“I can only hope students that are caught in a bind get involved and don’t become cynical,” Gov. Doyle said.

Students could have to pay up to $800 in surcharge fees in order to finish their second semester at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Governor Jim Doyle said last Wednesday at a campus press conference.

The fee could be added next semester if the state Legislature does not agree on a budget soon. Doyle said that UWM will run out of money at the end of April without a budget.

He also said about 5,000 UWM students may not be able to receive financial aid.

Doyle blamed extreme voices in the Republican caucus that have hindered negotiations and imposed “draconian cuts” on a budget proposed eight months ago and which should have been agreed upon more than 100 days ago.

“Over the past several months we had reached agreements on both sides, but because of the Republican Assembly everything has been thrown out the window,” Doyle said.

He is also frustrated over a bill he passed a year ago that would allow veterans to attend universities and technical colleges for free, but has been rendered impotent because of Republicans’ refusal to provide the $6.5 million Doyle set aside.

Also included in Doyle’s original budget was $60 million towards tuition and $20 million for financial aid for Wisconsin students.

Brad Long, a member of UWM College Democrats, said after attending the press conference Wednesday that he agreed with most of what Doyle had to say but he felt Doyle was quick to blame Republicans.

“Doyle cast more blame than he ought to on Republicans because there are just as many liberal groups standing in the way of his proposals,” Long said.

Wisconsin is the only state in the country that has not agreed upon a new budget and is operating without one. The state is required to pass a budget at some time, and every legislature in the history of Wisconsin has done so, Doyle said.

Many proposals in Doyle’s budget have already been given up on, including a health care initiative that would have covered 98 percent of the state through a $1.25 increased tobacco tax, but Doyle said Republicans backed away.

Doyle just hopes students don’t give up on their government.

“I can only hope students that are caught in a bind get involved and don’t become cynical,” Doyle said.

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