Governor Jim Doyle signed the 2009-2011 State Budget today, Monday, June 29, 2009, at the Executive Residence.
After passing the State Senate on Thursday, June 25th with a 17-15 vote and passing the State Assembly on Friday, June 26th with a 51-46 vote, the Governor received the budget document on Friday, June 26th.
The governor and the Democratic majority leadership in both houses touted the timeliness of completing the budget process--they claim it is the first time since 1977 the legislature and governor have completed the budget on time.
There was a high priority to get the budget document signed by June 30th to secure some federal funds that had a June 30th deadline, such as approximately $60 million in Medicaid funds and $15 million for primary enforcement of seat belts.
The total spending in the 2009-2011 State Budget is approximately $61 billion.
According to Wispolitics, "Doyle said the budget includes $3 billion in cuts to state agencies, that the governor called the largest in state history. Doyle said the cuts were difficult for him and legislators, 'particularly during a time when people need the services the most."
"(The cuts) are painful. They frustrate me personally because we have been forced into this by national and international economic forces that were beyond the control of the people of Wisconsin," he said.
On Wispolitics, Senate Republican Leader Scott Fitzgerald retorted that the governor didn't do more to cut taxes: "Senate Minority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said he was disappointed Doyle didn't go farther in rewriting the budget, saying too much pork, spending and higher taxes remained.
"I'd much rather be sitting at the conference committee table until August if it means we could whittle out some of the $5 billion in new taxes," Fitzgerald said, referring to the tax hikes contained in the budget and stimulus legislation Dems pushed through earlier this year. "But one-party control is driving this secret budget process, and this was the conclusion of it today."
The governor made 81 veto changes to the document sent to him by the Democratic-controlled legislature.
According to Wispolitics, some of the notable veto changes the governor outlined in his veto message were:
- used vetoes to require another $200 million in lapses from state agencies, which the governor projected would increase the statutory balance to about $270 million.
- veto five earmarks: $50,000 annually for WiSys Technology Foundation Inc. for providing intellectual property management services to UW schools; $200,000 annually to conduct or contract marketing activities at the Milwaukee Public Museum; the designation of a route of U.S. 8 the "Donald J. Schneider Highway," up to $50,000 for the town of Beloit to build a playground in Preservation Park, and $25,000 in each year to renovate a domestic abuse shelter serving Langlade, Taylor, Vilas and Oneida counties.
- partial vetoes film tax credit to cut it to $500,000 annually compared to the $1.5 million a year approved by the Legislature. Other changes makes the credit more line up with Doyle's original proposal to focus it on Wisconsin-based companies.
- elimination constituent services provision created in lieutenant governor's office.
- partial veto to change in school funding formula to redistribute some state aid to soften the impact of the cut for some districts at the expense of others.
- veto limit on state aid that districts accepting Milwaukee Public School students through open enrollment receive.
- veto limits on the executive branch's use of private contractors. The governor also ordered a review of the use of contractors.
- vetoes a proposed $15 nonresident boat sticker, fearing it would hamper tourism.
- partially vetoes changes to regulation of chiropractors.
- partially vetoes changes to prevailing wage laws.
- partially vetoes provision to repeal the Department of Health Services' authority to prescribe fees in administrative rules to eliminate the deadlines and penalties for providing copies and access to records.
- vetoes mandating coverage of podiatry services through BadgerCare Plus.
- partially vetoes requirements on minimum auto insurance coverage to allow proposed 2010 increase to take effect while eliminating those for 2011 and 2012. Also deletes provision to prohibit insurers from determining premiums based on where a vehicle is located.
- vetoes sunset of police and fire protection fee of June 30, 2001.
- vetoes Milwaukee Transit Authority; vetoes language requiring specific stops along KRM, vetoes allowing transit authority funds in Dane County for highway projects and emergency services.
