Bohica!!! (Milwaukee: purchase, quality of life, live)

[Milwaukee City]

Besides I'm actually one of these people that will pay a 15.00 or 20.00 parking ticket rather than paying 30-100 for over night parking. It's cheaper and it goes to the city in a way it's like charity if you get caught b/c I accepted the fact of taking the ticket, plus it's cheaper than keeping it in a garage. Plus sometimes the parking checker doesn't come and you get lucky and you win. What would you rather do, park at the pfister for 40 or take a 15 dollar ticket or 20.

[Geechie North]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee City

Okay, let's say our taxes aren't high for this arguments sake for a second. You still shouldn't be happy with the direction or speed that our taxes are going up.

Fees aren't taxes???? I sure count them in when I talk about taxes. Maybe you don't but a lot of people include them in when talking about our tax climate.

You do understand that you've just proved my point?

[Milwaukee City]

Originally Posted by Geechie North

You do understand that you've just proved my point?

If you're happy paying more in taxes and fees by all mean knock yourself out. I think our taxes and fees are too high. Why aren't you happy that taxes are going up? b/c then by your argument we will be getting more and better services.

[Geechie North]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee City

If you're happy paying more in taxes and fees by all mean knock yourself out. I think our taxes and fees are too high. Why aren't you happy that taxes are going up? b/c then by your argument we will be getting more and better services.

First question:

Because I come from a low tax state and know what that means.
(PS: Not what you think)

Secondly, Wisconsin's taxes are not high. When you factor in the fees that other states use (that aren't included in their tax burden, like we include them in ours- or at least the data the GOP uses), we rank about mid-pack; 24th of 50.


I think tax fairness is the true issue.

The rich need to pay their share (oh boy, I can see more incorrect data coming!)

[Milwaukee City]

YouTube - Kathleen Dunn: Economic Illiterate

[JoshB]

Originally Posted by Geechie North

Again, our taxes are not that high- many other states use fees, which are not included in "taxes' which we do not use.

I trust you are speaking of a county law enforcement agency?

That would be a county issue- with support from the state.

But to put that in perspective- I worked in law enforcement in a low-tax, business friendly, Southern state.

For 976 sq miles, and a population of about (back then) 400,000, there were 2 units (county) on the road.

What is Columbia Co.'s population?

I'm going off memory, but the ratio of cops to population used to be (at optimum) about 1: 1,000.

Remember that includes all municipal officers also.

I'm speaking for Columbia County Sheriff's Office.

I guess it can be worse from what you stated. Columbia county has a population of roughly 55,000 people. Portage Police has I believe 3 full time officers each shift, Columbus has one per shift, Lodi is only day as is Rio, Poynette. So at most 10 officers at a time. How many officers serve rural areas though? There is only three to four rural officers on any given shift. Municipal officers don't deal with rural issues. We may have a ton of officers in town, but there is alot of people living in rural areas that have no designated police force. If only there was at least three more deputies.

[ccjarider]

Originally Posted by JoshB

Here in Columbia County we have 796 square miles and I'd like to chime in. I've been interning in order to become a deputy or officer for a local agency. Yesterday we had three guys covering that 796 square miles, one of the things deputies wish for is more deputies. Their is simply not enough. So even though we have high taxes we still don't have enough officers.

Why more cops? Your argument based on sq miles vs people is not sound. What metric is good??
What data indicates Columbia county is having problems?

Gov't finances are such that we can longer afford to have special interest groups (teachers, police, social workers etc. being the ones who state more resources are needed.)

Perhaps if the citizens of Columbia County have examples or concerns then you may have a valid point. Having the cops say they need more cops; is like the fox guarding the henhouse. Who protects the taxpayer in this scenario?

[JoshB]

Originally Posted by ccjarider

Why more cops? Your argument based on sq miles vs people is not sound. What metric is good??
What data indicates Columbia county is having problems?

Gov't finances are such that we can longer afford to have special interest groups (teachers, police, social workers etc. being the ones who state more resources are needed.)

Perhaps if the citizens of Columbia County have examples or concerns then you may have a valid point. Having the cops say they need more cops; is like the fox guarding the henhouse. Who protects the taxpayer in this scenario?

It's been in our local paper alot lately regarding lack of officers. People complain it takes 30 minutes for a deputy to get there yet they don't want the department to hire more. It's a tough situtation.

[Geechie North]

The Big Myths about Taxes and Spending in Wisconsin



• Wisconsin taxpayers pay for services not only through taxes but also
through fees and charges — university tuition,car registration,hunting
and fishing licenses,etc.When state and local taxes and fees are
combined,Wisconsin ranks 14 []among all states.When state,local,and ]
federal taxes and fees are combined,Wisconsin ranks 20

[Geechie North]

Originally Posted by JoshB

I'm speaking for Columbia County Sheriff's Office.

I guess it can be worse from what you stated. Columbia county has a population of roughly 55,000 people. Portage Police has I believe 3 full time officers each shift, Columbus has one per shift, Lodi is only day as is Rio, Poynette. So at most 10 officers at a time. How many officers serve rural areas though? There is only three to four rural officers on any given shift. Municipal officers don't deal with rural issues. We may have a ton of officers in town, but there is alot of people living in rural areas that have no designated police force. If only there was at least three more deputies.

That's a common problem:

Part of it stems from changes in the population patterns over the past 3 decades (only farmers used to live out of town), part from declining state aids (one of the under-reported of the great I-39/90 back-up of Winter 07-08 was that where four snowplows once were assigned to Rock Co, only two are at present), and part from public expectations.

Some counties are considering re-organizing into Metro Depts to solve the problem of which you speak.