Doyle Calls for Autism Funds, Urges Budget Action
Gov. Jim Doyle joined more than 150 people from families impacted by autism in Greendale yesterday to call on the Legislature to approve the $83.4 million for autism treatment he included in his budget.
Doyle also included a provision in his budget that would require insurance companies to cover autism treatments. Additionally, Doyle asked the Legislature to approve a $50 million increase in special education funding to address the 20-fold increase in students with autism enrolled in school programs.
The insurance requirement, which Doyle said is in place in 20 states, has been opposed by business and insurance groups because it could increase premiums. Doyle said if insurance companies decided to not insure cancer or diabetes, rates could go way down, "but that's not what you have health insurance for."
"The idea of insurance is we all share that risk recognizing it could happen to any one of us," Doyle said.
Speakers at the press conference told personal tales of how early treatment has been effective, while at the same time a financial hardship as they waited for state assistance.
Doyle also urged lawmakers to finish their work on the budget.
"I gave these people a budget six months ago," Doyle said. "In most states. legislatures deal with budgets in about a 60- or 90-day period of time.
"Here we are six months later, so I'd say it's time for them to get this done."
But Doyle said leaders have talked responsibly.
"I think it means both have to acknowledge they're not going to get everything they want and there has to be a compromise," he said.
Doyle said his office has been meeting with both sides trying to figure out a way to move the budget forward, but said it's up to the Legislature to "really get down to the hard work."
Doyle dismissed a letter sent by 49 Republican legislators asking him not to use his "Frankenstein veto" on the budget.
"It's amazing to me to watch legislators who haven't passed a budget in six months try to tell me how to do my job," Doyle said.
"They should be assured that if they put a lot of excessive spending in the budget I'm going to use my line-item veto and I'm going to protect the taxpayers of this state."
Listen to Doyle discuss the budget, the state's bridges and tuition with reporters here.
-- By David Wise
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