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Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Eagon and Woulf win District 8 primary By Rebecca Holland THE DAILY CARDINAL
CHARLIE BAKER/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Gov. Doyle delivers his budget address Tuesday on the Assembly floor and announces a budget plan for the 2009-11 biennium, which must solve a projected $5.7 billion deficit.
Doyle unveils plan with ‘largest cuts ever seen’ By Hannah Furfaro THE DAILY CARDINAL
Gov. Jim Doyle’s 2009-11 budget proposal unveiled Tuesday calls for sacrifices from taxpayers and smokers while attempting to protect education in the midst of the largest cuts the state has ever had to make. In light of the anticipated $5.7 billion deficit for the 2009-11 biennium, Doyle announced an “across the board” cut in state spending totaling over $2.2 billion over the next two years. Despite these reductions, Doyle promised to protect education funding. Doyle also promised a positive balance of $270 million by the end of 2011. The budget will provide a $12 million increase for need-based financial aid but also includes a cut of $174 million over two years for UW System schools. “Our university system is going to have to be more resourceful, but this budget makes sure that more
students in Wisconsin have a shot at a higher education and that tuition stays within the means of Wisconsin families,” Doyle said. UW System President Kevin Reilly said in a statement the entire UW System will be affected by these cuts, but it is too early to judge how they will affect campuses or academic departments. “In this down economy when lots of families have serious questions about whether or not they can afford college, we and the governor agree something must be done to ensure we don’t lose talented students,” UW System spokesperson David Giroux said. In an unprecedented move, Doyle and the UW System worked in conjunction on a plan that freezes tuition for families with an income below $60,000. “We applaud Governor Doyle’s efforts to protect higher education in Wisconsin and his recognition that quality education and research are critical to short- and long-term
economic health,” Chancellor Biddy Martin said in statement. Doyle also announced a 1 percent tax increase on yearly incomes over $300,000 to raise revenues while protecting middle class earners. “If you’re like 99 percent of Wisconsin, you won’t pay this tax,” Doyle said. The budget proposal includes both an additional 75-cent tax on a pack of cigarettes and a statewide smoking ban. Doyle cited prevention of youth addiction, increasing public health and decreasing state health-care costs as motivations for both proposals. “If the goal is to reduce smoking, and even further to reduce teen smoking and getting people started, it’s admirable,” Rep. Phil Montgomery, R-Green Bay, said. Other aspects of the proposal include giving benefits to domestic partners and moving nonviolent offenders to rehabilitation programs early.
District 8 Alder candidates Bryon Eagon and Mark Woulf will continue their respective campaigns after winning the primary election Tuesday night. In a district that is 98 percent students, an unofficial vote count totaled 498. Eagon took 263 votes and Woulf landed 117, beating out candidates Katrina Flores, with 110, and Jacob Schmidt, with 38. Eagon and WOULF Woulf, both 20 years old, are UWMadison students. Eagon lists downtown and campus safety as his top priority. Eagon also represents students on ASM Student Council and holds leadership positions in the student group Students for Barack Obama. After it was announced he would move on, Eagon thanked his supporters. “I definitely appreciate the support of students and look forward to continuing to talk with them over the next few weeks as the campaign moves forward,” Eagon said. Woulf focuses on issues related to alcohol and student safety. He
has served as a representative on the Alcohol and Other Drug Task Force and has argued for greater redistribution of police forces on the streets, rather than patrolling for house parties. District 8 residents were able to vote at Memorial Union, Memorial Library, Gordon Commons or Porchlight Tuesday. Adam Young, chief inspectoratGordon Commons, where the majority of voters cast their ballots, said voter turnout was low. At 2:30 p.m., only EAGON 110 people had voted, compared to 2500 in the November presidential elections. Young said low turnout was unfortunate because each vote carries more weight in smaller elections.“I would feel terrible if someone won or lost an election by one vote and I didn’t vote,” Young said. “But a lot of people don’t think it’s important. That’s the honest truth.” Young also said citizens have more direct communication with city officials. “If you’ve got a problem with primary page 3
Troops honored before deployment to Iraq By Joe Skurzewski THE DAILY CARDINAL
Gov. Jim Doyle, along with state and national politicians and military officials, paid homage Tuesday to Wisconsin Army National Guard soldiers preparing for active duty and deployment to Iraq. A sea of camouflage, speckled with the faces of 3,200 anxious soldiers, covered the floor of the Veterans Memorial Coliseum at the Alliant Energy Center Tuesday afternoon. The event marked the largest deployment of troops in the state of Wisconsin since World War II.
U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., acknowledged how some troops were entering their second or third tours in Iraq. U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., told the troops they should contact their representatives if they do not have the equipment they need, receiving an ovation. Doyle addressed the troops last with words of encouragement. “We have the finest citizen militia anywhere in the world here in Wisconsin, in the Wisconsin National Guard,” he said. guard page 3
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UW to make partnership with Iraqi university By Erin Banco THE DAILY CARDINAL
UW-Madison officials and representatives from an Iraqi university took the first step in developing a relationship for the future in a teleconference phone call Feb. 13. According to Cynthia Williams, development program manager for the UW-Madison Division of International Studies, several faculty members from campus participated in the call. Gilles Bousquet, dean of the
Division of International Studies, lead the discussion with U.S. Embassy officials from the Salah ad Din Provincial Reconstruction Team in Iraq, who will help facilitate UW-Madison’s relationship with Tikrit University. Tikrit University, founded in 1987, is one of the largest universities in Iraq with over 12,000 students. “We believe that this is an exciting opportunity for both of our institutions,” Bousquet said in a statement. “Education will
play a key role in rebuilding Iraq, and UW-Madison has a strong tradition of international service and collaboration.” Williams said officials who participated in the phone call explored areas the universities could collaborate on in the future. “We asked what the needs were in Tikrit and what were some of the things we might have expertise in that would be helpful partnership page 3
GRACE FLANNERY/THE DAILY CARDINAL
Thousands of members of the National Guard gather at the Alliant Energy Center Tuesday for a ceremony honoring their service.
“…the great state University of Wisconsin should ever encourage that continual and fearless sifting and winnowing by which alone the truth can be found.”