WISCONSIN BLUE BOOK 1989-1990


                           AN ECONOMY OF OPPORTUNITY
                   "Underlying most arguments against the free market
is a
                      lack of belief in freedom itself." Milton Friedman
  The Republican Party of Wisconsin believes that promoting an economic climate
that pro-
duces jobs for our citizens is the number one priority of government. Our
free enterprise system
forms the bedrock upon which our social, religious, political and judicial
institutions rest. We
recognize that Governor Thompson's economic miracle has become a reality.
We are committed
to building on the initiatives of growth that his leadership has provided.
Economic growth
provides a ladder of opportunity on which all can climb to success.
  We are committed to creating an opportunity society; an economic climate
that promotes
small business, job creation, entrepreneurship, and the work ethic. Protecting
and regulating
existing jobs is a short term strategy. We must stimulate and create new
jobs, forming a bubble-
up economy of continued prosperity into the next century. Wisconsin Republicans
are optimis-
tic that our policies will lead to just such prosperity in all sections of
our economy: tourism,
agriculture, manufacturing, and commerce.
Spending and Taxing
  The Republican Party of Wisconsin strongly favors elimination of wasteful
and unnecessary
government spending. We support giving the President of the United States
the same line veto
authority the majority of governors have. We believe that the Federal government
should be
required to balance its budget in the same manner as our state government.
We reject the need
for a Federal tax increase. The tax reform act of 1986 did not live up to
its promise and the
Republican Party continues to advocate for a simplified tax reform.
  We Republicans believe that the departments and agencies in state government
should be
required to submit zero based budgets at least once every six years. We applaud
the Governor
for holding to the inflation rate in his first two budgets and challenge
budget-makers to control
state spending to close the gap between our spending and our ability to pay.
  For all our efforts, we realize that all too often some individuals do
not participate in our
growing economy. Republicans realize that we cannot afford piece-meal prosperity.
  We believe it was a serious mistake for the Democrat-Earl administration
to impose a tax on
Social Security benefits, when these benefits are not taxed in most other
states.
  We have advocated successfully for the creation of enterprise zones. These
zones provide tax
incentives to entrepreneurs in economically depressed areas. In many ways,
they provide hope to
those who may have given up on our economy.
Agriculture
  The Republican Party is firm in its commitment to Wisconsin agriculture.
The family farm is
the economic foundation of most rural areas and is, in truth, a keystone
of the state's economy.
It is, therefore, our policy to, first, maintain the strength of the State's
existing agricultural base
and, second, to build on that base through greater marketing, development,
and diversification.
  The Republican Party supports vigorous efforts to promote Wisconsin agricultural
products
abroad, and opposes unfairly-subsidized imports that are inconsistent with
free trade. We be-
lieve that price differentials in Federal milk marketing orders should be
eliminated, as they dis-
criminate against Wisconsin dairy farmers. We believe that participation
in Federal government
programs should be limited to family farms.
  We believe the most important step our state government can take to help
the family farm
survive is to lower the property tax burden. We must strive to continue to
provide opportunities
for those individuals currently in agriculture and for those who may enter
agriculture in the
future.
Property Tax Relief
  Republicans call for meaningful and permanent property tax reductions across
the state. We
congratulate the Governor for his innovative and practical program to reduce
the property tax
burden on our citizens, and chastise the Democrat leadership of the Legislature
for not only
rejecting his plan, but for refusing to propose a significant plan of their
own. We continue to
look for innovative ways to finance local education. We recognize that a
constitutional expendi-
ture limitation on state and local expenditures, tied to the growth of per
capita personal income,
would give a certainty to the taxation in this state and guarantee that taxes
cannot rise faster
than personal income.


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