Gov. touts projects benefiting Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Gov. Jim Doyle highlighted spending proposals on Monday that would make improvements on four University of Wisconsin campuses, increase economic development in Milwaukee, and move forward with a research center designed to make the state a leader in biomedical research.

The governor's $1.3 billion capital budget, which includes $460 million in state funds with the rest coming from the federal government and other sources, won approval from the Building Commission on Monday but still must pass the Legislature.

Much of the spending is on building projects that have been in the works for years, maintenance and general upkeep, land acquisition, and renovations.

Doyle traveled to Milwaukee to tout proposals he said would support research, improve health and increase economic development in that city. He also highlighted $133 million for four UW campuses -- Superior, La Crosse, Oshkosh and Parkside -- to upgrade classrooms, labs and other facilities.

The proposal also includes $31 million to move ahead with the previously approved Institutes for Discovery, a public-private partnership on the Madison campus to break ground next year. Research will include embryonic stem cells, with the goal of capturing 10 percent of the stem cell market by 2015, Doyle said.

In Milwaukee, Doyle wants to spend $10 million to support new research at the Medical College of Wisconsin, $3 million to establish a new engineering campus at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and $500,000 to help plan the School of Public Health at UW-Milwaukee.

The additional spending comes as Doyle is also pushing an $80 million plan for Milwaukee to improve the city's schools, law enforcement and infrastructure.

At the Medical College of Wisconsin, Doyle wants to spend money on buying and installing a new MRI scanner for expanded research in a number of diseases including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and multiple sclerosis.

The new engineering campus would provide an ideal setting for enhanced collaboration among the Medical College of Wisconsin, area hospitals, health care operations and other businesses, the governor's office said.

Doyle also wants to give $500,000 for UW-Milwaukee to explore the concept of a School of Public Health near the downtown area to generate more health care resources for the city.

Also on Monday, Doyle announced $800,000 in state grants to help develop the former Pabst Brewery complex into more than 20 acres of housing, offices and shops.

The grant will fund environmental work, including pollutant removal. The entire redevelopment project in northwest Milwaukee is estimated to cost more than $250 million.

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