What is the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance?

Celebrating its 75th year, the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WISTAX) is the state's oldest and most respected private government research organization.  Since 1932, it has been promoting better government and an informed citizenry through its publications, public outreach and extensive school programs.  

WISTAX seeks to explain how state and local government work, so voters and taxpayers, students and teachers can be more active and informed citizens.  By providing reliable data to members of the legislature, county boards, school boards, city councils and other government bodies, WISTAX helps them to arrive at intelligent decisions.  WISTAX also provides consulting on government and tax issues to public officials, the news media and various other groups.

Nonpartisan and fiercely independent, the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance has earned an unrivaled reputation for accurate, objective research - for telling the truth simply and directly.  WISTAX does not lobby government, support or oppose candidates for public office, or take positions on state or local government issues.  It is not affiliated with any other organization - national, state or local.

WISTAX research and education programs are financed primarily by voluntary contributions from businesses, foundations, organizations and individuals; and by subscription fees and publication sales.  

A Brief History

The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WISTAX) was established to improve representative government through programs of citizen education and public policy research.  WISTAX founders believed an informed citizenry was vital to effective, representative government.  They also recognized the importance of an independent source of unbiased information about Wisconsin government that could be used by citizens and government officials alike.

The origins of the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance can be traced to the fall of 1931, as the Great Depression began tightening its grip on the state economy.  Governor Phillip F. Lafollette convened a group of Wisconsin's business leaders to discuss the major problems facing state government.  State tax collections were declining because of rising unemployment and tax delinquency.  At the same time, state government needed additional revenues to cover the rising cost of unemployment relief.

From these discussions came the idea for a statewide organization to study taxation and recommend ways to reduce the cost of providing government services.  As a result, the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance was formally established on February 15, 1932.

In its first two years of operation, the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance was an advocacy group.  It developed specific proposals for cutting taxes and government spending and solicited public support for those proposals.  WISTAX also attempted to form county taxpayer groups with dues-paying members.

In 1934, this initial approach was abandoned.  WISTAX reports lacked credibility because the organization advocated a point of view and the local taxpayer groups sometimes became involved in political contests.

Since that time, the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance has done objective research and provided citizens, the media and public officials with accurate, unbiased information about the workings of Wisconsin state and local government.  Over time, WISTAX built an unrivaled reputation as "the independent voice of authority" on Wisconsin state and local government finance.

Mission Statement

The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WISTAX) believes an active, informed citizenry is essential for effective representative government.  We demonstrate this belief by providing Wisconsin voters and taxpayers, students and teachers, business leaders and public officials with accurate, objective information about the operation of their Wisconsin government.  Nonpartisan and independent, WISTAX is the only statewide group that cuts through the partisan and special-interest rhetoric to deliver the honest facts about how Wisconsin government works, taxes and spends.  The Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance has been working to achieve efficient, responsible government through research and education since 1932.

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