Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Sunday, January 18, 2004
How did Doyle do in first year?
MADISON — Republicans thought one of their own was talking when Gov. Jim Doyle pronounced during last year's state-of-the-state speech: "There is probably nothing we can do to help economic growth more than to balance the budget without raising taxes."
"I think we were clapping more than the Democrats were," said Sen. Cathy Stepp, -Sturtevant.
But the tune changed within 24 hours, as Doyle, a Democrat, clashed with Republicans, who control the Legislature, over authority to approve tribal gaming compacts with no expirations dates.
"He immediately announced tribal compacts, which really stunned a lot of lawmakers," said Assembly Speaker John Gard, R-Peshtigo.
The new compacts, which increased payments to the state from about $24 million a year to about $207 million, expanded allowable forms of gambling at tribal casinos. In exchange, tribes agreed to make higher payments to the state, boosting Doyle's plan to offset a looming $3.2 billion state budget deficit. Republican leaders, who want the right to approve compacts, are suing Doyle.
Republicans didn't raise a fuss when former Gov. Tommy Thompson negotiated such deals, despite much lower payments, said Doyle spokesman Dan Leistikow.
Doyle worked through other differences with Republicans to remain true to his biggest state-of-the-state commitment, however, said James S. Haney, president of Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce.
"I'm interested in the economic issues, and I understand the politics of God, guns and gays. But we got a no-tax hike budget," Haney said. Doyle also has signed about a half dozen bills WMC considers of significant help to state businesses and the economy, Haney said.
Not everyone would agree Doyle lived up to his tax pledge, however, said Todd Berry, president of the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance.
"I think it comes down to the definition of taxes, and good, well-meaning people will differ on this," Berry said.
The 2003-05 state budget didn't raise sales and income taxes, but it raised about $400 million in fee increases and from other revenue sources, Berry said.
Doyle didn't live up to his pledge if property taxes are included in the mix, Gard said. Republicans who still support the freeze say property taxes increased in 18 of the state's 72 counties. "We need to get Wisconsin families working and their tax burden under control," Gard said.
Property tax increases, which aren't determined by the state, were the lowest they've been in four years, said Leistikow.
"These are local decisions that should be made by local citizens," Leistikow said. The Doyle referred to 2003 as "the year of water." He touted an agreement to clean up the Fox River that was reached the day before between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and paper companies.
"For 12 years as attorney general, I worked to protect our environment and that will be a major focus of our efforts for the next four years," Doyle said then.
But Doyle will betray his commitment to the state's waterways if he signs the Job Creation Act, which his administration recently worked out with Republicans, said Caryl Terrell, state director of the Sierra Club. The bill would, among other things, loosen the permitting process and some controls on shoreline development in the state.
The Job Creation Act clearly poses a problem, but Doyle has lived up to his commitment in other ways, said George Meyer, executive director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation and former state Department of Natural Resources Secretary.
Doyle vetoed a Republican plan to sell off state land and cut the amount available in state's stewardship fund, which is used to purchase conservation land, from $60 million a year to $15 million a year.
"If we didn't have a governor standing up to this kind of Legislature, there'd be all sorts of problems," Meyer said.
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