Gov. Jim Doyle proposed an investment to create a more fuel-efficient Wisconsin among other bold initiatives he promised to address in tonight's State of the State address.
Along with a $40 million proposal to promote renewable energy, Doyle will address increasing the tax on cigarettes, streamlining child and family services and investing an additional $225 million in the UW system.
UW-Madison political science professor David Canon said there are two reasons why Doyle has a more ambitious agenda. First, he won by a larger margin than had been anticipated. Additionally, he has more political backing in the state Legislature because the Democrats control the state Senate.
""If bold means raising taxes, then he is certainly being much bolder than in the past, based on campaign promises he's lying to taxpayers,"" said Kirsten Kukowski, communications director for the Republican Party. ""Raising taxes to fill a budget hole is not the best way we see to do it.""
Critics of Doyle's initiatives, like Sen. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, and his spokesperson, Mike Prentiss, worry about tax increases for Wisconsin residents, deeming it a ""major concern"" for the Republican Party.
""The devil is in the details,"" said Prentiss. ""If you add up the total new spending he's already committed to, on top of new taxes he and Senate Democrats have already proposed, you wonder who's going to end up paying for all this. At the end of the day, it's going to be the taxpayers.""
In his campaign for governor, Carla Vigue, spokesperson for Doyle, said he is committed to maintaining current income and sales taxes.
""Doyle has put Wisconsin on a fiscally responsible path, and he knows that the budget does need to be balanced,"" she said. ""But he also has priorities like health care and education, and those programs do need funding. He will propose them and he will find a way to pay for them.""
Prentiss said with the Democratic majority in the Senate, Doyle's proposals should move forward, but Senate Democrats could ""decide to [go] in a different direction.""
Critics and supporters of Doyle can only speculate on the contents of the state budget at this time.
Joshua Westcott, communications director for Sen. Robson, D-Beloit, said the governor plans to address specific budget plans in early February.
""Tomorrow night is a chance to celebrate everything that is the state, look back on the year that was and the successes we've seen of the state addresses,"" said Westcott.
