NEWS

Governor Signs a UW-Friendly Budget

Reporting By: Denise Thornton

Videography By: Denise Thornton

Three months behind schedule, Wisconsin finally has a budget. 

UW Student Morrad Fadel thanked Governor Jim Doyle for signing a hard-fought budget into law Friday.
“Hopefully I can uncross my fingers soon,” Fadel said, “and focus on what I came to school to do -- educate myself and those around me.”

UW System President Kevin Reilly called it a happy day for UW and for Wisconsin. 

“With this budget, we will have more than $150 million in new investment in higher education – that’s a $300 million swing,” Reilly said.

Governor Doyle says the budget also includes $10 million to retain key University faculty and research projects.

“In every part of the state, our universities serve as economic engines fueling our economy with innovation and highly skilled professionals we need to grow,” said Governor Doyle.

The 2007-2008 Budget fully funds the University’s Growth Agenda to expand enrollment and train the next generation of nurses, engineers, chemists, biologists, and skilled workers.  

The budget signed by the Governor invests $32 million in financial aid.  It includes $12 million to provide free college tuition to all Wisconsin veterans.

Students from all over Wisconsin witnessed the signing, and they seemed pleased. 

UW-Madison student Oliver Keifer said, “The Governor has obviously made higher education a priority in this budget, and I think he understands that for the state to realize its full potential, we need to invest in higher education.  We need to get those higher paying jobs into Wisconsin.”

UW-Madison student Suchita Shah agreed, adding, “I think it’s wonderful.  It really puts a lot of emphasis on the University, and not just the University in Madison, but the entire University of Wisconsin system.  It specifically prevents us from having thousands of class sections cut.  It prevents us from having to worry about higher education grants if students can afford college.

The budget also includes $150 million to develop renewable energy over the next ten years, and reauthorizes the Stewardship fund at $85 million per year for 10 years. 

It also includes health coverage plan that will ensure that at least 98 percent of Wisconsin citizens have access to health coverage.  BadgerCare Plus offers every Wisconsin family the opportunity to buy health coverage for their child starting at $10 a month.

 The cigarette tax will increase by $1 to reduce smoking rates and dedicates the new funds to pay the cost of tobacco-related illness and invests $30 million in smoking prevention and cessation programs.