Over $50,000 in gas and electric utility contributions to Gov. Jim Doyle’s campaign might be linked with state-approved utility projects, according to a Wisconsin Democracy Campaign report released Nov. 18.

The report questioned the timing of donations from Wisconsin Energy Corporation, Wisconsin Public Service Corporation and American Transmission Company and found the contributions coincided with favorable legislation to the industry signed by Doyle.

WDC’s Executive Director Mike McCabe said most of the donations came before or after the state favored some of the utilities’ more controversial plans, such as building new coal plants in Wausau and Oak Creek and increasing costs for constructing an electrical transmission line between Duluth, Minnesota and Wausau.

He also suggested the governor might have influenced members of the state Public Service Commission to ensure they approved these developments.

“The utilities were never interested in Governor Doyle’s political fortunes until his position to control the Public Service Commission,” McCabe said. “Right when it was near the time he was going to be elected, we saw a spike in donations.”

Wisconsin Public Service Corporation’s Spokesman Jim Morrison said the donations were not connected with the state-approved projects.

Morrison said 2002 was an election year, and his company usually contributed to campaigns with upcoming political events.

“Part of the process of building relationships is providing contributions to people who are running for office. It’s the American way,” he said.

According to Morrison, the Public Service Commission — not Doyle — gave projects the green light.

“The only thing Doyle can do is appoint people to serve on that committee, but he can’t influence their decisions,” he said, adding the PSC just turned down his company’s plans to sell a nuclear plant in Kewaunee.

Since Doyle become governor in 2002, he has appointed two members to the PSC — chairwoman Burnie Bridge and member Mark Meyer. Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson appointed the rest of the members on the board at the time of the project approvals, Morrison said.

Although McCabe said the grassroots environmental organization Sierra Club has fought against the northern Wisconsin transmission line and coal-fired plants, Morrison said the companies have an “obligation” to meet the growing public demand for electricity. He said the Wausau plant used top environmental protection technology.

The WDC report stated the utility industry donated $133,323 to the Governor from 2002-04. In comparison, the industry gave Doyle 17 times less — $7,911 — in the seven years before he became governor in 2002.

McCabe called Doyle a “huge disappointment” because he said the Governor had promised to stop cash flow from big businesses to election campaigns and instead focus on voluntary donations received from the public.

“He said it would be the first bill he’d push, but then he ran screaming from the issue,” McCabe said. “He hasn’t lifted a finger to pass campaign reform on this issue.”