Gov. Jim Doyle stressed bipartisan efforts to push an agenda packed with new reforms Tuesday night at his fifth State of the State address, but some lawmakers questioned the practicality of such ambitious plans.
Doyle touted ethics reform, educational initiatives, a statewide smoking ban, health care reforms and economic plans. He also stressed the need for Democrats and Republicans to ""end divisiveness and partisan fighting and focus instead on making progress.""
""On November 7, [voters] issued a mandate not for any party, but a mandate for action,"" Doyle said.
Assembly speaker Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, was also optimistic that both parties would create a more cooperative environment in the capital. Huebsch said that if legislators ""keep talking and keep communicating, we will accomplish great things.""
Doyle and Huebsch cited the recent Ethics bill compromise as a concrete example of bipartisanship serving Wisconsin people.
""I look forward to signing [the ethics bill] into law,"" Doyle said.
However, his laundry list of initiatives may be difficult for the two parties to act upon.
EDUCATION
All-American Badger lineman Joe Thomas, a Brookfield Central graduate, attended the speech. Doyle referred to him as an example of a student who succeeded off the field because of Wisconsin's strong support system for students.
In his campaign for re-election, Doyle pushed the Wisconsin Covenant, a plan that would guarantee high school students a spot in a Wisconsin college and financial backing, provided students meet certain academic standards.
To fund the covenant, Doyle proposed major increases in financial aid.
While stem cell research at the UW-Madison has been groundbreaking, Doyle said he will invest in major new research at UW-Milwaukee. This is part of Doyle's broader plan to revitalize Milwaukee's economy.
Doyle plans to expand enrollment and broaden academic resources and programs at various UW campuses, including UW-Madison. Doyle promised new stem cell research breakthroughs and the creation of jobs at the Institutes for Discovery, a huge investment located on the UW-Madison campus.
SMOKING TAX AND BAN
After unveiling a proposal to raise Wisconsin's tobacco tax by $1.25 per pack, Doyle urged the legislature to work on a statewide smoking ban this session. This would make all public buildings and work places smoke free.
Though Doyle may not see the full $1.25 tax implemented, state Rep. Spencer Black, D-Madison, said he's confident the state will one day be smoke free.
State Rep. Mark Gundrum, R- New Berlin, said while he supports the health benefits of a statewide ban, he said the measure illustrates a government overstepping its boundaries by making decisions for businesses.
Doyle said the tax on cigarettes would benefit taxpayers by helping to cover the $500 million in Medicaid costs related to smoking. Revenue would also go toward programs focused on preventing children smoking and helping people quit smoking.
HEALTH CARE:
Doyle promised to streamline health care for all Wisconsin residents, by reducing the cost, improving the quality and expanding the access to it.
His top priority is to ensure that all children have access to health care and will expand BadgerCare Plus. Families would have the opportunity to buy coverage for their children at $10 a month.
In addition, Doyle promised to make BadgerCare coverage more expansive, covering 71,000 more people—even those without children.
Doyle wants to reform the structure of the bureaucratic health care program, by simplifying it. ""One application form, one piece of paper, no cumbersome bureaucracy,"" Doyle said.
By restructuring the program, Doyle says the federal government will pay $60 million, which Doyle says is a large chunk of the total cost.
ECONOMY:
After taking credit for balancing two straight budgets, Doyle promised to cut wasteful government spending and government taxes. Both Democrats and Republicans stood and applauded, but skeptic Gundrum doubted the logistics of Doyle's plan and said he would be surprised if Doyle's budget actually balances.
REACTIONS:
Throughout the speech, Republicans and Democrats alike stood to clap and cheer for many of Doyle's ideas. However, after the speech officials expressed different outlooks on the upcoming legislative session.
Black said all of Doyle's initiatives are realistic because the public is calling for bipartisan support for Doyle's ambitious proposals.
""I think, more than any other time I've seen him in his tenure, Gov. Doyle was bold and forward-looking in his speech,"" Black said.
However, Sen. Ted Kanavas, R-Brookfield, remains skeptical of Doyle's agenda. Kanavas said Doyle made ""a lot of promises that may be empty.""
