A new bill intending to inform Wisconsin residents of both tax increases and decreases in the state budget was introduced by Republicans Thursday.

The bill calls for a public document to be released along with the proposed budget highlighting the location of every tax level change in the budget. It will also note what the additional funds state income will be used for.

Sen. Ted Kanavas, R-Brookfield, and Rep. Pat Strachota, R-West Bend, introduced the bill into both houses in hopes of preventing future budget stalemates, according to Shawn Lundie, chief of staff for Kanavas.

Lundie said the public currently has access to the proposed budget, but the document is very long and hard to comprehend.

"This document would remove the guessing," Lundie said. "You can't have an educated opinion [about the budget] unless you know."

Lundie said the bill requires this public document be made available the same day the governor releases the budget. Residents can then voice their concerns to their representative in a timely manner.

"Having all this information at the time the governor delivers the budget, [you] can know if you support or oppose something," Lundie said. "This will help you get informed about the budget a lot easier."

The budget stalemate, Lundie said, might have already ended if people knew the amount of tax increases proposed by Democrats. This bill aims to inform citizens so they can voice concerns to the government and improve the speed of the budget deliberation process.

"Constituents had no idea that taxes were going up," Lundie said. "This will give the amount of an increase."

Jay Heck, director of the nonpartisan citizens lobby group Common Cause in Wisconsin, said keeping citizens informed about any governmental proceedings — including the budget — is a good idea.

"The budget is a huge, complicated document that has all kinds of spending for state government programs," Heck said. "Most citizens are not able to understand what it's really all about."

Heck added this bill may be a result of the continued deadlock between the Democratic-controlled Senate and Republican-controlled Assembly, who have yet to compromise on a 2007-09 version of the state budget.

"[This] is something they should have introduced earlier this year. The biggest problem is that the budget was supposed to be finished by June 30," Heck said.

But Heck said this proposal seems like a political ploy, as it does not have any Democratic cosponsors.

"If they're serious about this [proposal], make the case and get some Democrats to support this," Heck said. "That's the kind of thing that would be helpful."

However, Lundie said the bill was sent out to every representative and senator in the Capitol.

According to Heck, any bill without bipartisan support will not make it through the state Legislature.

While Heck said he supports the Legislature shedding light on the government and making the budget easier to understand, the majority of residents probably will not read the tax levels document.

"There are always a few people who would be interested," Heck said.

But Lundie said college students should be very interested, as college tuition levels are controlled by the state budget.

"The budget has a very large impact on the life of college students," Lundie said. "This would point out tuition increases or decreases."