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Posted by Zach on August 27, 2010, at 8:22 am

Doyle budget maneuver illegal?

Seriously….this is why I was never Gov. Jim Doyle’s biggest fan: Gov. Jim Doyle’s administration lacks the legal authority to use a $127 million accounting trick to help cover a shortfall in state health programs for the poor, the Legislature’s nonpartisan budget and audit offices report.

The finding means the Democratic administration could have [...]

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Posted by Zach on June 10, 2010, at 6:02 am

When will Walker & Neumann break the silence?

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Barrett has a detailed plan to “Put Madison on a Diet” and save more than $1 billion, a number which represents about half of the projected state budget deficit for the next governor.

The response from the Republican gubernatorial candidates? Crickets. As WisPolitics reports, “Neumann and Walker declined Barrett’s challenge [...]

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Posted by Zach on September 21, 2009, at 6:21 am

The quick and dirty on WI Act 28

A couple of months ago, I wrote about the provision contained within the most recent state budget, otherwise known as 2009 Wisconsin Act 28, that would make all but the most violent offenders and sex offenders potentially eligible for early release. At the time, I voiced my support for the measure, and I cited [...]

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Posted by Zach on July 9, 2009, at 6:01 pm

Let’s get smart about spending corrections dollars

Among the items included in the state budget that was recently signed into law was a provision that would make all but the most violent offenders and sex offenders potentially eligible for early release, just as they were under the old system of parole, before truth-in-sentencing legislation took effect in 1999. The provision was [...]

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Posted by Zach on June 29, 2009, at 6:08 pm

In Brief: Doyle signs budget, does Peace Corps beckon?

Governor Jim Doyle signed the state budget into law today, making this budget the firs since 1977 to have been completed before the start of the new fiscal year. Partisan differences have typically led to budget delays past the start of the fiscal year, but Democratic control of the Assembly, Senate, and Governor’s [...]

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Posted by Zach on June 12, 2009, at 5:04 pm

Sometimes Democrats are really stupid…

…and this is one of those times:

Democrats who control the state Assembly voted Thursday to cap participation in Milwaukee’s parental choice program at 19,500 students for the next two years – about the same number of students who now attend private schools at state expense.

Let me make it clear I’m no fan [...]

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Posted by Zach on June 11, 2009, at 5:37 pm

Honadel seeks to restore Learnfare program

In a press release issued yesterday, State Rep. Mark Honadel of South Milwaukee indicated he wants to amend the state budget to restore the Learnfare program. In justifying the amendment, here’s what Rep. Honadel said:

I believe the Learnfare program should be restored from the elimination made by Governor Doyle and Joint Finance because [...]

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Posted by Zach on June 4, 2009, at 5:01 am

Dems request Van Hollen records

From my emailbox comes word Jason Stephany, Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, has made an open records request to determine if Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen has instructed state employees at the Wisconsin Department of Justice to engage in a political lobbying campaign involving contacting members of the State Legislature [...]

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Posted by Zach on December 11, 2008, at 5:22 am

It could be worse…

For as bad as Wisconsin’s 5.4 billion dollar budget deficit is, things could be worse, as evidenced by California’s massive budget deficit:

The state faces a $28 billion budget shortfall over the next two years. If nothing is done, nearly $5 billion in public-works projects could be halted in little more than a [...]

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Posted by Zach on November 14, 2008, at 7:52 pm

Deeper state budget cuts ordered

Here’s some bad news out of Madison:

Madison — Administration Secretary Michael Morgan told state agencies today that the looming state budget deficit means they will have to cut operations spending by more than 10%.

The agencies were under orders in June to submit plans by Monday to cut their administrative operations by [...]

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