Last Friday, under the cover of darkness, Representative Andy Jorgensen voted for a Wisconsin State Budget that raises taxes and fees during a time when we can least afford it.  The budget was so bad, Assembly Democrats had to pass it in the wee hours of the morning when they hoped no one would be watching.   If you drive a car, have a phone, use a hospital, own a farm, small business or home, you will be hit with tax and fee increases.

After Friday’s vote, it’s become abundantly clear that Andy and his liberal buddies in Madison don’t understand how the recession is affecting Jefferson County families and employers.  Maybe he should ask the families of employees at McCain Foods and other companies that were just laid off and see if they can afford the tax and fee increases contained in the budget.

Andy voted for a gas tax that looks to increase prices at the pump by 4 cents a gallon.  He voted for an estimated $100 million tax on anyone who uses a phone or internet connection.  He voted to increase the cost of your heating and electric bills.

With his vote, Andy also supported increasing the garbage tax that would make Wisconsin ’s highest in the nation.  Among many other BAD tax and spend items in the budget, Andy voted to tax hospitals by $1.13 billion. This tax will be paid by anyone that uses a hospital or pays for health insurance.

Additionally, democrats included many “policy items” that have nothing to do with a state budget.  Andy supported giving special drivers licenses and in-state tuition to illegal immigrants, allowing same sex couples to form domestic partnerships (didn’t we vote that down in 2006?), and increasing car insurance rates by 33 to 43 percent with his vote. We already pay too much for auto insurance!  Increasing taxes and fees as the prices of goods and services are going up all while our paychecks are being cut is MADNESS! And these are just a few awful examples of items in the budget Andy voted for.

All together, Andy voted to increase government spending by 6.3 percent, increase taxes and fees by an estimated $2.2 billion and raise property taxes by a minimum of $1.5 billion all according to the non-partisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau. When family budgets are being reduced government budgets should not increase by 6.3 percent and in the process take billions from already struggling families’ wallets.

Politicians like Andy, need to be cutting government spending, eliminating millions of dollars in earmarks (pork) contained in the budget, and reducing the state’s massive workforce to help balance our budget and deficit.  Many of us have already lost our jobs or taken a cut in pay, we can’t afford higher taxes and fees.  Unfortunately, we have Representative Andy Jorgensen in Madison representing the Special interests and not our best interests!

Matt Banaszynski