Debate over the stalled state budget erupted into two competing rallies at the state Capitol Wednesday, with one group demanding no new taxes and another group urging legislators to pass the budget now.
The national anti-tax group Americans for Prosperity held a rally at 12 p.m. Wednesday at the East entrance of the state Capitol, with 300 to 350 AFP supporters attending, according to the Capitol Police. A counter-rally of mostly state employees and other unions surrounded AFP on three sides, attracting 700 to 800 supporters, the Capitol Police said.
AFP urged state legislators to only pass a budget that has no new taxes in it, with over 20 Republican lawmakers having already signed pledges to do so. AFP supporters held signs that read Over one billion reasons to vote no"" and ""Families for tax relief."" In front of a large banner stating ""No New Taxes,"" numerous Wisconsin conservatives gave speeches, including Madison radio talk show host Vickie McKenna and state Republican Party Chair Reince Priebus.
AFP Wisconsin Director Mark Block said the rally was effective in making its message clear to lawmakers.
""If the Governor and the legislators have not heard that people want a budget with no tax increases, then they are deaf,"" Block said, only minutes after loudspeakers stopped sending out ""God Bless the U.S.A.""
The counter-rally had many supporters from unions, with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees having the largest presence of all the groups present.
Many AFSCME members held signs that said, ""We need a budget"" and other posters that depicted Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, next to President Bush. Cars supporting the counter-rally circled the Capitol honking their horns in an attempt to drown out the loudspeaker set up by AFP.
Sara Kitzinger, UW-Madison fifth year senior and AFSCME supporter, said it seems as if some taxpayers need to shoulder more of the financial burden in the state. She said low-income families are the residents hurt most by many tax cuts, due to a decline in public services. Kitzinger said she had seen this effect with her work in the Madison Metropolitan School District.
""My question is prosperity for whom?"" Kitzinger said.
Kyle Maichle, UW-Madison fifth year senior and AFP supporter, said higher tuition was one of his reasons for being at the rally. He said tuition has increased more than inflation has under Doyle, and that UW System graduates also leave the state because taxes are too high.
John Connors, senior at Marquette University and national director for the AFP group Students for Prosperity, said it was great the counter-rally was there to debate AFP, but also that union members were paid to be there.
State Sen. David Hansen, D-Green Bay, said it was totally untrue that union members were paid to be at the rally.
Block also said he did not know if union members were paid, but that a union member who was on stage with AFP was not paid to be there.
The state budget has been overdue for over 109 days, with a Doyle budget proposal passing the Democrat-controlled state Senate Monday, but failing in the Republican-controlled state Assembly.
