Governor Doyle Statement on Assembly Republican Budget Repair Bill

MADISON – Governor Jim Doyle released the following statement today regarding the budget repair bill passed early this morning by Assembly Republicans:

“Earlier this week, I announced a good, responsible budget repair plan that addresses a shortfall due to a slowdown in the national economy, while protecting education, health care, and vital services and not raising taxes. My plan cuts state government spending, slows budget increases in 2009, leverages more federal revenue through a hospital assessment, and finds ways to generate more revenues for the state. My plan also wisely builds in a $100 million reserve as a necessary safeguard in these uncertain economic times.

“Unfortunately, Assembly Republicans have passed a fiscally irresponsible bill that spends down our reserves to basically nothing and delays addressing our financial problems. We need to be committed to a responsible budget that addresses our shortfall and moves our state forward, and the Assembly Republican budget fails on both accounts.

“Instead of making broad, responsible cuts, the Assembly Republicans are proposing to cut hundreds of millions of dollars more, which fails to protect our basic priorities of education, health care, local services and job creation.”