeeze the middle class and take care of their own. Sad
Democrats are angry that Duey Strobel is taking advantage of loop holes or deductions. I know of no one that uses Turbo tax or HR block’s services that gets enraged when a computer program looks for deductions or credits to save them from government taxes. Strobel would be an idiot not to save money and any business adventures in the future for Strobel would be in doubt from future business partners.
Way to go Duey! Being anti-education is really something to fight for. How many of your colleagues will be dumb enough to take that bait??
This is the kind of thing Trump lovers raged against before the election. Greedy politicians looking out for number one and giving themselves tax breaks. But now Jason defends it. Of course he does.
This is what happens when you have Lord Valdemort is your legislature!
Jason,
There’s a big difference between the average taxpayer using a computer program to learn about potential tax deductions and taking them–and plutocratic elected officials like Duey Stroebel who are literally writing the program (tax code) to serve themselves and other fat cats–including their big donors.
I guess you don’t mind playing in a game that’s rigged. That’s how the Gilded Age barons did themselves in and that rigged game collapsed.
Exactly right Milwaukee Native. Trump lovers like Jason claim to support Trump attacking politicians for benefiting themselves and their rich donors. And then with a straight face he defends politicians doing just that. Jason and his ilk are full of shit.
Despicable Duey? Slimebucket Scot Ross, always available at the snap of a finger to suckle at the teat of left-wing Dark Money.