Though Gov. Jim Doyle did exactly what GOP legislators warned would force them to override his veto, he didn't sound especially concerned by the prospect of being contradicted.
"I'm pretty confident if they try there won't be any success to override efforts," the Dem governor said today after announcing his vetoes of the budget repair bill.
Despite the admnitions of legislators, Doyle reduced spending on transportation by about $100 million with his veto pen. He also vetoed a provision in the legislative bill to push off $125 million in school aid payments into the next biennium.
"You can not repair a budget by refusing to pay your bills," Doyle said, adding that the manueuver would have "led to very, very sharp cuts in education in the next budget."
Even with his cuts, Doyle said spending on road projects will actually increase over what was approved in the biennial budget adopted last fall. The Legislature's plan wold have spent an additional $180 million on transportation in addition the $350 million added to the fund in the biennial budget bill.
"It's difficult to see how you address a budget repair bill ... by spending an additional $180 million" on transportation, he said.
The vetoes will not have an impact on the schedule of road projects approved in the budget last fall, Doyle said.
Doyle said his vetoes will implement $270 million in lapses to state programs. The Legislature's bill included $69 million in lapses.
He said the lapses will "delay programs we all agree are worthwhile," citing reductions to the Energy Independece Fund. The $15 million appropriated for grants will be reduced to $10 million, he said.
"It's easier to start at places receiving increases in the next year and you just sort of shave those increases back," he said.
Doyle said the spending reductions will also be aided by new state contracts. He thanked state employees, who he said "have done their share" by negotiating contracts that delay some pay increases while also increasing the amount they pay for health care coverage.
He said the cuts will not come from shared revenues to local municipalities or school aid payments.
Doyle said the the legislative plan "went too far in taking money from the tobacco settlement fund." Instead of the $209 million in tobacco bonding in the legislative budget, Doyle said he will look to scale that amount back to $150 million when the bonds go back to the market. The legislative plan had the state selling bonds for the rights to tobacco settlement funds over the next dozen years. Doyle said his plan may reduce the number of years that will be bonded, but said the deal will depend on market forces.
The governor also vetoed a provision to take $22 million allocated for the implementation of the federally-mandated Real ID program. Doyle's plan takes $2 million from that pot, leaving $20 million.
Doyle called the Real ID mandate "federal arrogance at its height" because it demanded the states to pay for the program, but he said state residents could suffer "serious consequences" if it is not implemented, such as not being able to get on airplanes.
Also vetoed was the controversial "Columbus Park fix" that would exempted some low income housing from state taxes. Doyle it was a "very difficult and complicated issue" that "shouldn't be in a budget bill much less a budget repair bill." He said the proposal wouuld need a full debate in the Legislature before becoming law.
Doyle reminded reporters that the document is "a budget repair bill, not a budget bill." Soon he will be sending out directions to state agencies for the next biennial budget, and the process can begin again.
Listen to Doyle's address on his vetoes
here.
Listen to Doyle's Q&A with reporters
here.
Labels: Budget_Repair_Bill, Doyle, Veto
