FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, March 12, 2009:
Contact: Mark Block (414) 475-2975 or Phil Kerpen (202) 349-5880

Americans for Prosperity Applauds Wisconsin State Senator Glenn Grothman

MILWAUKEE-The Wisconsin chapter of the free-market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity (AFP-WI) today applauded Wisconsin State Senator Glenn Grothman (20th Senate District) for signing the group’s “No Climate Tax Pledge.” By doing so, Grothman pledges to “oppose legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in state or local government revenue.”

“The one thing elected officials should be able to agree on is that global warming shouldn’t be used as an excuse to hike taxes on citizens and businesses,” said AFP-WI State Director Mark Block. “We encourage all of Wisconsin’s elected officials and candidates for elected office to sign the pledge.”

State Sen. Grothman joins other Wisconsin officials State Reps. Leah Vukmir (14th), Jim Ott (23rd), Bill Kramer (97th), and Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker as signers of the pledge.

President Obama has made no secret of his intent to advance the cap-and-trade legislation, which would amount to the largest tax increase in American history. One version of the scheme, introduced last year by Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and John Warner (R-VA), is scored by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office as a net revenue increase of $1.2 trillion within just the first 7 years the bill is in effect.

“Using the guise of climate change to transfer dollars from hard-working citizens to bureaucratic big government is unacceptable,” said Block. “Regardless of their stance on global warming, this should be common ground for all of our elected officials at all levels of government.”

A recession is the worst time possible to raise taxes and further stress family and businesses’ budgets. Wisconsin stands to lose up to 34,000 jobs by 2020 and a reduction in gross state product of up to $3.8 billion per year, in the same period. Additionally, gas and electricity prices would soar over 20 percent and 31 percent respectively, according to a study by the American Council on Capital Formation.

The pledge is available online at NoClimateTax.com.

AFP does not endorse candidates. All elected officials and candidates are encouraged to sign the pledge and go on the record in opposition to using the climate change issue to increase taxes and grow the size of government.