Charlie Sykes: Sykes Writes

UM, ABOUT THOSE TAXES

By Charlie Sykes

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Why did Barrett fudge his position on taxes right out of the box?

As he delivered prepared remarks, Barrett made one potentially significant deviation from the text distributed to reporters. When he came to a line that originally read, "Our families and businesses want state tax increases to stop," he changed it to: "Our families and businesses want fair taxes."

 Is it possible he is really launching a campaign for governor without a clear, articulated position on taxes? That he hasn't decided what he's going to say about the Doyle and Obama take hikes? Is he thinking that is going to be I'm-a-nice-guy substance-free campaign?

Of course, Barrett can try to distance himself on the tax issue from his fellow Democrats in Madison and Washington. (Although that will be difficult as Jim Doyle and Barack Obama's handpicked candidate.)

But it will a lot harder to distance himself from his own record. You think this might have something to do with his hedging and fudging?

Bonus question: Can anyone find anywhere any evidence whatsoever that Tom Barrett opposed a single Doyle tax or fee increase?

Or any letter, comment, or statement in which Barrett has differed from a single policy of the Obama Administration -- from the $787 billion porkulous package, to the bailouts, the takeovers of the auto industry, the massive deficits, cap and trade, to the taxes on businesses in Obamacare?

I didn't think so.

** Here's a handy comparison of the city and county budgets:

Barrett's proposal increased the tax rate by 10 percent (per $1,000 of assessed value) to $8.90. Barrett proposed increasing the tax levy by 4.4 percent.  Walker proposed a tax levy freeze (0%), and an increase in the tax rate by 2.53 percent to $4.05.

Barrett has increased the property tax levy in each of the six budgets he has proposed, Walker has submitted a freeze in each of the eight budgets he has proposed.