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• Gov. Doyle calls 4 p.m. conference to discuss state's fiscal situation

Governor Jim Doyle will discuss the state's fiscal situation at 4 p.m., today, Thursday, May 21, in the Governor's Conference Room at the State Capitol.

The address will be carried live on http://www.wisconsineye.org.

Earlier today, pennings on a blog published by the MacIver Institute, a conservative think-tank in Madison, speculated that Doyle and the Joint Finance Committee may have reached agreement on provisions to close a budget gap now estimated at near $7 billion.

The committee announced public hearings to be held Friday and Saturday after several days of closed meetings.

"As is the case anytime the people's business is done outside of public view, rumors are rampant as to what is in the deal that was struck.

"Will we see a doubling of the Cell Phone Tax? Will those funds be diverted from the 911 initiative and be sent to the general fund instead? How much aid to local governments and school districts will be cut?

"Will the new Hospital Tax be increased already? Will the State increase its skim from those funds?

"Will this New Budget be rammed through in a series of omnibus motions? Or will it receive the same deliberate public scrutiny the Old Budget proposal had?

"As they say, the devil is in the details. But will the public have a chance to know the details before the Finance Committee votes...over the Memorial Day Weekend?

"We are also hearing there may be a massive expansion of the state sales tax to cover services that currently are not subject to it. This would be a dramatic move and a huge tax increase," the MacIver staff wrote.