The Governor says lawmakers need to get the state budget out of the way as quickly as possible.
Wisconsin faces a $5.4 billion budget deficit for the next biennium, and Governor Jim Doyle says it only hurts the state if lawmakers take too long to address the issue. He says there's no way to avoid a terrible budget, and it's not going to get easier if they just sit around.
Doyle plans to introduce his budget in February. He's hopeful the Legislature will give it due consideration, make changes, and then wrap up their work by the spring.
Doyle admits he's not likely to get everything he asks for, but he does expect Democratic control of the state Senate and Assembly to help speed up the process.
State law requires the Legislature to pass the budget by the end of June. The Governor says there's no excuse for missing that deadline this time around, unlike two years ago when the budget was several months overdue.
AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (MP3 1:03)
