Optimism at the Capitol
After meeting with President Obama Monday, Gov. Jim Doyle said in a conference call he is optimistic about the effect stimulus money will have in Wisconsin.
Obama spoke to governors Monday about states' shares of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, including $25 billion to be spent on states' Medicaid funds.
Doyle said Wisconsin is likely to benefit from stimulus money going to medical research because the state is already a major recipient of such grants.
Several Republican governors have said they would refuse stimulus funds, but according to Doyle, criticism from Republican governors focuses on a small part of the package.
Midwest Rail Initiative
Gov. Jim Doyle said Monday he is hopeful that stimulus funds will go toward the Midwest Rail Initiative, which aims to connect major Midwest cities by a high-speed rail system.
Doyle is traveling to Spain this week to meet with a major manufacturer of passenger railcars to try to convince them to do business in Wisconsin.
According to Doyle, the first step of the initiative would be to improve the rail line between Milwaukee and Chicago. He said the broader plan is to connect Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison and the Twin Cities with a passenger rail system.
