SENATE FAILS TO OVERRIDE VETO OF FUNDING FOR ATTORNEYS

Madison - The state Senate failed Friday to override Gov. Jim Doyle's veto
of funding for 15 assistant district attorneys and postponed confirmation
of the governor's top deputy.

On a 19-13 vote - three votes short of the 22 required in the Senate to
override a veto - senators failed to reverse Doyle's decision to cut the
number of prosecutors statewide to help solve the $3.2 billion budget deficit.

Although legislators earlier had voted to pay salaries for 11 of the 15
prosecutors with a federal grant, Doyle objected to that plan. The federal
funds were needed to pay for programs that fight drug abuse, truancy and
mentor juveniles, Democratic senators said.

"We have an issue with the way it was funded," said Democratic Sen. Jon
Erpenbach of Middleton.

Republicans believe the prosecutors are needed to "make sure the bad guys
go to prison," said Sen. Bob Welch (R-Redgranite).

On Friday, a group of district attorneys filed suit, asking the state
Supreme Court to reinstate the 15 jobs.

Sen. Sheila Harsdorf (R-River Falls) said Doyle's veto cut the ability of
western Wisconsin prosecutors to fight a growing problem with
methamphetamine crimes.

But Sen. Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee) said "overzealous prosecutors" in some
counties have sent too many criminals, especially minorities, to prison for
non-violent crimes.

Although the most violent criminals deserve to be locked up, Moore said "we
don't need to prosecute everything."

No Wisconsin governor has had a veto overridden since October 1985.

Appointment On Hold

On an 18-14 vote, senators failed to confirm state Administration Secretary
Marc Marotta, the governor's top deputy. Instead, all Senate Republicans
voted to send his appointment back to committee. All Democrats fought the move.

Republicans were frustrated that Marotta had negotiated extensively with
them on bills to protect and create jobs, only to have the governor
criticize Republicans this week for deciding to postpone action on those
bills until early December.

"This governor and his lieutenants have to learn to work with the
Legislature," said Senate Majority Leader Mary Panzer (R-West Bend).

In negotiating with the Legislature, Doyle and his top advisers "don't have
their act together," complained Republican Sen. Dale Schultz of Richland
Center.

Democrats said Marotta was being punished because Republicans were mad at
Doyle.

"The majority party also needs to work with the governor," said Erpenbach.

Marotta can continue to serve while his appointment is pending.

Also Friday, the Senate:

Approved, 23-9, a bill that would make it more difficult for municipalities
to establish their own telecommunications and cable networks to serve
businesses and residents in their communities.

Sen. Ted Kanavas (R-Brookfield), the primary sponsor of the legislation,
said taxpayer-supported municipalities should not be allowed to compete
with private businesses unless there is absolutely no other option. He
noted that the bill would allow the 25 municipalities to set up high-speed
Internet or other networks, if residents approve of the move in a referendum.

But opponents argued that the measure would stifle competition and
especially hurt rural communities with small populations where
telecommunications companies are reluctant to provide service because the
cost is not justified by potential profits.

Approved, 20-11, a bill that rewrites state law on use of tax incremental
financing in which tax subsidies are used for a set period of time to spur
economic development. Among other things, the measure would allow towns,
with county approval, to create tax financing districts. Now only cities
and villages may do so.

The legislation also would allow development of single-family homes to be
included in tax financing costs for the first time.

Amy Rinard of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.