Off The Publisher’s Desk – 12-5-2018
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In Wisconsin and Minnesota we elected Governors that pledged to raise taxes
I must admit that after a month since the mid-term election I still am baffled on how we could elect a governor who pledged to raise our taxes.
Wisconsin Governor-elect Tony Evers not only wants to raise taxes, but also, make the minimum wage $15.00 an hour and more. But I just have to look to the west to the Peoples Republic of Minnesota and find their Governor-elect, Tim Walz, has the same agenda.
Evers has a list of programs that he thinks need more money including more funding for the public schools in the state. Under present governor Scott Walker the state property tax was removed from our annual tax bill.
Back in 2010, then Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle borrowed many millions of dollars and gave it to the public schools. Most of that money came for the federal unemployment fund and had to be repaid by the employers of this state. I have yet to find anyone who can tell me what all that money did for the education of our kids.
Both new governors support the $15.00 an hour or more in minimum wage and I have to question what it will do to all the people living on fixed income, as prices will certainly increase for everything that we need to live.
Now, long ago, Paula and I could go to McDonald’s and have a meal for about ten bucks. But now that same meal is over $15.00. I don’t know what workers at McDonald’s make, but as their hourly wage increases, also will the prices you pay for the food, and that will also happen for other things we need.
I read a letter to the editor in the Thanksgiving Day edition of the St. Paul Pioneer Press written by Mike Miller of St. Paul, he says:
“The new governor supports a $15 an hour minimum wage, claiming $15 an hour is the minimum a family must have to afford the essentials, so I did some figuring.
“A full-time worker earning $15 an hour, it equals $2,600 a month. So Mr. Walz (Minnesota Governor Elect), let’s make a deal. Until the minimum Social Security check equals $2,600 a month, do not increase our base cost of living with your gas tax increase, or any other tax that affects the lower-income folks, disproportionately.
“You might also consider not placing an income tax on Social Security income.”
If you are not aware of it, yes your Social Security income is taxed if you, as a couple, combine your income and that income is more than $44,000 on that joint return, 85 percent of that Social Security income, becomes taxable. For a person filing a single return, the level of income is $34,000.
Thanks for reading! ~Carlton