Wisconsin Income Tax Ranking Drops, Republicans Still Complain. Why does the GOP Hate America?

So what happens when Wisconsin drops out of the top five highest income tax states, and slips to a welcome ranking of 15th place? Republicans complain.

Such a dramatic drop in taxes would be the number one talking point for the state GOP for decades. But under the Democratic governor, and now under a Democratic legislature, it's horrific news and can't be believed. Let's take a look at the two different takes, and size up who's being honest.

Wispolitics/DPW; Wisconsin tax burdens have dropped to, at, and below the national average thanks to Governor Doyle and our Democratic leadership. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that since being one of the dismal top-five states with the highest income tax during Tommy Thompson’s massive spending days, Democrats have moved Wisconsin’s ranking down to 15th place – a ranking much closer in line with the national average . [Source: “Wisconsin improves its ranking on taxes,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 11/27/09]

For the first time in two decades, the state fell below the average of tax dollars per person and also remained below the national average of spending dollars per person for the second straight year. Joining Tommy Thompson and other Republicans, Scott Walker passed five consecutive biennial budgets during his time in the state legislature, increasing state spending by 84 percent and making Wisconsin one of the most taxed states in the nation. [Source: 1992 WI Act 269; 2001 WI Act 16; WI Legislative Fiscal Bureau]

The following is the Republican Party's response. Keep in mind, the state budget spent about $3 to $4 billion dollars of stimulus money to balance the books, while closing the most egregious business tax loopholes to balance the budget. You will never see any mention of that below:

Democrats are still oblivious to the plight of Wisconsin taxpayers, according to Republican Party of WisconsinExecutive Director Mark Jefferson. Just months after approving $5 billion in new taxes on struggling Wisconsin families and businesses, today Democrats are touting an analysis of tax rankings compiled using data from 2007in an attempt to convince voters that Democratic leaders have somehow contributed to a better tax climate in Wisconsin. “Democrats just hiked taxes in Wisconsin by $5 billion during a recession,” Jefferson said. “Only Wisconsin Democrats could think a $5 billion tax hike is an improvement.”

"$5 billion of new taxes on Wisconsin families?" Wow, that would be a disaster if it had actually happened…but didn't. People would have noticed, right? Stimulus and business loopholes balanced the budget, along with very difficult cuts to education spending, which for years has been protected by Democratic lawmakers and the governor.

You'll also notice the GOP press release didn't give one referenced source to back up their claim (lie), while the Democrats did, twice (truth).