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Doyle unveils tax cut plan

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Also by Tom Schalmo:

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Winter storm hits Madison (December 1, 2007)
Student reports sexual assault in Ogg Hall (November 30, 2007)
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by Tom Schalmo

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Once again bringing higher education to the forefront of this year's gubernatorial race, Gov. Jim Doyle announced Wednesday a proposal to help alleviate the cost of a University of Wisconsin System education.

The plan, Doyle's third initiative involving a tax cut, would allow Wisconsin families to deduct the entire tuition cost of attending a UW school from their taxes.

Doyle spokesman Dan Leistikow said the announcement is part of the governor's commitment to make a "significant reinvestment" in higher education.

"Governor Doyle has proposed capping tuition at no more than inflation and is providing a significant increase in financial aid," Leistikow said.

Under Doyle's plan, students would also be able to deduct book expenses and student fees from their taxes, marking an unprecedented effort.

"This tax deduction will provide real help to middle-class families as they make the most important investment of their lifetime: helping their kids achieve the dream of a higher education," Doyle said in a release.

In addition, the governor, if re-elected, pledged to increase financial aid in the next state budget, a move that he said would offset the "devastating cuts" passed by the U.S. Congress.

Wednesday's announcement spurred another round of criticisms from Doyle's gubernatorial challenger, U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Wis.

Green spokesman Luke Punzenberger agreed the state should be trying to decrease tuition costs, but challenged the governor's sincerity and commitment to the idea.

"Mark Green is all for lowering the cost of tuition," Punzenberger said. "But the problem is that in four years under Jim Doyle, tuition has ballooned over 50 percent on Wisconsin students; at the same time it was lowered for out-of-state students."

But Doyle's campaign refuted Punzenberger's statement, accusing Green of not making an effort to improve the accessibility of a college education. According to Leistikow, Green, as a congressman, voted to cut federal student loans and additionally would, as a governor, make enrollment and budget cuts in the University of Wisconsin System.

"I don't think there's any question about which candidate supports the University of Wisconsin and which doesn't," Leistikow said.

Punzenberger, though, denied the claims of the Doyle campaign that Green would make not be able to increase affordability.

"Mark Green has never voted to cut financial aid," Punzenberger said, adding that Pell Grant funding toward student aid has risen nearly 70 percent since Green joined Congress.

In a statement released by his campaign, Green cited a study by the College Board released Tuesday that said tuition rates in the United States are rising as a whole.

The College Board's study reported that, after taking inflation into consideration, tuition is up 35 percent from 2001.

Tuition costs at four-year public institutions around the country average to be about $5,800 per year. Tuition at University of Wisconsin-Madison is about 3 percent above the national average at $6,000 per year for in-state students.

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Anonymous (October 26, 2006 @ 10:20am):

I call shenanigans on Green and Doyle.

Anonymous (October 26, 2006 @ 10:43am):

Ok, I get it...NOW Doyle is for cutting Taxes...

Anonymous (October 26, 2006 @ 1:26pm):

Seriosly, dump Doyle.

Anonymous (November 5, 2006 @ 7:03pm):

here's an idea... pay the faculty a little less...they think they got it tough... 3 months off, long xmas break, spring break, try workin in a factory for 40 years