Gov. Jim Doyle said that Assembly Democrats have thus far maintained the "real big issue" in the state budget throughout their amendment process -- limiting tax increases while maintaining health care and education.

The governor, speaking in Green Bay after President Obama's speech on health care reform, said he would "see what comes to my desk" with regard to the specific amendments. He credited the president's federal stimulus legislation with helping absolve the state of many drastic cuts.

Doyle said that without stimulus funding, the state could have been forced to cut schools "probably by 15 percent," along with greater cuts to health care.

"They're probably going to be pretty small," Doyle said of the budget's final cuts to schools.

-- By Andy Szal