Taxes on hospital profits remain in the budget, part of the governor's plan to cover Medicaid costs. Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee railed against Governor Jim Doyle's proposed tax on hospital revenues . Greendale Representative Jeff Stone: “this committee has no idea where those dollars are going to go to. We have a memo from the adminstration, where they say (where) it might go.” Joint Finance Committee co-chair, Democratic state Senator Russ Decker, said the hospital tax means the state will be better able to compensate hospitals which treat Medicaid patients. Also remaining in the budget — at least for now — is an increase in the cigarette tax of $1.25 a pack , and a $175 million transfer from the state's Patients Compensation Fund .
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