Doyle defends deficit handling: Voters not misled, he says, backing lesser car fee boost.

Byline: Steven Walters

Nov. 22--MADISON -- Gov. Jim Doyle insisted Tuesday that he did not mislead voters by waiting until after the Nov. 7 election to disclose a potential $1.6 billion future budget deficit and to make public a proposal from his appointees to raise the annual vehicle registration fee by 45%.

"The (current) budget is balanced," Doyle said, adding that he would do the same with the next two-year budget.

Doyle also said a proposed $80 annual fee to register vehicles each year -- up from $55 -- is "too high" and a $10 increase would be "more reasonable." The $80 fee was recommended days after the election by the state Department of Transportation.

Doyle defeated Republican Mark Green, a U.S. House member from Green Bay …