WIL Calls for Economic Stimulus Package

Wisconsin Institute for Leadership Says Immediate Action Needed to Boost State

[Madison, Wisc….] The Wisconsin Legislature should immediately pass a series of economic development proposals to stimulate the state’s economy, according to the Wisconsin Institute for Leadership.

“Before any expensive new government programs are contemplated, and before the State comes to individuals and businesses for even more taxes, the legislature and the Governor should pass these common sense economic development measures to stimulate the free market in Wisconsin,” said WIL Executive Director Brian Fraley.

WIL says Wisconsin should:

• Stop the Grey Drain and keep assets in our economy by completely eliminating the tax on retirement benefits for Wisconsin citizens over the age of 65
• Encourage investing by doubling the Angel Investment Credit limit
• Reward risk by providing inducements of in-state reinvestments of capital gains
• Get the government off the backs of law abiding business by passing public nuisance law reform
• Create jobs by lifting the nuclear power moratorium
• Help small businesses by allowing Health Savings Account tax deductibility
• Restrain state spending by launching a website which lists all agency expenditures over $100 within 15 days.

“The first rule of holes is that when you find yourself in one, stop digging,” said Fraley. “So the first order of business for the new legislature is to rein in state spending and state agencies that stifle growth. Now, we should be encouraging investment and rewarding risk in order to shore up our economy here at home.”

We cannot have a strong and viable economy without reforming the current health care system. The current system unnecessarily drives up costs, is rife with red tape and severely strains both government and family budgets across Wisconsin. Leadership will be necessary to cure the system.

While federal officials wrangle over what the future of health care may look like in the nation, there are measures Wisconsin lawmakers can and must pursue that would improve the lives of families here.

The Wisconsin Institute for Leadership believes that any health care reform measure must be true to the following five principles.

ACCESS

Any reform should guarantee Wisconsinites access to affordable, quality health care by creating a marketplace for a wide variety of affordable health insurance products and a strong and viable safety net for those who genuinely need it.

CHOICE

One size does not fit all. Wisconsin must foster a regulatory environment that promotes the free market. Individuals, families and businesses benefit when they can choose from a large variety of health care coverage products. More options ensure that they can obtain the coverage that suits them best.

TRANSPARENCY

The cost of health care procedures and information by which consumers can compare quality of care must be accessible and easy to interpret. Whomever purchases the care, be it an employer or an individual, they should have the ability to make an informed, educated decision based on standardized data.

TAX FAIRNESS

The costs of health care coverage should be taxed uniformly. All health insurance premiums should be exempt from taxation, regardless of whether an employer or an individual pays them.

CONSUMER EMPOWERMENT

While a state-sponsored safety net has its place, the core of any health care reform plan must be consumer empowerment. The state should not structure a standard minimum coverage plan, should avoid the imposition of costly mandated benefits and should refrain from onerous regulations that limit options available to Wisconsin consumers.