Fiscal Note
No appropriation required.
Title
SUBSTITUTE - Urging the state to adopt a sustainable transportation funding system.
Body
WHEREAS, in order for Wisconsin to be competitive in a 21st century global economy, we need a multi-modal transportation network that is responsive to our growth and aligned with the changing preferences of our workforce; and,
WHEREAS, Wisconsin’s economy is dependent upon local roads but, according to the Local Government Institute of Wisconsin, the condition of Wisconsin’s highways is now in the bottom third of the country; and,
WHEREAS, state funding for local roads has failed to keep up with costs over the past several decades; levy limits have prevented local governments from compensating for this deterioration of funding; and municipal transportation spending has declined from $275 per capita in 2000 to $227 in 2012; and,
WHEREAS, fast high quality transit systems are critical to attracting businesses and young people to urban areas; yet state funding for transit is less today than it was five years ago; and,
WHEREAS, Wisconsin’s over-reliance on borrowing eats away at the state’s segregated funding sources - the state gas tax and vehicle registration fees - which increasingly pays for debt service rather than fund transportation needs; and,
WHEREAS, from a competitive standpoint Wisconsin motorists and other users of Wisconsin highways pay significantly less than any of our neighbors when you combine the annual cost of the state gas tax and vehicle registration fees is combined; and,
WHEREAS, the state highway and interstate system is the backbone of our surface transportation system and plays a vital role in the economy of Wisconsin. Both local and state roads need to be properly maintained in order for our economy to grow; and,
WHEREAS, the Transportation Finance and Policy Commission, appointed by the Governor and Legislature clearly found that if Wisconsin does not adjust its user fees, the condition of our st...
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