You can see the Walker Crater from space! That is figuratively to the third power: map view is as if from space; the darkest blue appears to be a crater; the middle class in Wisconsin has sunk dramatically.
The people struggling to keep their heads above water know it’s bad, but this proves it! Things were getting better until ACT10 and the 2011 ‘Budget Repair Bill’ was implemented. While 'The Middle Class Has Gotten Smaller In Every State Since 2000', look who is in a class by itself (not in a good way)! Wisconsin's middle class has fallen the MOST of ALL states!
When you open this link the map is interactive
The Middle Class Has Gotten Smaller In Every State Since 2000
Wisconsin’s middle class 2000 2013 Change % change
Median Income $60,344 $51,467 -$8,877 -14.7%
Share of households that are middle class 54.6% 48.9% -5.7% -10.4%
Share of households spending at least
30%of income on housing 24% 31% 7% 29.2%
This is not a chance event, it was CAUSED by the anti-stimulus and deflationary policies of Walker's administration. Econ 101- you remove money from the economy and it sinks. Discretionary income of the middle class and below all but dried up due to ACT 10 reducing take home pay of government employees, tax increases to all but the wealthy and businesses, cancelling the rail expansion and bio-diesel projectrtuute, removing public assistance to those in need and not accepting ACA Medicare funding. These all remove money from pockets that would otherwise be spent in local businesses.
There were many nasty legislative nuggets that went through in 2011 biennium that were hidden by the union turmoil and stealth legislative techniques. The fiscal mess is starting to hit the fan. Belatedly, our state media is finally showing glimmers of recognition. Too little, too late. Now we are on the receiving end of a Budget Bill which is like its predecessor on steroids.