Walk-O-Meter

Tracking the promises of Scott Walker

Will "work to begin phasing out the state tax on retirement income to help keep investment capital in Wisconsin instead of watching it go to states like Florida and Arizona."

Will "oppose and veto any and all efforts to increase taxes."

Will create a relocation tax credit for businesses moving to Wisconsin. "For businesses that move to Wisconsin that are not subject to the corporate income tax, my proposal provides a relocation tax credit up to 50% of moving costs. This tax credit is deferrable for up to 10 years, providing new businesses plenty of time to establish roots and grow their workforce."

Will lower the income tax. "I want to lower the tax on employers, lower the tax on income, freeze property taxes and phase out retirement income taxes. States that have a lower tax burden have more jobs and better budgets, and its time Wisconsin was a better state to do business.”

 "I want to lower the tax on employers, lower the tax on income, freeze property taxes and phase out retirement income taxes. States that have a lower tax burden have more jobs and better budgets, and its time Wisconsin was a better state to do business.”

In a conference call Monday (Nov. 2, 2009) with reporters, Walker said his first budget would undo tax increases approved this year by the Legislature and implement cuts in manufacturing taxes, estate taxes and retirement taxes.

In a conference call Monday (Nov. 2, 2009) with reporters, Walker said his first budget would undo tax increases approved this year by the Legislature. This year's state budget included increases in business taxes; the capital gains tax; and the income tax for the wealthiest residents. Walker said he would do away with those increases.

In a conference call Monday (Nov. 2, 2009) with reporters, Walker said his first budget would undo tax increases approved this year by the Legislature. This year's state budget included increases in business taxes; the capital gains tax; and the income tax for the wealthiest residents. Walker said he would do away with those increases.

Will cut taxes for small business. "In the first special session I call, I would seek tax cuts for small businesses with 50 employees or less."

In a conference call Monday with reporters, Walker said his first budget would undo tax increases approved this year by the Legislature. This year's state budget included increases in business taxes; the capital gains tax; and the income tax for the wealthiest residents. Walker said he would do away with those increases.

“I want to lower the tax on employers, lower the tax on income, freeze property taxes and phase out retirement income taxes. States that have a lower tax burden have more jobs and better budgets, and its time Wisconsin was a better state to do business.”

Will shift some of the sales tax collected on vehicle sales to the transportation fund, beefing up that account. "We need to diversify our funding," Walker said. Currently, sales tax money is used for general state operations.

Will "require the use of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) to balance every state budget, just as we require every local government and school district to do."

Will "strip policy and pork projects from the state budget. The budget process should be about funding essential government services based on the taxpayers’ ability to pay."

Will "end the practice of raiding segregated state funds to pay for other programs. If taxpayer revenue is collected for a specific purpose such as building and maintaining roads, it should be used for that purpose and that purpose only."

Will "require lobbyists to report all attempts to influence state agency decisions regarding the awarding of state contracts and grants and provide real time disclosure of all contracts and grant awards."

Will require cabinet to hold "brown bag lunches" with employees to identify waste, fraud and abuse. “As part of my Waste, Fraud and Abuse Commission to find $300 million of savings for the taxpayers, I will issue an executive order requiring my cabinet secretaries to hold regular brown bag lunches with frontline workers to help identify cost savings and more efficient ways of providing services.”

Will "conduct a comprehensive review of all tax policy that impacts farmers, eliminate tax barriers to production, and rein in government spending so that farmers can invest in their operations instead of sending more money to the state treasury."

Will "oppose any efforts to weaken Wisconsin’s 'Use Value' law that has kept property taxes on farms in check and helped family farms stay in business."

Will "ensure that at least one of the members of the Natural Resources Board comes from an agricultural background."