Although education is Gov. Doyle’s top priority, nothing is off the table for upcoming cuts due to the country’s financial crisis that has put Wisconsin’s budget $3 billion in the red, Doyle announced Oct. 15.

Doyle is preparing for the state’s upcoming two-year budget which he will give to the legislature early next year. Despite Wisconsin’s current situation he is confident that Wisconsin will prevail, said Lee Sensenbrenner, spokesman for Doyle.

“Our banks are still continuing to do well because they are state chartered and avoided the lending schemes that left banks in other states bankrupt,” he said.

Doyle has already ordered state agencies to cut 10 percent from their budget proposals, although that may be just the beginning – the extent of the damage will not be known until November when the Department of Administration has accurate numbers for the upcoming budget, Sensenbrenner said.

It will also not be until November when Doyle decides what programs to cut, Sensenbrenner said. Once there are solid numbers Doyle will be able to assess what the state can afford and what is absolutely necessary. Doyle is committed to keeping education a top priority; cutting education programs will just hurt generations to come, Sensenbrenner added.

Sales tax is down and unemployment claims have increased by 26 percent. Last year alone over 150,000 jobs were lost nationally, 13,000 in Wisconsin alone.

What can graduating seniors expect when they enter the job market this spring? Sensenbrenner said this is a tough time to be entering the work force.