There is no hammer of a government shutdown in Wisconsin as lawmakers bicker over raising the cigarette tax and imposing new taxes on big oil companies and hospitals. And there's no limit to how long lawmakers can be in session. Current taxing and spending levels continue even when there is no budget in place by the July 1 start of the fiscal year.

However, with many Republicans cheering the logjam, the Democratic governor is saying it may be time to threaten a government shutdown.

Gov. Jim Doyle and others warn that not passing a budget soon will result in higher property taxes, cuts in health care services and a breakdown in public safety.

Without an increase in state aid, schools and local governments may levy $600 million in higher property taxes over the next two years to meet rising expenses. The state's prescription drug discount program will fall more than $9 million short over the next two years, meaning drug costs for senior citizens could rise. And there would be no money for the state to pay for a new requirement that the most dangerous sex offenders be tracked with GPS technology.

Those are just some of the warnings Doyle and Democrats have been voicing during the ongoing, but so far fruitless, negotiations.

The Republicans say not having a budget means none of the more than $1 billion in tax increases Democrats want will ever see the light of day.

As the two political parties become more polarized, it's harder for compromises to be reached, said Mike McCabe, director of the government watchdog group the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.

"Instead of being pushed toward compromise, they're being pulled toward the extremes," McCabe said.

Doyle grew so agitated last week after private budget negotiations failed to result in a deal, he said it may be time for Wisconsin to require a government shutdown when there's no agreement by July 1.

That's what Michigan, Minnesota and 33 other states do -- and they all have budgets.

Wisconsin's Democratic-controlled Senate passed its version of the budget June 26, and the Republican-led Assembly followed July 10. But their two plans were $10 billion apart.

The Democratic plan included a $15.2 billion universal health care plan that even Doyle wouldn't support. He championed his proposal to expand health insurance to 98 percent of the state's residents, including all children.

Republicans, meanwhile, passed a budget that didn't include any of the tax increases Doyle and Democrats wanted -- namely a $1.25 per-pack cigarette tax increase, a new tax on earnings of big oil companies estimated to raise more than $275 million over the next two years, and a $418 million tax on hospitals. Doyle pushed for the higher taxes primarily to help pay for his health care expansion and road projects.

Republicans said the increases were unacceptable given Wisconsin's ranking as the eighth highest taxed state in the country. Their budget contained no tax increases and less money than Democrats wanted for expensive state government operations -- including $85 million less for schools and $120 million less for the University of Wisconsin.

The longer debate drags on, the stronger the voices are for reform.

Democrats unveiled a plan that would force lawmakers to negotiate until there is a new budget, or be arrested.

McCabe said he thinks the budget would be done if lawmakers weren't allowed to raise campaign money during this time. Republican Rep. Dean Kaufert said he is considering several measures, including a ban on political contributions during the budget process.

In the first six months of the year, while the budget was being written, lawmakers and Doyle raised more than $2 million from special interests.

"Obviously both sides think they have some political advantage for next year and meanwhile they're starting to pile up the cash to go after each other," said Jay Heck, director of the government watchdog group Common Cause in Wisconsin.