Gov. Jim Doyle called Tuesday night for the state’s top earners, those earning capital gains, smokers and oil companies to pay more as part of his plan to balance the state’s projected $5.7 billion budget deficit for 2009-11.
In addition to the tax hikes, Doyle proposed using a mix of spending cuts and federal stimulus money to balance the budget while protecting education and public safety.
In all, the governor called for $1.4 billion in revenue increases and $2.2 billion in cuts to state programs to help close the shortfall, along with $2.1 billion in federal stimulus money.