When Governor Donald L. Carcieri is criticized, it’s usually on the grounds he’s too conservative. His most liberal critics consider him a right wing radical.

They say he’s unsympathetic to public sector unionized workers, the poor, and illegal immigrants.

But in recent weeks, House Minority Leader Robert Watson (R-East Greenwich, West Greenwich) said he’s been increasingly at odds with the governor, questioning whether Carcieri has been conservative enough on fiscal issues. Other members of the caucus agree with him.

During an interview Friday, Watson — a stalwart fiscal conservative who can seem combative at times on the House floor — said he’s upset that the Governor’s proposed supplemental budget contains tax and fee increases. Watson is also opposed to the Governor’s tax panel recommendations that would increase taxes on the middle class in order to benefit the rich; and the administration’s decision to rehire former Department and Labor Training employees who had left state service in order to process unemployment claims, when new workers could have done the job.

The tensions began earlier this year when the Governor brought in the House Republicans to brief them on the supplemental budget. Watson said he all but begged Carcieri and his top administrators to remove the tax and fee increases from the budget — approximately $20 million of a $357 million correction plan. The tax and fee increases apply to cigarettes, which could bring the price of a pack to nearly $9, and healthcare companies, which will raise insurance costs.

The budget proposal would also put a draconian hike reinstatement fees for motor vehicle registrations, from $50 to $250, and for license reinstatement fees, from $75 to $250 (which would only apply to people who lost their license for some reason, not license renewals.)

“I campaigned on a promise to oppose all tax and fee increases and my constituents were very receptive to that promise. Now I’m being asked to go back on it,” said Watson.

He also said if the tax hikes are minor, why do them at all?

“Why would you want to give up your virginity on an important issue like that?” said Watson.

After the briefing, Watson soon found that his suggestion fell on deaf ears. The governor went forward with the tax and fee hikes.

Watson was irked.

So when it came time to submit the budget, Watson agreed to submit it, but after signing it, wrote “on behalf of the Governor, and I am opposed to all tax and fee increases”.

House Speaker William Murphy (D-Warwick, West Warwick, Coventry) refused to accept the signing statement, saying House rules don’t permit them. Watson, in response, said he didn’t want to budge. One of three things needed to happen; Murphy would have to accept the signing statement, the Governor would have to remove the tax increases, or someone else would have to submit the budget.

As it turned out, Watson was only bluffing with respect to someone else submitting the budget. Joe Trillo, Carcieri’s biggest ally in the legislature, stepped forward (R-Warwick) saying he would submit the budget if Watson refused.

When it became clear that Carcieri wouldn’t budge, Watson submitted the budget but was allowed to note “on behalf of the Governor”.

Amy Kempe, Carceiri’s spokeswoman, said the governor had few options to balance the budget.

“Representative Watson has every right to voice his opinion, but the budget is in and we feel that we not only need to make structural changes but also other difficult decisions to plug the $357 million budget deficit,” said Kempe.

“When you’re trying to plug a $357 millon hole, there are only so many things you can do.”

Trillo said he appreciates Watson’s opposition to tax increases, but said the Minority Leader needs to learn to pick his battles, and if push really had gone to shove, he would have submitted the budget.

“It’s Watson’s responsibility, as Minority Leader, to submit the budget. If he has a problem with it, he can vote against it, or he can go on record and speak against those articles he opposed to,” said Trillo.

“The Republican caucus is opposed to tax and fee increases and it always will be, but the process needed to get started.’

Representative John Loughlin, the Minority Whip, (R-Tiverton, Portsmouth) said he too has had disagreements with the governor in the past.

“I think the governor recognizes that we have to be included in the process, but I do find it a little bit frustrating when the governor’s people pay lip service to some of our suggestions,” said Loughlin.

Loughlin said he suggested that he doesn’t find it fair to cut state aid across the board to all communities when some communities have been fiscally conservative, and others haven’t. With that in mind, he suggested creating a committee to analyze, which cities and towns have, and haven’t been responsible.

The idea, he said, was ignored. Cumberland Mayor Daniel McKee is financing the project with his own campaign cash. McKee is a Democrat.

Watson also differed with Carcieri on the issue of hiring back workers who had left state service in order to process unemployment claims. The administration argued that it needed already trained workers, whereas Watson said those employees could have been trained in a matter of hours.

Kempe said Watson is misinformed.

“It’s not as simple as hiring workers off the street. They need a significant amount of training. It’s not like they’re simply typing letters on a computer screen,” said Kempe.