"I'm ready to work with anyone from either side of the aisle on real solutions that fix our economy and bring jobs to Wisconsin. Those include lowering the tax burden on families and small businesses, easing the regulatory burdens that are pushing jobs away, and ending the tax and spend culture that has taken hold in Madison. Unfortunately, we didn't hear any of that from Governor Doyle tonight.
If Wisconsin is to climb out of our financial mess, Governor Doyle must change his ways. Higher taxes and bloated government spending will not lead to long-term economic recovery.
Under Jim Doyle's lack of leadership, taxes are up, spending is up, and our budget deficit is one of the worst in the nation-over two billion worse than the day he first took office. It's no wonder that our state is losing good paying jobs seemingly every day.
We must reverse this trend. Wisconsin residents need real solutions from our leaders-solutions that will bring jobs to Wisconsin's hurting families, not lofty rhetoric and legislating by press release."
State Senator Ted Kanavas:
“Say this for Governor Doyle: he understands how to set low expectations. Tonight’s speech, as advertised, was steeped in somber rhetoric and dire warnings. He seemed trapped in his own flawed logic: on the one hand rejecting a partisan blame game, and on the other blaming everyone else for the state’s financial problems.
As remedies go, it seems pretty clear that the Governor wants to convince Wisconsinites that raising taxes is the only way to get through this budget session. I disagree. The underlying problem facing Wisconsin is that state government punishes businesses instead of nurturing them. Governor Doyle missed a golden opportunity to embrace policies that would protect existing businesses and create new jobs.
State government needs to reduce spending and cut-up the credit card. The Wisconsin Legislature needs to resist the temptation to borrow and continue building up state government at the expense of taxpayers and small businesses. Bad public policy got us into this mess. We need new thinking, responsible budgeting and economic growth to get us out.”
