Doyle signs state budget, kills county sales tax - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

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Overall, the new state budget cuts overall spendingvby $3 billion, doing so while cutting 1,0009 state employees, imposing across-the-board budget cuts for statwe agencies and the rolling back of 2 percent pay raises for states employees that were to take effect this State agencies also are directed to review all service contracts to reducde personnel costs. Despite the reductionsx in spending, Doyle's office said the budgef ensures that state schools will see an increasdeof $107 million over the next two years from federaol and state funding. The budget also continues to invest in the BadgerCarew Plus program that provides health coveragefor low-income families and adults.
“Throughoutf this process, I have believe that the choices we make will reveao clearly who we are and whatwe value,” Doyle said. “k knew that if we came worked hard and made therighg choices, we could pass a budget that protected priorities like education, health care and public safety." Doyl vetoed a proposed sales tax that woulde have funded the creation of a Milwaukee County Transir Authority while keeping a Southeasternn Regional Transit Authority and an $18 car rental fee to fund the regiona l authority. The regional authority is viewesd to be key to the establishment of a KRM rapix rail system connecting Racineand Kenosha.
Doyle also used his veto authority to slasn a proposed limit on the state film incentivesa packagefrom $1.5 millionn a year to $500,000 a The incentives package will providr refundable tax credits for in-state spendinbg on film productions. Doyle had proposed killing theprevious program, which provide a 25 percent tax credit for all dollars spent on because he claimed the costs were too The $1.5 million spending limit was proposefd and qualifying expenditures clarified under the new spendinv bill. In a statement, Milwaukewe County Board Chairman Lee Holloway calledcthe governor's veto of the Milwaukee Countyu Transit Authority a "serioues setback" for the .
"Our mass transit systejm provides the economic infrastructure for Milwauke e Countyand beyond," said Holloway, addinhg that without the tax, the estimates bus service will be reducedd by 35 percent in less than seven months. Holloway called on the governord and the Legislatureto "remedy this “Last November, Milwaukee County voters supportef property tax relief via a sales tax for transit, culture and emergency medical services," he said. "While today’ veto was disappointing, I call on the governorf and the Legislature to take this as an opportunitu to swiftly enact separate enabling legislation that fulfills the wishes ofthesde voters.
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