Here is the Text of an Email I sent to Winnebago Residents

Hello Friends,

This is an email urging you to join the fight for those who need the Winnebago County services the most. I am sure you have heard by now about the proposed sales tax. I do not believe that the Northwestern has been complete in it’s coverage. There have been many articles that touch on the sales tax only, not the Property Tax Relief or the service cuts.

This will be disastrous to the poorest among us. This was finally covered by the Northwestern this morning. If this is not passed, we can expect cuts of:

District Attorney: Completely eliminate domestic abuse investigator.
Human Services: Indigent elderly services waiting list jumps to 96, waiting list for services for developmentally increases to 24, 10 full-time workers laid off.
Park View Health Center: About 24 employees laid off – that includes 17 already losing jobs do to closing of a resident unit - must cut additional $996,828 from budget.
Sheriff: Work-release center closes, eight corrections officers laid off; DARE, boat patrol, snow patrol and ATV programs discontinued; includes four detectives and four patrol officers laid off
Courts: Nine total people laid off including two clerks, one supervisor laid off.

What do these deep cuts represent? Lost service to those most in need: crime victims, indigent elderly, developmentally disabled, abused children the unemployed and working poor.

While sales taxes are often regressive, it is not so in this case. Working poor, middle income and fixed income elderly homeowners will find an actual decrease in their overall county taxes paid (for a calculator to see how this works, please go to http://www.jef4wi.com/slstxsht1a.xls and http://www.jef4wi.com/slstxsht1b.xls).

Why? As part of the resolution, there is a $.40 and $.70 sales tax reduction in the mill rate. For the most needy groups among us, this property tax decrease will offset most or all of the sales tax.

Therefore, what are we looking at? We see a choice of cutting services to the most needy of us, or reducing the tax burden on those with large amounts of expendable income, as well as tourism revenue.

What side do you come down on? Reduce taxes on those who can afford it, or cut services on those who cannot?

I urge you to contact not only your county board member, but all of them. There is a list below, along with what their current status is. Please call or email yours first, then work down the list.

Let them know that you not only support giving needed services to the people who need them the most, but that you will support them in making this decision.

Please join me in my support of Winnebago’s most needy. The vote is tomorrow (Tuesday Sept 20), so please call today.

Thank you,

-jef-

p.s. - I have put several resources on the tax issue on the homepage of www.jefhall.com - please visit.

Go here for a list of County Board Members:
www.jef4wi.com/ctybrd.html

Here is the best Northwestern article so far:
http://www.wisinfo.com/northwestern/news/local/stories/local_22653817.shtml