JFC Restores Stewardship Review
Kaufert said he hoped Gov. Jim Doyle was listening when the JFC co-chair asked for continued oversight on state stewardship purchases during a discussion on Budget Paper 506, covering the Warren Knowles-Gaylord Nelson Stewardship 2000 Program Review.
The Neenah Republican said finance committee review was a longstanding practice, but last budget he admitted the committee may have gotten “too cute” on trying to limit the land purchases. “We left ourselves open to a veto and the governor took advantage of that,” Kaufert said.
As a result Doyle vetoed the stewardship line item, which Kaufert said is a mistake. “To have one person determine $60 million per year ... I firmly believe is not the way to run a railroad,” he said.
GOP Rep. Scott Jensen said Doyle's seizing of the oversight sapped the program of bipartisan support. Kaufert pointed out that the Legislature had approved 105 of 109 stewardship proposals prior to 2003.
Sen. Russ Decker reminded the GOP members that it was a Republican governor that seized control of the DNR Board's ability to appoint a DNR secretary. Jensen countered that Doyle ran for governor with the promise to restore the DNR Board's appointing power, yet he hasn't seen him put it in the budget yet. “Once they have the power, they don't give it up,” Jensen said.
Kaufert and Sen. Rob Cowles said they hope the passage of the paper will foster the beginning of a thaw on stewardship between the Legislature and governor. It passed along party lines 12-4. The version passed restores committee oversight of large stewardship projects.
