Collectively, the 54 Chambers of Commerce throughout Northeast Wisconsin represent over 18,000 businesses that employ over 450,000 Wisconsin taxpayers. While we extend our thanks to the legislative bodies for their recent efforts in controlling spending and avoiding new taxes, many of the items listed have been long standing priorities that have yet to be addressed by the legislature. Since the Chambers first joined together in 2003, good progress has been made on a number of our top concerns, but we are asking that all of these matters receive Legislative attention in the current session.
Employee Relations:
- Oppose any erosion of the Qualified Economic Offer (QEO), which has helped school districts live within the revenue caps and reduce their share of homeowners' overall property tax bill. In fact, it should be extended to all public employees to help all units of government better manage the cost of wages and benefits.
- Bring public sector benefits in line with the private sector through a plan similar to NEWCC's "Benefit Equity" proposal which would provide new employees in the public sector with lower pension contributions, less expensive health coverage and more reasonable leave practices.
- Provide relief within current law allowing local units of government the flexibility to bargain for lower cost benefits by expanding what the arbitrator may consider to include local economic factors and conditions.
- Federalize treatment of minimum wage and as many benefits as possible, including the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
- Support a statewide workplace smoking ban.
Health Care: Creating a Long Term, Economically Responsible Plan
- Offer Wisconsin tax deductibility for health savings accounts (HSA), in line with federal tax treatment.
- Oppose "Healthy Wisconsin," "BadgerChoice" or any other proposal that calls for the replacement of a free market healthcare system with a state mandated system.
- Withdraw our opposition to a hospital assessment which may allow the public sector to live up to its responsibilities with respect to Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement in order to minimize cost shifting.
- Support consumer driven health plans and the transparency of cost and quality data that is needed to support wise consumer choices.
- Support incentives for employers that provide employee wellness programs.
Economic Development:
- Encourage bipartisan compromise on a state economic development program which expands the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, consolidates existing tax credit programs, increases investment in R&D, expands technology grant and loan programs, and creates incentives for reinvestment of capital gains and for investors to provide venture capital to start-up companies.
- Support "Next Generation" agriculture initiatives, which increase investment in equipment and encourage state of the art nutrient management systems.
Taxation and Spending: Truth and Fairness
- Oppose any attempt to transfer funds from traditionally segregated accounts to artificially balance the budget.
- Oppose any further unfunded mandates and support a limited exemption from the property tax freeze to address certain unfunded mandates from the past.
- Oppose any expansion or increase of the sales tax or any elimination of existing exemptions.
- Oppose expansion or increase of the personal or corporate income tax.
Air Quality:
- Refrain from enacting new state standards on air quality while supporting Governor Doyle's efforts to keep NEW counties in compliance with air standards, without further interference from Washington.
Transportation:
- Work to achieve Interstate Status for U. S. Highway 41.
- Work to secure Northeast Wisconsin's fair share of federal infrastructure funding and any special economic stimulus funding.
Background on the Northeast Wisconsin Chambers Coalition is available online.