Where do I stand on the issues?
Jobs and the Economy
RICK RICHARD WILL MAKE WISCONSIN JOBS HIS PRIORITY.
Wisconsin has lost over 130,000 jobs in the last 12 months, the single largest one-year job loss in state history. Of those jobs lost, 61,000 came from the high-wage, high-benefit, family-sustaining manufacturing sector. Almost everyone now has a friend, neighbor, or relative out of work, or they personally have been laid off.
Our state government must make Wisconsin competitive in attracting and retaining jobs. Instead, in 2009, Madison politicians voted for more than $5 billion in tax and fee increases. These new taxes are hitting job providers in the Rock County and Whitewater area with millions in new costs, during a recession. Local employers are trying to break even, and these new taxes are reducing their ability to expand and add jobs.
In our global economy, Wisconsin is not only competing against Midwest states, but every U.S. state and every country worldwide. We need to use proven solutions in the form of competitive tax rates on job providers, business location incentives, and streamline regulatory and permitting hurdles. These economic development tools can be available if the right public servants are elected and make them a priority. I’ll fight to bring employers and jobs to our area, and I’ll vote no on job killing legislation.
As a business owner, I know the checklist for attracting employers to our communities. We already have a talented workforce, and world class schools. Now we need lower personal tax rates, competitive corporate tax rates, and effective public servants that want to tear down the “jobs fence” that Madison politicians have been building over the past several years, keeping employers out of our state.
For more information, please see my Jobs Plan on this website.
Taxes
RICK RICHARD WILL FIGHT FOR LOW TAXES.
A recent study by the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance reported that Wisconsin income taxes rank among highest in the nation.1 Combined with the average federal tax bill, a typical taxpayer works almost half of the year to pay for his or her taxes, in return for declining services.
Most citizens want to choose how to spend their hard earned money, not have the state choose for them. I have a number of proposals to lower your tax burden.
Wisconsin needs a real, permanent property tax freeze and no increases in sales or income taxes. I support repealing the personal tax increase that was part of this latest budget to help keep small business jobs in our state. I support a tax credit to pay for the costs of health insurance. I also support an education tax credit for employers who invest in the continuing education of their employees.
Together, my tax proposals equal a significant reduction in taxes for the average Wisconsinite. I believe lower taxes spur jobs creation, economic growth, and will lead to a stronger Wisconsin.
1 http://www.taxfoundation.org/research/topic/67.html
State Spending
RICK RICHARD WILL BRING FISCAL SANITY BACK TO OUR DISTRICT.
I hope you’ll agree with me that the 2009-10 state budget, which increases state spending by over 6%, is inexcusable during a recession. State government positions and spending increased, yet school funding aid to local districts was cut! This is resulting in property tax increases statewide.
The taxpayers of Wisconsin can no longer afford the Enron-style accounting practices of our state government. We have unbalanced budgets and structural deficits that continually keep us in debt, increase our interest payments and lowers our bond rating. That is why I will support zero-based budgeting and will vote for legislation that makes generally accepted accounting practices (GAAP) for state government the law in Wisconsin.
In previous budgets, Madison leadership raided the Transportation Fund (a segregated fund that is financed with your gas tax dollars) by hundreds of millions of dollars to fund other programs. This was not only wrong on principle, but the tens of millions in interest payments alone on borrowing for transportation spending will burden you and your children for years to come. I will work to have the Transportation Fund pay for our I90/39 Interstate improvement, not more big government programs.
Accountability and Transparency
RICK RICHARD WILL HAVE OPEN, ON-GOING CONSTITUENT DISCUSSION, NOT JUST AROUND ELECTION TIME.
I will continue to regularly visit our districts' cities, villages and towns, from Beloit to Edgerton, from Brodhead to Whitewater.
For transparency, I will support the creation of a database/website of all state expenditures. I will vote to require all Joint Finance Committee meetings to be available in real time on the Legislature’s website. I want to require all ‘earmark’ provisions of the budget to be disclosed.
I will vote YES on any legislation what will bring sunshine to the legislative process, including limiting closed door meetings. I will also vote to stop the revolving door between Wisconsin government and special interests, by supporting legislation that would prohibit Wisconsin lawmakers from becoming lobbyists within 12 months of leaving office.
Education
RICK RICHARD WILL WORK FOR HIGHER STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT BY CHALLENGING THE STATUS QUO.
Parents and teachers must demand accountability as part of K-12 education reform. It’s been status quo long preparing our children for their future. Wisconsin is witnessing flat or declining test scores while per student costs skyrocket. Costs for education are up 50% just in the last 10 years, outpacing inflation every year.3
We all know competition creates innovation, improvement, and success. That’s why I support parent choice in education, and want to allow parents to spend their tax money on the school of their choice, public, private, charter, or home. Parent choice in education is good for parents and teachers, but most of all, it’s best for every child.
I’ll work for improved school accountability, cost transparency, zero based budgeting, alternative teacher certification, and competition. Our children deserve a better opportunity to learn.
3 http://www.wistax.org/focus/2009/2009schoolfacts2340.htm
Healthcare
RICK RICHARD HAS A PLAN FOR HEALTHCARE REFORM THAT DOESN’T BREAK THE BANK.
The quality of the U.S. healthcare system is second to none. It’s the cost that is out of control. I will work to expand competition and patient centered health care in Wisconsin. Putting people in charge of their healthcare decision while reducing costly mandates will help to expand access and reduce costs.
We should know how much we pay at our hospitals. Price transparency, which encourages patient choice, is a step in the right direction. I support a tax credit for individuals and families to cover the cost of their private health insurance premiums. By increasing choice and competition, and reducing insurance company control, we will lower costs.
Firearms for Law Abiding Citizens
RICK RICHARD WANTS CRIMINALS PUNISHED, NOT LAW ABIDING CITIZENS.
As a hunter and gun owner, I support the legal use of firearms both in the rich family tradition of hunting in Wisconsin, and by the average citizen who wants to protect their family. I will support our U.S. and state constitutions in the use of firearms by law abiding citizens.
Criminals love gun control laws. Laws that take guns out of the hands of law abiding citizens only leaves them in the hands of criminals that perpetrate violent crimes and property crimes against the general population. Study4 after study has shown that where law abiding citizens are allowed to protect themselves with a firearm, crime is deterred without a single shot having to be fired.
When a criminal does use a gun in a crime, whether it be gang related, domestic abuse, or other, the convicted individual should be penalized to the fullest extent of the law. We need to enforce the laws on the books, and reduce the deal making, not create more regulations.
4 http://oursafercommunity.com/about-us/research#CDR
Party Politics
RICK RICHARD WANTS TO REDUCE DIVISIVE PARTY POLITICS.
The divisive political atmosphere in Madison is good for politicians, and bad for taxpayers. Special interest groups write and support legislation as a reward for their campaign donations, and voters end up with taxes and regulation we never asked for, but for which we pay.
Whenever either party is in total control of the legislative process, the other party is shut out. I believe shedding light on the legislative process regardless of what party is in control, will decrease the power grabbing. That is why I support the Open Government Act which would allow the public more access to drafts of legislative bills, especially after a bill is already released to a third party lobbying group.
Common ground can be found on almost every issue, and I’ll sit down and talk with any legislator who places principles over party politics.
