Doyle noted that he had to find $1.2 billion for shared revenue for the next two years to plug a hole created in the last budget, which funded shared revenues with one-time tobacco money. Doyle taps $500 million from the state transportation fund -- $300 million for school aid and $200 million for shared revenue, a funding device that the road builders, with all their political muscle, are unlikely to enthusiastically embrace.

As local government reports to the Department of Revenue indicate, nearly half of local transportation costs statewide already are funded with property taxes, and only a quarter are funded with transportation aids, so an argument can be made that this transfer will only help plug a hole in local budgets that transportation costs create. See the story below, or click here.

Put into context, the cuts for local governments are not as severe as proposed cuts in state agencies, but the $90 million in cuts ($70 million plus a previously scheduled $20 million cut) would cost local government across the state more than 1,000 jobs, Ed Huck, Alliance executive director, estimated.For the text of Doyle's budget address, look here. For a budget summary and other budget document (in Adobe Acrobat format), look here.

Three of Our Mayors Ousted in Primaries

Madison Mayor Sue Bauman, Racine Mayor Jim Smith and Oak Creek Mayor Dale Richards lost primary elections Feb. 18, ending their re-election bids. For the Wisconsin State Journal story on the Madison race, look here. For the results in Racine, look here. For the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story on the Oak Creek race, look here.

A bit of trivia: Ron Thomas, who came in second in the Racine primary, lives in the same house once owned by Racine Mayor Kenneth Huck, brother of Alliance executive director Ed Huck.

Recycling Rule Change Hits 9 of Our Cities

The Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources objected, 3-2, to eligibility criteria in a state administrative rule for recycling efficiency grants to non-county recycling programs in communities of over 50,000, affecting nine Alliance cities.

Alliance members affected are Milwaukee, Madison,  Green Bay, Kenosha, Racine, West Allis, Oshkosh, La Crosse and Sheboygan.

Although there are no criteria for awarding efficiency incentive grants to those cities, they could still qualify through formation of countywide recycling programs or cooperative agreements, said Cynthia Moore, the recycling team leader at the Department of Natural Resources.

The surviving portions of the rule were signed by DNR Secretary Scott Hassett Feb. 10. The DNR expects the rule to take effect April 1.

The move to object to grant criteria for the nine Alliance cities was made by Sen. Neal Kedzie (R-Elkhorn). Sens. Dave Zien (R-Eau Claire) and Cathy Stepp (R-Sturtevant) supported it. Sens. Fred Risser (D-Madison) and Robert Wirch (D-Pleasant Prairie) were opposed.

For more information, e-mail Cynthia Moore or Sheila Henneger at the DNR.