The proposal from Governor Jim Doyle would make cuts across state agencies and establish new revenue sources to address a remaining shortfall of about $527 million.
The Governor is urging lawmakers to act quickly on the bill, saying it will “do more good” if it can be enacted early.
The proposal includes a hospital tax that Republicans rejected in the last budget. Doyle says the 0.7 percent tax would free up about $125 million in GPR and allow the state to access $450 million in federal funding.
The budget repair bill is expected to face opposition from both sides of the aisle. Republicans are vowing to fight any effort to raise taxes and Senate Democrats could push for additional increases left out of the last budget. Doyle says he wants to avoid fighting every battle again that came up in the last budget, which was over three months late.
Doyle has called for a special session on Thursday for lawmakers to take up the proposal.
AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (MP3 1:03)
