What will survive budget battle?

It's a good question in the State Journal today, and certainly this battle can't end in a win for the good guys.

The budget drafted by the Legislature's budget-writing panel includes Democratic
Gov. Jim Doyle's plans to impose new taxes on oil companies, hospitals and cigarettes. It also includes proposals that could mean higher fees for residents
registering their cars, renewing their driver's licenses, selling their homes or
paying tuition at University of Wisconsin System schools.

Who is safe from the budget tax-increases?
Not oil companies
nor hospitals
not students... drivers.... parents.... teenagers.... smokers.... homeowners.... Ipod lovers....

Well, it's sure comforting to know that if you're a healthy, non-smoking individual, over 55, who doesn't drive, doesn't listen to music, would never want any further education at a Wisconsin university, only rents your apartment, doesn't have or plan to have kids, and never needs a hospital visit, the legislature is looking out for you. Don't worry, they're taxing the other 99.99% of Wisconsin residents to help you out in ways you'll never even realize, like building all those new roads for you to...uh... bike on.