Joe Klein calls Scott Walker's "tax freeze," slush.

The headline reads “For the sixth year in a row, the County Executive’s 2008 Recommended budget proposes no increase in County property taxes.” This is a carefully crafted phrase that conceals a larger truth. It is designed to shut down critical thinking by the public and the media. Each time a member of the media repeats this phrase they unwittingly become spokespeople for Walker’s reelection campaign.

A casual media consumer would think that Scott Walker had frozen taxes at the rate we had six years ago. In truth he has let the Milwaukee County Board dirty their hands with moderate and prudent tax increases and then based the subsequent annual “tax freeze” on the prior year’s increased levy. Comparing the proposed tax levy from one year to the next most reasonable people would conclude that there has been no “tax freeze” at all. A more honest rendition of the truth would be to say "Scott Walker has proposed a budget that does not increase the property tax levy over what the Milwaukee County Board set the prior year."

Four years ago I set a realistic and adult goal of keeping increases in operating expenditures at or below the rate of inflation through increased productivity and long term investments in durable infrastructure. The “tax freeze” line is a campaign syllogism and a paternalistic platitude foisted upon an unwitting public.

The "tax freeze" is slush.

Bottom Line: In a growing and healthy Milwaukee County, my approach would lead to a long term decrease in taxes paid per thousand dollars of assessed value for county services.
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Joe Klein
Candidate for Milwaukee County Executive
http://www.joeklein.org
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