Krug: State changes create optimism in the future

First of all, congratulations to the Lincoln High School football team for an amazing run this season.

A win or a loss in the championship game doesn’t change the fact that perseverance, dedication, and months and months of hard work have brought this team so much farther than many had thought possible. Overcoming those who don’t believe in you makes success even sweeter.

It’s amazing sometimes how sport imitates life.

Here in our area there are many out there who hold the pessimistic view that we have reached our peak, that our best days are behind us, and we are on the decline and will never turn things around.

There is a great deal of negativity out there. Folks, after holding this office for the past 10 months now it would be easy for me and my colleagues to get pessimistic and just put government on cruise control and call it a day because of all the protests and anger over what we have been able to accomplish to turn the tide here in the state of Wisconsin. We aren’t going to do that, like the Raiders, will persevere, work harder and exceed expectations as well.

In fact it’s time to lay out all of the facts and cut through the spin. On my website www.krugforwisconsin.us we will start laying out that case. My 2011 legislative update will also be mailed soon for you all to see what we have done and what is just a bunch of hot air from special interest groups.

When we took office less than a year ago, Wisconsin faced a $3.6 billion structural deficit, we had just come off of a budget cycle that saw more than $5 billion in new spending  that depended on billions of dollars of one time federal stimulus money. The reason those numbers are important is that this new spending was NOT one time spending.

The new spending was ongoing, it was new programs, it was massive expansions of existing programs. So, while yes, it was paid for in the first two years with federal money, it had to be funded with more than $5 billion in new taxes for future cycles.

That increase in taxes STILL wasn’t enough to fully fund the commitments that were made and thus a structural deficit was realized again.  

Could your family get away with spending 10 percent or 20 percent more than it makes every year, for decades? There comes a time to pay the bills and that time is now.

We protected the SeniorCare program. We increased our commitment to Medicare spending overall. We are making sure that all that need coverage will have some coverage options available to them. Some may see a switch from BadgerCare to their employer coverage.

As costs increase we look for ways to effectively meet the challenges we are presented with and sometimes that does mean that some will have to pay more for what they are receiving.

Having more people pay more of their own health care and pension costs has allowed Wisconsin to slow the overspending we have been plagued with. Paying just 12 percent of your healthcare costs would be seen as an early Christmas gift for many working families in Wisconsin. Paying 5.8 percent of just the employee contribution portion for a GREAT pension plan for most families would be a god send. The results of limiting bargaining provisions have been successful.

These few changes have allowed for lower tax levies. We wanted to hold property taxes to around a 1 percent increase or lower, and will do so. Without the changes, you would have likely seen property taxes increase by more than $700 on a median valued home. Who can afford that? We would have taxed thousands of seniors and working families right out of their homes. Instead we protected the taxpayer, saved the jobs of thousands of public employees and made sure everyone who paid their taxes last year can afford to do so again this year.

I will tell you this, that tax increases over what we expect to see are also on the hands of local boards making those spending decisions. We are not the only keepers of the public dollars, talk to your local boards and ask why spending has increased in some areas. Out of control government spending has always been an issue I have said we need to deal with.

We also are seeing massive savings for school districts and an overall better financial picture for years to come. With new job announcements coming day after day those job numbers we all watch these numbers will start taking off soon as well.

Is there more to do? You darn right there is. Developing new industry opportunities, promoting corrections reforms that can save up to $1 billion, and strengthening the family are all goals of mine for the rest of our session.

Our best days are coming and sooner rather than later. Recalls only slow the advances we will make as a state. Say no to recalls and yes to success. Governor Scott Walker and I haven’t always seen eye to eye on everything but he’s the right man at the right time for this job.