Wisconsin faces more
than $5 billion budget
deficit

MADISON - Governor Doyle is asking for more cuts in state spending, after he already asked his cabinet to cut 10% from their budgets. He says it's clear with the state of the economy, 10% won't be enough.

"We will reduce state agency spending in fiscal year '09 by an additional 2.9%...$20 million dollars. That's above all the cuts we have already made in our agencies," said Doyle

The governor has outlined a number of steps to save money in the short term. Those steps include: cutting grants Doyle says are not absolutely necessary and leaving unfilled state jobs open.

The governor estimates there will be 3,500 state jobs open by June. The governor also wants to sell 500 state vehicles, and stop state employee bonuses.

"These are steps we're going to take to avoid, we hope, even more serious steps that might have to be taken," said Doyle.

Doyle says his priorities are protecting schools and preventing a tax increase.

"That's the first priority, the first we should all be working on - to try to get this done without a tax increase," said Doyle.

The second ranking republican in the State Senate, Glenn Grothman, was encouraged by some of Doyle's remarks.

"Now's the time to be responsible, just as so many businesses have come back, they've made their employees more productive, maybe they restructure their health care plan. Now is the time for the state of Wisconsin to do the same thing," said Grothman.

As far as bringing money into the state budget, the governor hopes the legislature will pass a hospital assessment that could bring in about $150 million.

He also hopes to work with the federal government to get funding for things like infrastructure, unemployment and health care.