So as I’m watching and reading all the news about the current budget proposal I saw this article in the Wisconsin State Journal, ‘Democrats may allow oil company tax to be passed to consumers’ (http://www.madison.com/wsj/mad/latest/453478). The gist is that the proposed “Big Oil” gas tax increase with the provision that the tax can’t be passed onto consumers may be unconstitutional – or rather at least the part about it being passed onto consumers may be unconstitutional. They don’t care. The Democrat Majority Leaders are ready to roll the dice, pass the tax, and if they come up “Big Oil” great. On the other hand, if they come up unconstitutional, then too bad for consumers. As long as they’re able to raise taxes it doesn’t really matter who pays. Of course in the end, the consumers are going to pay for this tax one way or another.
One bright spot in the article is that it sounds as if some of the Democrats are having second thoughts about all these taxes. Of course, that’s all they are right now is second thoughts and unless they actually vote that way all the good intentions in the world don’t matter. This is good time to write your representative and let them know where you stand on these new taxes.
Liability Change
Another part of the proposed budget is a change to the state’s current liability law. Currently, but possibly not for long, you would need to be judged 51% liable in a case in order to held liable for damages. Basically a jury would have to find that you’re mostly to blame for the accident. Governor Doyle’s proposal was to lower the bar to 1% so if you’re the deep pocket in an accident then you could liable for the entire settlement. Anyone want to take a chance that you wouldn’t be found 1% liable if you were just within 10 feet of an accident? The Joint Finance Committee has raised this to 20% which is still ridiculous. As far as I can tell there is no reason to make this change other than to reward “Big Trial”.
Correction
In a previous post I mentioned that the budget bill has a provision for driver’s licenses for illegal aliens. That’s not correct; our elected officials would never do that. What they want to give illegal aliens are driver cards. Everybody knows that driver cards are completely different from driver’s licenses.