scott walker

The media is abuzz with what President Trump will or won’t say during his first State of the Union Address this evening. Yet a number of state chief executives have already introduced some exciting reforms during the annual speeches to their state legislative bodies.

Take Governor Scott Walker, who has already used his time in office to enact a host of transformative and innovative fiscal reforms that have saved Badger State taxpayers billions. During his State of the State Address last week, Gov. Walker proposed further reforms that would allow Wisconsin taxpayers to keep more of their hard-earned income. The spending restraint of previous years, combined with the institution of pro-growth reforms have produced a budget surplus this year, which Gov. Walker has proposed returning to taxpayers with a new $100 per-child tax credit.

Walker’s proposed child tax credit, if enacted, would return a projected $122 million to 671,000 Wisconsin households this year. Also proposed were further entitlement reforms, including the institution of work and training requirements for able-bodied adults receiving food stamps. Gov. Walker used his address to explain how the conservative reforms enacted in previous years have will permit state officials to provide further relief to taxpayers in 2018:

“Our plan is simple. Our reforms are working. Our economy is growing. And because of all this, we have a budget surplus. I want to give it back to you. It’s your money; not the government’s. So, if you’ve got three kids at home under the age of 18, that’s $300 more this year for new shoes, coats, activity fees at school, or a co-pay at the doctor or dentist.”

Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, commends Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker for being one of the nation’s top taxpayer champions, and for his latest round of reforms:

“Gov. Walker has been a national leader in passing pro-growth, pro-taxpayer reforms. Through the historic Act 10 entitlement reforms alone, Gov. Walker has saved state taxpayers over $5 billion dollars,” Norquist said. “His repeal of inflated wage requirements has also reduced the taxpayer cost of state and local infrastructure projects. Gov. Walker has used savings from these and other reforms to return $8 billion back to Badger State taxpayers through various tax relieving measures over the years, including the elimination of three entire taxes last year alone. With his recent State of the State Address, Gov. Walker has made clear he is not going to rest on his laurels, and is instead going to use 2018 continue building on an already impressive record of pro-taxpayer reforms.”