The left’s latest hit on Tom Tiffany is a recording of him saying he wants to cut taxes.
WKOW obtained audio from a late-September campaign event and posted it Thursday night as a reveal. A man asked the Republican gubernatorial candidate if he would eliminate the income tax. Tiffany said, “I will not be able to do it in the first budget, but, after that, we sure hope to be able to get it done.”
Anchor Caroline Dade framed the exchange as a finding. “Could Wisconsin get rid of its income tax? Audio obtained by 27 News reveals Republican Tom Tiffany is considering it.” She said she was digging into the financial impact. The story is slanted toward what Madison would lose, not what a taxpayer would keep.
Eight states already collect no income tax: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. Florida and Texas are two of the country’s largest states. Nevada and Tennessee run on tourism and sales taxes. South Dakota and Wyoming have gone without it for decades.
His emailed statement to WKOW is the same platform he has used in public. “My priorities are to end the 400-year property tax increase, return the nearly $3 billion surplus to the people of Wisconsin, and deliver a 10% income tax cut for working families making $150,000 or less. I plan to get that done in my first budget.” After that budget, he said, “I hope we will be able to deliver additional, long-term tax relief.” He added, “I have made a commitment not to raise taxes as governor, and I will keep it.”
In August, after the Department of Revenue reported collections $450.8 million above projection and a surplus headed toward $3 billion, Tiffany said the extra money showed Wisconsinites are overtaxed.
The recording does not contradict the campaign. It is the campaign, said out loud to a voter, as many states shift to no income tax or a lower flat rate. Tom Tiffany’s ambitious goal of eliminating income tax isn’t a gotcha moment; it aligns with Republican policy.
