Green's REAL Challenge

Let's assume that Mark Green wins the race and becomes Governor of the State of Wisconsin early next year. (Let's also HOPE and WORK for that...)

He will have a problem:

The Legislature and Doyle both use bookkeeping that says the state will have a tiny surplus when the current budget cycle ends in mid-2007. But Green and others, including the non-profit Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, said more traditional accounting methods conclude that the imbalance between future spending and tax collections is more than $1 billion.

Basically, state spending in fiscal 2008 - the first budget the next governor must prepare - is $400 million out of balance, assuming state government continues to pay two-thirds of public school costs, continues to pay for rising Medicaid caseloads and gives state workers a 1.5% annual pay raise

The difficulty here is simple. There are plenty of (R) Leggies who like to spend Other People's Money. Not on WEAC, of course. They prefer highways and buildings, and maybe nursing homes.

But, as Rep. Lassee has tirelessly pointed out, IT'S THE SPENDING, STUPID!!!

Green will have to exercise a very firm hand to control the Pubbie spending-lobby. We can expect a great deal of internecine bloodshed should Green actually make the attempt.

He'll need support.