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State budget provides many items of county

By GENE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
Wisconsin's $41 billion budget proposal, approved by the Assembly and Senate Wednesday night and awaiting the signature of Gov. Tommy Thompson, contains several items for Portage County.

While people may consider some of the items "pork barrel" projects, state Sen. Kevin Shibilski, D-town of Dewey, disagreed and said he thinks they will be included in the items signed by the governor.

The projects have been in the works for more than a year, he said, so legislators and the governor are familiar with them. "Each of these projects have merit and have been worked upon by people for a long time," he said.

Locally, $250,000 is earmarked for dredging and rehabilitation of McDill Pond, Shibilski said.

Included in the budget is a Wisconsin River initiative, which establishes a watershed center at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and provides academic support to study river protection and strategies.

Another item is reintroducing whooping cranes to the state at Mead Wildlife Area and Necedah Wildlife Area where the habitat is suitable, he said.

Mead would also gain from construction of an interpretive center for public use, replacing some old buildings.

A program begun at UW-SP, Becoming an Outdoor Woman, will benefit with statewide support for urban women, Shibilski said.

CAP Services will receive money for business development and two matching grants for $50,000 will benefit the Stevens Point Arts Council and the Portage County Historical Society for restoration at Plover Heritage Park.

Shibilski said he was excited about those two items, which require the groups to get a matching dollar for each dollar the state would provide. Work at Heritage Park has been mainly by volunteers, he said.

The budget also includes a half-time district attorney position for Portage County, an item he said he worked with District Attorney Thomas Eagon to achieve.

Other local items he identified included two railroad crossing signals in Stevens Point and a historical marker and signs for old Meehan Station on Highway 54 in the town of Plover, west of Plover.

Shibilski called the budget "totally a bipartisan project. I think it was therapeutic. The product is better. Everybody had to compromise."

The budget will provide nearly $1 billion in tax relief while providing a major investment in elementary education and the University of Wisconsin system.

The budget puts $52 million into the school aid formula and will help school districts meet escalating special education costs, he said. It also helps districts with declining enrollments and school safety investments for security, he said.

"Municipal government makes out well," he said, with recycling made permanent and increases in transportation aid.

The bigger winner, he said, is primarily the taxpayer because it's a tax-cut budget, with $600 to $700 in tax relief for the average working family.



	State budget provides many items of county By GENE KEMMETER of The Gazette Wisconsin's $41 billion budget proposal, approved by the Assembly and Senate Wednesday night and awaiting the signature of Gov. Tommy Thompson, contains several items for Portage County. While people may consider some of the items "pork barrel" projects, state Sen. Kevin Shibilski, D-town of Dewey, disagreed and said he thinks they will be included in the items signed by the governor. The projects have been in the works for more than a year, he said, so legislators and the governor are familiar with them. "Each of these projects have merit and have been worked upon by people for a long time," he said. Locally, $250,000 is earmarked for dredging and rehabilitation of McDill Pond, Shibilski said. Included in the budget is a Wisconsin River initiative, which establishes a watershed center at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and provides academic support to study river protection and strategies. Another item is reintroducing whooping cranes to the state at Mead Wildlife Area and Necedah Wildlife Area where the habitat is suitable, he said. Mead would also gain from construction of an interpretive center for public use, replacing some old buildings. A program begun at UW-SP, Becoming an Outdoor Woman, will benefit with statewide support for urban women, Shibilski said. CAP Services will receive money for business development and two matching grants for $50,000 will benefit the Stevens Point Arts Council and the Portage County Historical Society for restoration at Plover Heritage Park. Shibilski said he was excited about those two items, which require the groups to get a matching dollar for each dollar the state would provide. Work at Heritage Park has been mainly by volunteers, he said. The budget also includes a half-time district attorney position for Portage County, an item he said he worked with District Attorney Thomas Eagon to achieve. Other local items he identified included two railroad crossing signals in Stevens Point and a historical marker and signs for old Meehan Station on Highway 54 in the town of Plover, west of Plover. Shibilski called the budget "totally a bipartisan project. I think it was therapeutic. The product is better. Everybody had to compromise." The budget will provide nearly $1 billion in tax relief while providing a major investment in elementary education and the University of Wisconsin system. The budget puts $52 million into the school aid formula and will help school districts meet escalating special education costs, he said. It also helps districts with declining enrollments and school safety investments for security, he said. "Municipal government makes out well," he said, with recycling made permanent and increases in transportation aid. The bigger winner, he said, is primarily the taxpayer because it's a tax-cut budget, with $600 to $700 in tax relief for the average working family.