MOUNT PLEASANT - Chris Kliesmet and Vince Schmuki relaxed on some green carpeting in front of wooden tombstones outside Case High School on Monday as part of a protest of Gov. Jim Doyle's proposed state budget.

The two men said that the state can't spend itself out of trouble, and they blamed Doyle for raiding various special funds to help balance the budget.

The protest, outside the Joint Finance Committee's public hearing at Case, 7345 Washington Ave., was part of the kick-off of a formal recall campaign, said Schmuki, 50, of Shoreland, a member of Wisconsinites Interest Now. Kliesmet, 54, of Milwaukee, is with Citizens for Responsible Government, which is helping.

The finance committee was in the Racine area for one of six hearings it's holding around the state on Doyle's proposed 2009-11 budget. The committee is the first to receive the budget from the governor and the first to begin changing it.

Three Racine area lawmakers sit on the 16-member committee - Sen. John Lehman, D-Racine, and Reps. Cory Mason, D-Racine and Robin Vos, R-Caledonia. Other local lawmakers attended Monday's hearing.

Many of the 150 to 200 people who testified at the hearing seemed to be public officials, public employees or business executives.

They addressed everything from commuter rail and in-state tuition for undocumented students to the early release of prisoners and a statewide smoking ban.

Rather than protest outside the proceedings, a few unhappy taxpayers signed up to tell the committee what they thought of the state's budget predicament, which includes a more than $5 billion deficit.

Carl Wilkins, a small business owner from the Town of Raymond, told the committee to scrap the budget.

"Send it back to its creators with a directive to develop a new one that is more reasonable and livable for the people of Wisconsin," Wilkins said.

Regional transit

Roger Caron, president of Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce, led a group of five area business executives to the podium in support of a regional transit authority and the potential extension of commuter rail from Kenosha to Milwaukee.

"This is important to us as a community, as CEOs, as employers," said Mike Batten, chairman and CEO of Twin Disc, and one of the group.

Rep. Vos asked whether any of the business leaders were disturbed by the tax increases contained in the state budget.

Batten said he believes in a reasonable approach and the need to also think about the long term. Growth in the Chicago-Milwaukee corridor is inevitable, he said. "We must invest and prepare for that growth in the future."

Prison early release

Racine County District Attorney Michael Nieskes said he is not opposed to the general idea of releasing some prisoners early, but is concerned with what the proposed program may become. Such programs may start well, but they can also become spigots to save money. Also, people charged with what are minor crimes may be gang leaders or be involved in more serious crimes, he said.

"Al Capone was convicted for tax evasion," Nieskes said, and under the proposed Wisconsin program could be eligible for early release.

Racine County Board Supervisor Van Wanggaard said the Legislature should take a closer look at early release.

Wanggaard, a former Racine police officer who represents part of the City of Racine, said releasing prisoners early increases the risk that they will re-offend and will ultimately tax local law enforcement.

Ken Hall, who spoke for the Racine Interfaith Coalition and came to the podium with a group of people, disagreed. He asked the committee to shift $22 million to the treatment and diversion fund for people who are incarcerated.

"The Wisconsin criminal justice system relies too much on costly incarceration and not enough on cost-effective interventions," he said.

What is important is how time in prison is used, he said, and if prisoners' other needs aren't addressed, there is an increased risk of new offenses when these people are released. Wisconsin incarcerates two to three times as many people as Minnesota, he said, money which could be returned to taxpayers or used for roads, rail, schools, or some other purpose.

Southern Wisconsin Center

Barbara Beckert of Disability Rights Wisconsin and Cindy Bentley, a former resident at Southern Wisconsin Center in Union Grove, asked the committee to support the proposed relocation of some residents living at the Southern Wisconsin Center, for people with developmental disabilities.

State officials announced in February a plan to find new homes in the community for 100 of the 183 people living at Southern Wisconsin Center, 21425 Spring St.

Wisconsin has more people in state institutions than other states, Beckert said. The state initiative provides a true alternative for residents to live in the community, she said. From her experience, community relocation works, Beckert said.

"I want my friends at the institution to be in the community like I am. I want you to take a look at how your life would be in an institution," said Bentley, who moved out of the center 25 years ago. "You have to look at the disability and look at what services they need."