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“It’s a train wreck!”
That phrase hung in a subdued silence more than two years ago as representatives from the Wisconsin Counties Association, the Wisconsin REALTORS® Association, the Wisconsin Education Association Council, the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, the Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association and the Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin, and Wood Communications Group absorbed the disturbing findings of a year’s worth of public opinion polling and economic and demographic research.
The “train wreck” the ad hoc confederation of concerned organizations was looking at was the impending collision between mounting public costs, driven primarily by a rapidly aging population and the need to address significant infrastructure repair and maintenance needs, and a declining income base, eroding as a result of retirement and important changes in the nature of the work force and the jobs available in Wisconsin. The more prominent features of the challenges facing Wisconsin — projections that suggest a senior population that will represent more than one of every five citizens by 2030; a drop in the percentage of people in the work force from 61 percent to 57 percent; a continued loss of college graduates; per capita income below the regional average; erosion of existing infrastructure or rising costs to maintain it; etc. — are referenced throughout the Blueprint for Change.
Two years ago that list of major challenges made for grim reading, but it also illuminated where the work needed to begin. Wisconsin’s challenges, the ad hoc study group concluded, were the people’s business. It was their job opportunities, their government, their quality of life and their future that was at risk. And, the group agreed, the work of revitalizing Wisconsin’s economy, recapturing our heritage, and restoring our quality of life had to begin with the people.
That decision marked the formal beginning of the Wisconsin Way. After 28 public forums, 123 organizational meetings and six statewide public opinion surveys — a total of more than 10,000 conversations later — the people’s goals are clear. They want both the Wisconsin they remember — a place with good jobs; great schools and universities; affordable and fair taxes; a strong infrastructure; and a thriving economy — and the Wisconsin they know they need — a place with a 21st century work force; an infrastructure, economic development capacity and tax system that address the challenges and seize the opportunities inherent in the new economic realities; and efficient, effective and responsive government. They understand that serious, systemic and fundamental change is necessary to protect the quality of life and values they hold dear, and through the Wisconsin Way, have identified a variety of possible pathways to the Wisconsin they want.
In essence, the people of Wisconsin are persuaded that to secure the future we all want for our state, we need a more comprehensive, strategic economic development plan, coupled with an aggressive commitment to implement such a plan. They believe that we must reform and modernize our tax system so that it is fairer, more appropriate and affordable and effective. And, they want their governments to be accessible, accountable, efficient and effective.
The people do not see these goals as some sort of Pollyannaish dream, but as legitimate integrated goals their elected officials should strive to achieve. They are frustrated with the partisan gridlock that has consumed so much of the state’s political energy in recent memory and want their elected officials to focus more directly and productively on solutions and policies that address these goals.
The Wisconsin Way Blueprint for Change is dedicated to the thousands and thousands of citizens who contributed the vision, ideas and passion that have driven its creation and to the millions of their friends and neighbors whom they represented so ably.
Organization
The Blueprint for Change contains four sections: 1) Economic Development; 2) Tax Reform and Modernization; 3) Government Spending and Management Reform and Modernization; and 4) Benefits and Costs.
Each of the first three sections contains an introduction intended to provide the reader with relevant background and information about the main topic. The introduction also identifies the main strategic initiatives the Wisconsin Way believes are necessary to achieve the people’s objectives. After the introduction, each of the strategic initiatives is spelled out in more detail and specific proposals are laid out for achieving each strategic objective. Rationales are included for each proposal, and when appropriate, suggestions for implementation of proposals are included. [Please note: Readers will notice that some proposals are included in more than one section — e.g., proposals related to consolidation of appropriate local services appear in both the tax reform and modernization section (Section II) and the government spending and management reform and modernization section (Section III). While repetitive, the Wisconsin Way believes it is important that the dual significance of these proposals be recognized. That is, the Wisconsin Way believes it is important to note that consolidation of appropriate governmental services is an important mechanism for achieving both cost reductions, which would allow for property tax reductions, and management improvements, which will make government more efficient.]
The fourth section contains the Wisconsin Way’s initial assessment of the costs and benefits of the proposals by major objectives (i.e., economic development, tax reform and modernization, and government spending and management reform and modernization).
A Word About the Timeframe for Change
The Wisconsin Way set out to identify a long-term vision and strategic plan for Wisconsin. We have known from the start that implementing the sort of changes envisioned in the Blueprint for Change would take time — time for more people to engage with the process; and time for our elected officials and policy-makers to study and refine the proposals — and we welcome the continuation of the discussion as a prelude to the actions and legislative changes that must follow.
For planning purposes, the Wisconsin Way has assumed a 10-year implementation schedule. We assume, for example, that while some proposals could come on line relatively quickly, others could take years to refine and implement. Consequently when reviewing the costs and benefits section, please keep in mind that they are affected by assumptions about when specific proposals are adopted and how long it takes to implement them.
It’s a Blueprint – Change Orders Are an Option
The Wisconsin Way assumes that at the outset some groups and individuals will applaud some of the proposals and vigorously oppose others. We — and they — must do more than that. We — elected officials, policy-makers, experts, organizations, groups, citizens and voters — must do better than that, or we will lose precious time and put Wisconsin’s future at even greater risk.
That is why the Wisconsin Way encourages all citizens to engage with, challenge and join us in improving the Blueprint for Change. If you do not like a proposal, tell us how you would approach the challenge/opportunity our proposal is intended to address, differently. If you think our assumptions about a particular problem are incorrect, share your information with us so we can compare notes and reach agreement.
We believe the Blueprint for Change is the right starting point, but we also believe that as new information becomes available and more people become involved, some changes in the Blueprint will be inevitable. We look forward to the process and to your thoughts and comments.
The Wisconsin Way is a unique partnership of statewide organizations with the goal of finding a new and better way to fund public services while modernizing and refining taxes and government in Wisconsin. Our members come from different backgrounds, but we all want the same thing — a better future for Wisconsin.
The following partners have joined together in this unprecedented statewide effort:
Mary Bell, President, Wisconsin Education Association Council
Dan Burkhalter, Executive Director, Wisconsin Education Association Council
Patrick Goss, Executive Director, Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association
Mark O'Connell, Executive Director, Wisconsin Counties Association
Mike Theo, Vice President for Legal and Public Affairs, Wisconsin REALTORS® Association
Craig Thompson, Executive Director, Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin
Dan Thompson, Executive Director, League of Wisconsin Municipalities
Jim Wood, President, Wood Communications Group |
