Doyle Plans To Veto Items In Budget Repair Bill

MADISON, Wis. -- Gov. Jim Doyle is considering changes to a bill intended to fix the state's $527 million budget shortfall, and he will announce what is in and what will be left out Friday morning.

Doyle said he isn't happy with a few provisions in the bill. Doyle said he opposes a plan to use newly increased driver's license fees to help balance the state budget.

Both chambers of the Legislature approved a bill this week intended to fix the state's budget shortfall.

One of its provisions would raid $22 million initially set aside to comply with a federal law to make driver's licenses more secure. Lawmakers last year raised the driver's license fee by $10 to pay for that mandate.

Doyle said part of that money could be used to balance the budget but transferring the entire amount leaves no money to comply with the federal Real ID act.

The governor also said he doesn't support an accounting move to delay school aid payments.

"When you're dealing with a national economic downturn that's caused a budget shortage in Wisconsin, like it has in most states, I don't think our answer should be that we're not going to pay our bills. We figure out ways that we do have to pay our bills," Doyle said.

Doyle said he also isn't happy with the idea of pulling money out of the state's tobacco settlement, and he's looking into ways to reduce that number with his veto power.

One of the measures not in the budget bill is the hospital tax. Doyle told members of the state's Hospital Association on Thursday that he plans to reintroduce it in his next budget.