Did anyone hear about this during the campaign? I mean anything ? Were these plans mentioned ? Amazing how this comes out now, isnt it ? I thought we had a surplus and the budget was balanced and we were on easy street (maybe with some pot holes and bad bridges, but still…) From todays Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Supporters of the Governor, what do you think ? Opponents, what say ye ? Have at it …... A $751 million boost in taxes and fees isnt the only way Gov. Scott Walkers transportation chief wants to keep major road projects on schedule. Over two years, Transportation Secretary Mark Gottlieb also wants to borrow more than $805 million, study the feasibility of tolling and use $574 million in funds that typically go toward schools and health care. Under another part of Gottliebs plan, the state Department of Transportation would gather odometer readings when drivers register their vehicles each year — a move that would help it review whether the state should create a new fee based on how many miles people drive. Gas tax. Gottlieb wants to raise the 32.9-cent-per-gallon gas tax by 5 cents, to 37.9 cents in September 2015. The gas tax would be linked in part to the wholesale price of gasoline, which would allow the tax to rise and fall in future years with the price of gas, though it could not fall below 37.9 cents per gallon. A similar change would be made for diesel fuel, raising it by 10 cents a gallon. That is aimed at getting more money from semitrailer trucks, which do the most damage to roads. Those who drive diesel-powered cars and light trucks could claim a $25 credit on their annual registration fee to help cover the higher diesel tax they would pay. The higher gas taxes would raise an additional $358 million through June 2017. Fee on new vehicles. Starting in October 2015, Gottlieb wants to charge people who buy new vehicles a fee of 2.5% of the manufacturers suggested retail price. That would come to $500 on a $20,000 vehicle. The fee would be charged on new vehicles, but not used ones, and raise $379 million through June 2017. People who bought vehicles in other states would have to pay the fee when they registered them in Wisconsin. Chris Snyder, the executive vice president and general counsel for the Wisconsin Automobile & Truck Dealers Association, said such a fee could have a chilling effect on the sale of new vehicles. From the initial blush, it looks to be a little onerous on people who want to buy a new car, he said. Borrowing. Gottlieb wants to borrow $805 million over two years to pay for transportation projects. Thats $186 million less than the $991 million in bonding lawmakers approved last year. When legislators approved that borrowing, they signaled they wanted to see the department rely less on bonding. Officials will now have to determine whether they consider the proposed reduction big enough. Transfers. In all, Gottlieb is seeking $574 million in funding over two years from the states general fund. Much of that amount — $276 million — would be to pay for mass transit programs. Transit advocates in the past have opposed moving their funding from the transportation fund to the general fund because they fear they would be at greater risk to future cuts. But Gottliebs latest plan includes a $61 million increase for transit over two years, an appropriation that might entice some to back the idea. Tolling. Gottlieb is asking for more than $1 million to hire a consultant to study for 18 months the feasibility of tolling Wisconsins highways and bridges. Congress would have to change a federal law to allow widespread tolling in Wisconsin and many other states, but backers say state officials need to explore the issue. The study would look at where tolls could be established, gauge public opinion on the issue and recommend how to oversee a tolling system. This data will help us understand where tolling might make sense as well as give us a better understanding of what it would take to implement here in (Wisconsin), DOT spokeswoman Peg Schmitt said by email. There has been significant legislative interest in tolling as a future option, and we need good data upon which to provide information on how that might work. Odometer readings. A state task force in 2013 proposed charging drivers a new fee based on how much people drive. Gottlieb is not recommending doing that at this time, but he is seeking a change in state law that would allow the Department of Transportation to require people to report their odometer readings when they register their vehicles each year. That would give the agency more data to better study how much money it could raise from such a fee. Lawmakers quiet for now Lawmakers from both parties have mostly been silent about how to fund transportation. A spokeswoman for Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said Vos is pleased the department is seeking new ways to fund roads. He is not commenting further on the matter until he consults with other lawmakers, Vos spokeswoman Kit Beyer said.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 23:15:11 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015