Tax-saving ideas that are sure to fail

It has been said, in this column and elsewhere, the only thing one can be sure of is death and taxes. While that is true, a few of the very rich can afford a good tax accountant who will help invest in tax-free bonds, tax write-offs, tax shelters – along with other methods – that allow them to pay very little (sometimes no) state or federal taxes for years. However, in the end, even they will pay at least some sales or other form of tax.

As far as death is concerned, it’s a given – no matter what your status, how strong your opinion, or how good your genes, none of us will get out of here alive.

There has been some interesting discussion in Sheboygan County recently about the possibility of adding a half percent county sales tax. It has generated some spirited discussion, which is always good for the democratic process. It can make people think and enable them to learn about the issues facing local government. Although in some cases there are a few (and sometimes a few too many) people who don’t care about the issues; and there are some who don’t want any intelligent discussion at all – they have their own view, and that’s all they need.

Let me suggest to you today, we could save countless millions of tax dollars in Wisconsin without going back into the Stone Age. Although we could find millions in tax savings, my guess is the general public would likely reject most of the following suggestions for a single good reason – loss of local control. After all, it is the right of people to ask for taxes to be lowered, it is also their right to pay more taxes for services if they wish.

Take the school district system we have in Wisconsin. Although it would likely be quickly rejected, Wisconsin could consolidate all school districts into one – books could be purchased in a single order; food purchases and meals could be standardized; heating fuels could be purchased in bulk; instead of nine or 10 school administrators in Sheboygan County, we could use only one. As result, school taxes might come tumbling down. But would the price – likely loss of local control – be the price most citizens would be willing to pay? I think not.

Our county and township highways cost a great deal of money to build and maintain. Most tend to be blacktopped and the cost of providing blacktop and keeping it up to standard is not cheap. In truth, any number of our town and county roads could have been kept in gravel and some could even be returned to gravel. In a few instances, a decision not to build certain roads – such as the extension of county Highway E south from state Highway 67 – could have resulted in major savings. My guess is that the local driving public, developers, landowners and others wanted and promoted that road extension.

Police protection tends to be an area the public strongly supports –as do I. Elkhart Lake, Kohler, Plymouth, Sheboygan Falls, Sheboygan, and Sheboygan County all have their own law enforcement departments. It seems that simple logic would tell us that a single law enforcement system would save money. But I don’t think many communities would like the loss of local control of their law enforcement departments.

And, taking it a step further, other than as an investigating arm of law enforcement, why do we need a state patrol on our roads when we have county patrol officers?

Sheboygan County has worked hard to keep its county taxes down. As most know, although I’ve talked to a fair number that have no clue, Sheboygan County has lowered the real tax on property the last three years. It is the only county in the state to do it. To make changes to save money is certainly not easy or even always acceptable to the public.

One police force or one school district for all of Sheboygan County? How far would these tax-saving ideas get? Chances are the public would quickly let us know. There would be an emphatic “No” to those ideas – but an equally emphatic “Yes, lower my taxes.”