Gov. Jim Doyle’s attempt to strip homeowners and other property owners of legal rights in condemnation disputes with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation was dropped from the proposed 2009-11 budget after key lawmakers determined that the proposal was a policy issue, not a budgetary one.

Doyle wanted to make it harder and more expensive for property owners to appeal WisDOT low-ball offers for private property the agency wanted to take over to make way for transportation projects. The proposal would have limited lawyer’s fees for property owners who take their cases to court and win, thus leaving property owners hugely wronged by WisDOT with the prospect of large lawyer bills for taking on the state.