[Winona Online Democracy] An interesting look at how some tax liabilities are created (from Wisconsin):
Big companies fill BadgerCare rolls More than 40% who get aid are employed by Wal-Mart By STACY FORSTER [EMAIL PROTECTED] Posted: May 23, 2005 Madison - Wisconsin's tax-supported health care program for the working poor spends millions of dollars each year covering the health costs of employees of some of the state's largest companies, such as Wal-Mart and Aurora Health Care. (snip) In April, about 2,919 employees and their dependents were enrolled in the state program from those 10 companies, with more than 40% of the employees working for discount retailer Wal-Mart. The cost shifting comes at a time when Wisconsin's Medicaid program is in crisis, facing a $650 million budget gap over the next two years. Some contend that many of the BadgerCare enrollees are making job transitions and are exactly the population the program was intended to cover. Nonetheless, state officials remain concerned that businesses struggling to cope with soaring health care costs are making it harder and more expensive for workers to sign up for health care coverage, prompting more low-income employees to seek public aid. http://www.jsonline.com/news/state/may05/328286.asp Quoting Dwayne Voegeli <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > [Winona Online Democracy] > > Hello Everyone, > > Please consider coming if you can and passing on the information to others > who might also be interested in these topics. > > Dwayne Voegeli > > May 25, 2005 > > --------- > > Press Release > > Community Forum: "Straight Talk About Taxes" > > ------ > > Are you interested in: > > 1. Public Schools and Universities? > > 2. Public and Social Service Programs? > > 3. Local Government Funding? > > 4. Road and General Transportation Funding? > > 5. A non-partisan discussion of taxes that is both understandable and > interesting? > > If so... > > John Gunyou, former Finance Commissioner for Governor Arne Carlson, will be > discussing, "Straight Talk About Taxes" on Wednesday, June 1st, 2005. > > The public forum is sponsored by the Winona County Board, Goodview City > Council, Winona State University's Political Science Department, and Winona > Online Democracy. > > The event is timely because the State Legislature and Governor are > currently in a heated debate over the issues of taxes and public priorities > in Minnesota. > > We hear a lot of political spin and campaign slogans regarding taxes but we > rarely hear from tax experts. Plus, the talk about taxes is usually biased > and boring. That is not the case this time. > > John Gunyou is a self professed fiscal conservative. He and Jay > Kiedrowski, former Finance Commissioner for Governor Rudy Perpich, have > been traveling across the state over the last couple of months talking > about taxes in a non-partisan way. One served under a Republican Governor > and one served under a Democratic Governor. Gunyou and Kiedrowski suggest > that, "good public policy is colorblind" and they have been offering their > professional perspectives on the state's budget priorities. > > "We think it's time for an honest discussion about the financial management > and future of our state", says Gunyou. > > The event is free and open to the public. > > The presentation will be on Wednesday, June 1st. The event is at 7:00 p.m. > and takes place in the County Board Room, 2nd Floor of the Winona County > Government Center > > The event will also be broadcast on your local government channel and it > will be rebroadcast on _______________________ and > ___________________________. (I am not sure of the exact times yet.) > > Please consider coming to this important, interesting, and understandable > discussion about taxes and public priorities in Minnesota. > > ------------ > > Dwayne Voegeli > > Winona County Commissioner > > (507) 453-9012 > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > 359 Pleasant Hill Dr. > Winona, MN 55987 > > ------------ > > > _______________________________________________ > This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy > All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. > No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. > To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit > http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona > Any problems or suggestions can be directed to > mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > If you want help on how to contact elected officials, go to the Contact page > at > http://www.winonaonlinedemocracy.org > _______________________________________________ This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona Any problems or suggestions can be directed to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] If you want help on how to contact elected officials, go to the Contact page at http://www.winonaonlinedemocracy.org
