Individuals who earn more than $1 million annually may face increased income tax if a new bill proposed by an Assembly Democrat Tuesday receives federal funding.
The Wisconsin Jobs Initiative, introduced by state Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, would raise $145 million in revenue that would go toward retraining individuals for careers.
Funds would increase financial aid for low-income students attending state technical colleges, private institutions and UW system schools to aid retraining efforts.
""The Wisconsin Jobs Initiative will enable us to invest in our most valuable resource: our workers,"" Mason said in a statement. ""This proposal allows us to stand by the workers who built the Wisconsin economy and help them to transition into 21st century jobs.""
Mike Mikalsen, spokesperson for state Rep. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, said although Republicans applaud efforts to support Wisconsin's workers, a tax increase on the state's wealthy would have a negative impact.
""[Assembly Democrats] are concerned about people who are unemployed, they're concerned about people who have low-wage skills, but in fact, this proposal will guarantee that more people will lose their jobs,"" he said.
According to Terry Webb, vice president of Learner's Success at Madison Area Technical College, after the 13 percent enrollment increase MATC faced this year, additional funding is needed to preserve quality instruction.
""We're currently facing overcrowding,"" Webb said. ""We have a lot more students and we're expecting even more, so somehow or another we need to find a way to serve those students.""
Jim Bender, spokesperson for Assembly Minority Leader Jeff Fitzgerald, R-Horicon, said Republicans object to ""another tax increase"" but welcome an open dialogue with Assembly Democrats to find alternative means of creating jobs.
""If they're willing to sit down and find inefficiencies and find savings, we are more than willing to sit at the table and find a myriad different ways to find money, to help job retention and help create jobs,"" he said.
