Charlie,
I just spoke to a packed ballroom of retailers at seminar in the downtown Hilton. When I talked about the tax cuts in the Blueprint for Economic Prosperity, they cheered. In particular, they loved the idea of ending the sales tax as of March 1 for the remainder of 2009. They loved it even more when I said that the state government should do the same and end the state sales and use tax as of March 1.
Heads nodded when I mentioned the positive impact for retail sales in Minnesota each year when they do their sales tax holiday just before the start of school. People from northwestern Wisconsin go over the river to the Twin Cities and other places to buy shoes, clothes and school supplies. It is an amazing incentive for people to buy in their state.
Imagine the impact if Wisconsin was the only state in the Midwest to use our "stimulus" money to end the sales tax? We would be a retail magnet. Imagine the jobs it would create?
And it doesn't just benefit traditional retail outlets. What about car, truck, motorcycle and boat dealers? What about home builders and remodelers?
You want jobs? This will create jobs...and it will do it now - not six months, a year or more down the road.
Plus, it does not create a major hole in our next budget!
Those on the front lines of commerce reinforced for me today that we are on the right track. Tax cuts will work!
Scott
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