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May be headed toward compromise

By Dave Umhoefer April 4, 2013

Two of Gov. Scott Walker's actions come into play in evaluating his general promise in 2009 to "lower the income tax.”


In his new two-year budget unveiled in February 2013, Walker proposed a small reduction in income tax rates in the three bottom brackets.


The cut, totaling $343 million over two years, would not affect the top two income brackets. But wealthier taxpayers would still benefit from these cuts because they are applied to their first $214,910 of taxable income, as the Journal Sentinel reported.


The Republican-controlled Legislature will take the budget up in spring 2013.


Walker, however, has not followed through on his pledge to erase the new income-tax bracket for high-earners set up by Democrats during the tenure of Gov. Jim Doyle, his predecessor. The 2009 move created a 7.75 percent tax bracket for single taxpayers with incomes of $225,000 and more, and for married couples filing jointly with incomes of $300,000 and more. Those income levels have changed a bit since then.


We gave Walker a Promise Broken for not moving to repeal the tax on the wealthy.


The overall promise to lower the income tax appears headed for a Compromise label if the Legislature approves an income tax cut.

For now, we rate this In the Works.

Our Sources

Walk-O-Meter on repeal of Doyle taxes


Email interview with Jocelyn Webster, Walker communications director, March 22, 2013