State of State address local responses
Doyle focuses on education, health care in State of State address
By Aldrich M. Tan of The Northwestern
In his fifth State of the State address, Gov. Jim Doyle Tuesday called on lawmakers to "seize the opportunities of our time" and provide health insurance to all children in the state, increase funding for education, improve the environment and ban smoking in public places.
Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, said he was especially encouraged by Doyle's proposed investment in the university system. In his speech, Doyle announced that the state would increase funding for the University of Wisconsin System by $225 million.
"I think that to compete in the global economy, it is important to increase our investment in higher education and our access to higher education," Hintz said.
University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh Chancellor Richard Wells said he is pleased with the governor's efforts to increase UW funding. Wells said he would be attending the governor's budget speech Feb. 13 in Madison.
"It's going to impact UWO's ability to give greater access to more students and better serve the needs of the region," Wells said. "We will be able to hire more tenure-track faculty, depending on how much funding the governor is able to put towards our growth agenda, but that could be between a dozen and 18 more faculty to serve an estimated 350 more students in high-demand areas."
Sen. Carol Roessler, R-Oshkosh, said she applauded Doyle's health care initiatives. As previously announced, Doyle proposed expanding the state's health insurance program to cover all children, regardless of their families' income, as well as adding more than 71,000 adults. He said the children's insurance would start at $10 a month.
"We want Wisconsin to be a leader in health care and find a way for health care to be affordable for all Wisconsinites," Roessler said. "There is much to be applauded in reducing bureaucracy and structuring some of our programs that can improve more access to health care coverage. That's excellent."
Doyle said the plan would ensure that at least 98 percent of the state's residents have access to health care coverage, which would be more than any other state.
"No family will be denied coverage for their child just because their income goes up," Doyle said. He also promised to streamline the eligibility process under the BadgerCare program and to partner with private organizations to identify eligible children and get them signed up.
A purchasing pool to help businesses afford catastrophic health insurance for employees also will be created, he said.
Doyle also reiterated his support for the Wisconsin Covenant program, which guarantees eighth-graders who sign a pledge to meet certain academic and citizenship benchmarks will have access to a Wisconsin college or university.
He said he would propose a major increase in financial aid in his budget to pay for the program and also create an Office of the Wisconsin Covenant. Three eighth-graders from Franklin Middle School in Green Bay who attended the speech will be among the first to sign the covenant, Doyle said.
Doyle promised to deliver a budget in two weeks that will cut waste and lower taxes for Wisconsin families, but he provided no details.
More details about how Doyle will pay for his promises, and deal with a $1.6 billion budget shortfall, likely won't come until he releases his two-year budget to the Legislature Feb. 13.
Roessler said she has earnest questions on how all of Doyle's initiatives will be funded.
"We are going to have to look at our state budget and that is going to put these lofty proposals and ideals in the realm of reality," Roessler said.
Hintz agreed that Doyle proposed a lot Tuesday night.
"I think we are going to have to see where the numbers fit in," Hintz said. "The devil is going to be in the details and I look forward to reviewing how we can meet the needs of our program and the state. But in terms of a blueprint, the governor has a solid idea of where we need to go as a state."
As Doyle pushes his agenda this year, he will find more friendly faces in the Legislature than during his first term. Democrats now control the Senate. While Republicans maintained a majority in the Assembly, their numbers dropped by eight after the November election.
Aldrich M. Tan: (920) 426-6663 or atan@thenorthwestern.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
www.thenorthwestern.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070131/OSH0101/701310513/1987
Posted January 31, 2007
By Aldrich M. Tan of The Northwestern
In his fifth State of the State address, Gov. Jim Doyle Tuesday called on lawmakers to "seize the opportunities of our time" and provide health insurance to all children in the state, increase funding for education, improve the environment and ban smoking in public places.
Rep. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, said he was especially encouraged by Doyle's proposed investment in the university system. In his speech, Doyle announced that the state would increase funding for the University of Wisconsin System by $225 million.
"I think that to compete in the global economy, it is important to increase our investment in higher education and our access to higher education," Hintz said.
University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh Chancellor Richard Wells said he is pleased with the governor's efforts to increase UW funding. Wells said he would be attending the governor's budget speech Feb. 13 in Madison.
"It's going to impact UWO's ability to give greater access to more students and better serve the needs of the region," Wells said. "We will be able to hire more tenure-track faculty, depending on how much funding the governor is able to put towards our growth agenda, but that could be between a dozen and 18 more faculty to serve an estimated 350 more students in high-demand areas."
Sen. Carol Roessler, R-Oshkosh, said she applauded Doyle's health care initiatives. As previously announced, Doyle proposed expanding the state's health insurance program to cover all children, regardless of their families' income, as well as adding more than 71,000 adults. He said the children's insurance would start at $10 a month.
"We want Wisconsin to be a leader in health care and find a way for health care to be affordable for all Wisconsinites," Roessler said. "There is much to be applauded in reducing bureaucracy and structuring some of our programs that can improve more access to health care coverage. That's excellent."
Doyle said the plan would ensure that at least 98 percent of the state's residents have access to health care coverage, which would be more than any other state.
"No family will be denied coverage for their child just because their income goes up," Doyle said. He also promised to streamline the eligibility process under the BadgerCare program and to partner with private organizations to identify eligible children and get them signed up.
A purchasing pool to help businesses afford catastrophic health insurance for employees also will be created, he said.
Doyle also reiterated his support for the Wisconsin Covenant program, which guarantees eighth-graders who sign a pledge to meet certain academic and citizenship benchmarks will have access to a Wisconsin college or university.
He said he would propose a major increase in financial aid in his budget to pay for the program and also create an Office of the Wisconsin Covenant. Three eighth-graders from Franklin Middle School in Green Bay who attended the speech will be among the first to sign the covenant, Doyle said.
Doyle promised to deliver a budget in two weeks that will cut waste and lower taxes for Wisconsin families, but he provided no details.
More details about how Doyle will pay for his promises, and deal with a $1.6 billion budget shortfall, likely won't come until he releases his two-year budget to the Legislature Feb. 13.
Roessler said she has earnest questions on how all of Doyle's initiatives will be funded.
"We are going to have to look at our state budget and that is going to put these lofty proposals and ideals in the realm of reality," Roessler said.
Hintz agreed that Doyle proposed a lot Tuesday night.
"I think we are going to have to see where the numbers fit in," Hintz said. "The devil is going to be in the details and I look forward to reviewing how we can meet the needs of our program and the state. But in terms of a blueprint, the governor has a solid idea of where we need to go as a state."
As Doyle pushes his agenda this year, he will find more friendly faces in the Legislature than during his first term. Democrats now control the Senate. While Republicans maintained a majority in the Assembly, their numbers dropped by eight after the November election.
Aldrich M. Tan: (920) 426-6663 or atan@thenorthwestern.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
www.thenorthwestern.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070131/OSH0101/701310513/1987
Posted January 31, 2007
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