Wisconsin is a good place to work if you are a government employee. Second most secure position in the job market in wisconsin is being a contractor to government or a vendor of government, where they buy your goods/services.
Like in washington DC, government has been growing and keeps on growing, so it's a pretty safe bet and great job as long as we can keep paying for it.
Private sector unions are dying off here as they are everywhere as they operate in a competitive environment--we don't have to pay for their product.
Why tax policy matters for us peons:
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1. Taxes matter to business. Business taxes affect business decisions, job creation and retention, plant location, competitiveness, the transparency of the tax system, and the long-term health of a state’s economy. Most importantly, taxes diminish profits. If taxes take a larger portion of profits, that cost is passed along to either consumers (through higher prices), employees (through lower wages or fewer jobs), or shareholders (through lower dividends or share value). Thus, a state with lower tax costs will be more attractive to business investment, and more likely to experience economic growth.
2. States do not enact tax changes (increases or cuts) in a vacuum. Every tax law will in some way change a state’s competitive position relative to its immediate neighbors, its geographic region, and even globally. Ultimately, it will affect the state’s national standing as a place to live and to do business. Entrepreneurial states can take advantage of the tax increases of their neighbors to lure businesses out of high-tax states.
2014 State Business Tax Climate Index | Tax Foundation
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So let's look at how the general business climate is in WI as that's what gives most people their income.
Then how that income is taxed relative to other places:
[In the following, WI's recent tax changes will improve the status of the state but it isn't reflected in this rating see the pdf in the link for more information.]
2014 Ten worst states to do business in:
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The 10 lowest ranked, or worst, states in this year’s Index are:
- Maryland
- Connecticut
- Wisconsin
- North Carolina
- Vermont
- Rhode Island
- Minnesota
- California
- New Jersey
- New York
The states in the bottom 10 suffer from the same afflictions: complex, non-neutral taxes with comparatively high rates.
While not reflected in this year’s edition, a great testament to the Index’s value is its use as a success metric for comprehensive reforms passed this year in North Carolina. While the state remains ranked 44th for this edition, it will move to as high as 17th as these reforms take effect in coming years.
Minnesota, by contrast, enacted a package of tax changes that reduce the state’s competitiveness, including a retroactive hike in the individual income tax rate. Since last year, they have dropped from 45th to 47th place. New York and New Jersey are in a virtual tie for last place, and any change next year could change their positions. Other major changes are noted in the blue boxes throughout this report.
The 2014 Index represents the tax climate of each state as of July 1, 2013, the first day of the standard 2014 state fiscal year.
2014 State Business Tax Climate Index | Tax Foundation
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