“Of course, I give myself an ‘A’.” This was Gov. Doyle’s response to a question asking him to grade himself on his first year in office. I suppose I might have responded the same way when asked about my classes, but my professors don’t usually agree with me. An “A” is a challenging mark to achieve, especially for running a state during a very difficult year.

When Jim Doyle took office, he promised that it was a “new day in Wisconsin.” Partisan politics should be put aside, special interests should come second to the good of the state and the state budget should be passed without raising taxes. If these are the criteria, I hardly think an “A” is appropriate. He did not accomplish one of these.

The first point of contention between the governor and the Legislature came when he announced that he was prepared to sign Native American gaming compacts that would give tribes more casinos, more games and more control in exchange for a large wad of money and never having to negotiate these contracts again if they don’t want to. In a process that has always involved some legislative oversight, the governor quickly turned his back on the idea of putting partisan politics aside. These compacts, currently before the Wisconsin Supreme Court, would give the state very little control on the future of gambling in Wisconsin.

Why would the “new day” governor do this? It could just be a coincidence that Native American tribes in Wisconsin spent $725,000 on behalf of Doyle and his friends during the 2002 campaign season. What happened to “ordinary citizens who can’t afford lobbyists” coming first?

Possibly the biggest issue in Wisconsin politics this year was the property-tax freeze proposed by Republican leaders of the Legislature. It dominated the headlines during the budget process and throughout the summer. Now, with Wisconsin citizens getting their property-tax bills at the end of the year, it is once again on the front burner.

While the state successfully avoided raising income, sales and corporate taxes, and the governor deserves to be commended for this, he has let down Wisconsin taxpayers. Due to his veto of the freeze, property taxes are going up across the state. There were many in the state who did not think he could keep his campaign promises and not raise taxes.

While members of his staff can spin it to say Gov. Doyle did not raise local property taxes, he had the opportunity to put a cap on levies and chose not to do so. His administration’s own numbers indicate property taxes will increase at an average rate of 4.3 percent. In the city of Madison, property taxes will go up 7.1 percent. As a student who lives off campus, this will have a direct effect on my already struggling bank account.

The reason Doyle vetoed this overwhelmingly supported provision of the budget can be directly linked to a special interest that has him in its back pocket. The Wisconsin Education Association Council claimed the freeze would kill education in our state. All it meant was that schools would have to tighten their belts just like everyone else in the state for a year or two. If a school were in desperate need, local taxpayers would have had the ability to authorize further spending.

Gov. Doyle vetoed many bills strongly supported by Wisconsin residents. Rick Graber, chair of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, says, “Gov. Doyle has called himself ‘a supporter of programs that protect children.’ Then why did he veto a bill that would allow Wisconsin schools to fire or refuse to hire unpardoned felons?”

Graber is exactly right. Doyle vetoed the school-choice program expansion bills that would help thousands more students in the Milwaukee area get a better education as well.

In the same Beloit Daily News interview where he gave himself an “A,” he gave the Legislature a “C or an incomplete.” He cites its inability to pass economic-growth and job-creation bills in the fall. It is possible that this could have happened. Yet, members of his own administration asked legislative leaders to hold off on the bills until the holiday season.

As I said before, I would love to be able to give myself an “A” in all my classes, but I doubt I would deserve many of them. It is the same way with Gov. Doyle. He can give himself the biggest gold star he wants. But until he opens his eyes to see that governing is a two-way street when you have to deal with legislators of the other party, he won’t be effective.

Both sides need to do what’s best for the state of Wisconsin, not pat themselves on the back for a job not done the way Jim Doyle has.

Matt Seaholm ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in political science.