JIM DOYLE...ROBBING US AGAIN

In case you missed it, Governor Jim Doyle, who never passes up a user free increase or fund transfer in the name of saying he does not raise taxes, wants to take $25 million earmarked for cell phone user rebates and give it local governments instead. $25 million is not much in terms of a budget which is more than $50 billion, but there is a principle involved here.

Of course, as the mayor, I should be happy to see the money going to local governments, but I am not, since I am also a cell phone user and a taxpayer.

From 2006 and last summer, you paid a surcharge on your cell phone bills to help local governments develop the ability to pinpoint wireless 911 callers' location. This technology is, of course, very helpful and could be a life-saver in some cases. But here is the kicker. The state Public Service Commission decided the work was done last summer and ended the surcharges, which was the right thing to do. The fund has a balance of $25 million. The commission had planned to return that money to cell phone users. Once again, this was the right thing to do.

Now, what is the wrong thing to do? Exactly what Governor Doyle is proposing. He wants to take that money and and convert to it to state aid instead. So far, no one knows how much each individual is being robbed, and that is the proper verbage, by this proposal. With a Democratically-controlled Legislature, I don't see much chance of this not passing. And, once again, residents have every reason to doubt the sincerity and honesty of our state government.

So, let's recap. Since unveiling his budget, Doyle has:
* Raided UW-Stevens Point for $2.5 million that was raised by increased student fees to buy furniture for a new dorm, in the name of balancing the state budget
* Refused to take the $10 increase we have been paying on our driver's licenses, which was intended for the Real ID program, and used it to plug the budget deficit
* Refuses to give back the extra $25 million the state taxed cell phone users to fund 911-locator technology.
And we sit here and complain about what Wall Street, the Federal Reserve and the bankers are doing in this economic meltdown?