What would a good governor do?

For months, the people of Wisconsin have been treated to a dog and pony show coming out of governor's office on the state budget.

We can see the governor's lips moving and hot air is coming out, but as far as actions, there has been absolutely no movement forward.

It got me to thinking, as I watch the governor's dog and pony show- what would a good governor do?

A good governor recognizes the needs of all the people in their state, not just the select few that paid for their election.
Since the day the governor announced his budget proposal, it has been painfully obvious- not everyone in this state is on the governor’s priority list. The governor’s budget, with $1.7 billion in tax and fee increases rewarded the people that paid plenty of money in order. WEAC and the UW Regents were at the top of the Governor’s list. The governor made it clear that the oil companies were at the bottom of the list. Worse, since the taxpayers are the ones to pay for the oil tax and every other tax and fee increase, the taxpayers are further down on the list than the oil companies.
The governor is the governor for every single individual in the state. That includes both Republicans and Democrats. It is a balancing act to meet everyone’s needs, and the governor is failing.

A good governor puts out fires, not starts them.

For the last several months, especially since the budget is late, the governor has been traveling the state starting fires and creating unnecessary panic among the Wisconsin people. The governor has bounced from community to community-stirring anger, panic and resentment among the community leaders. For example, the governor has told local governments would not get the necessary aid because a budget was not passed. In truth, without a budget, local communities get the same aid as they got last year. However, if the Governor really wants to provide re-assurance to these communities, he could promise to sign AB506.

Just recently, the Governor decided he would start another fire with the senior citizens. We have some senior citizens in this state really upset because the governor told them their costs for prescriptions are going up and it will cost them 12 times what they have been charged.

Doyle said seniors who now pay $5 for a generic drug prescription will pay an average of $60 per prescription if a budget is not passed.

I am not sure how anyone can read this and not consider our governor to be a cruel and hateful man. Why would you tell senior citizens this? Our governor is purposefully telling senior citizens this in order to get what he wants from the budget. GOOD GOVERNORS DO NOT DO THIS TO THE SENIOR CITIZENS IN THEIR STATE.

A good governor shows leadership

For months, we have all known that there was a deep divide between the governor’s budget, the assembly budget and the senate’s budget. Even after knowing that the budget would be late because of these deep divides, the governor made no move until a few weeks ago to move the process forward. Good governors do not wait until deadlines are looming before attempting to bring all sides together.

As already has been pointed out, the governor was too busy running around the state starting fires, instead of sitting down and helping the process move forward.

A good governor does not look a gift horse in the mouth

With a massive tax increase looming because of local governments and school district deadlines, the State Assembly passed the largest portion of the budget that would protect the taxpayers, local governments and school districts. The governor was handed a gift.

Our governor has promised a veto. Even as our governor continues to issue threats, he is refusing to move on the portion of the budget that is done.

A good governor would have set aside his partisan differences, encouraged the senate(controlled by his own political party) to take up the bill , and signed the necessary legislation to protect schools, local governments and taxpayers.

Wisconsin deserved a good Governor during this budget mess. We did not get a good governor. This budget mess has proven that true.