Did you get whiplash watching all the back and forth yesterday with the transportation budget? Don’t worry, you weren’t the only one. We've got you covered. Here's a breakdown of everything that has happened:
BACKSTORY:
For the past few decades, Wisconsin has been overspending on large highway and freeway expansions. This overspending meant that transit and local funding have decreased and our local transportation needs continue to go unmet.
In 2014, the Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group (WisPIRG) released a report called Fork in the Road. The report detailed the two paths the Legislature could go down in transportation spending. We could either invest in four large, expensive highway expansions OR we could invest in transit, local road aid, and our bike and pedestrian infrastructure. We couldn't afford to do both.
The Legislature chose the first path and moved forward on large highway expansion projects, and now Wisconsin is on the hook to pay billions of dollars to finish those projects--once they start, it's irresponsible not to finish them. At the same time, while Wisconsinites aren't driving as much as predicted and our cars are getting more efficient, the gas tax is providing less funding than was expected.
Now, the Legislature has to figure out how to pay to finish those projects. At the same time, our local roads are crumbling all across Wisconsin and we need more investment in transit to meet the needs of all Wisconsinites. A lot of the conversation has been focused on ways to get more money into the Transportation Fund, mostly by increasing Wisconsin's gas tax. Just like your personal budget, there are two pieces, the amount of money you have coming in, and the amount of money you're spending. Unfortunately, there has not been an adequate discussion about the spending side of the Transportation Budget.
QUICK CIVICS REMINDER: In order for anything to pass, the Senate, Assembly, and Governor Walker have to all support something for it to become law (unless the Senate and Assembly are able to get a 2/3 majority to override a veto). Given the large majorities Republicans have in the Senate and Assembly, the focus is on the Republican leadership. The Republicans will need Democratic support, however, if they plan to override the veto.
THE BUDGET PROCESS KICKS OFF:
In February, Governor Walker proposed a transportation budget that showed a new direction, especially when compared to previous budgets. Of the two funds that provide funding for local transportation one was increased by 9.5% and the other by 25%. Public transit did not get cut and specialized transit received a 2% increase. He also chose not to greenlight the I-94 EW corridor that could cost close to $1 billion. This means that construction can not start, and Wisconsin won't be committed to coming up with the funding.
Since then, there has been a stalemate between the Assembly and the Senate and Governor Walker. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has said the Assembly will not support a budget that doesn't have some sort of revenue increase, like a gas tax or fee increase. The Senate and Governor Walker have said they want a solution that doesn't increase taxes. After a number of failed proposals, this stalemate has continued.
The June 30 deadline for a budget to be completed has passed. Even though the Government doesn't shut down (the current budget continues) in Wisconsin, surpassing the deadline adds a sense of urgency.
BACK AND FORTH LAST WEEK:
Last Wednesday, July 5, Representative Vos sent a letter to a number of special interest and business groups asking them to come up with a solution to the budget.
Thursday morning, the Senate and Assembly went back and forth becoming increasingly zealous in their positions.
Later that morning, Governor Walker put forward a proposal that was largely dependent on additional federal funding paying for the highway expansions.
By the afternoon, it seems at though Governor Walker, the Senate, and the Assembly would all agree to additional federal funding filling the gap.
So it's solved??? Not so fast, for this to work, the Federal Government would need to provide ten times the amount of funding that Wisconsin normally receives ($341 million vs roughly $34 million). Governor Walker has not said whether that is the amount he plans to request.
AND, AT THE END OF THE DAY….. we’re probably not in a very different place. It seems both sides are putting all of their eggs in the basket of unlikely money coming from the Federal Government. Since this will probably not happen, not much has probably changed. HOWEVER....
THE REALLY BAD NEWS: Shockingly, the compromise may come with a resurrection of the greenlighting of the I-94 East-West Corridor. Another bad idea thrown into this mix isn't what is shocking. What is so odd is that they seem to think the 'solution' to this problem is digging a bigger hole. Committing to freeway expansions that we can't afford is what got us into this mess in the first place. If the Legislature moves forward with this, they will only exacerbate the problem.
In response, The Coalition for More Responsible Transportation (CMRT), of which Sierra Club is a member, released the following statement:
Leaders of the Coalition for More Responsible Transportation issued the following statement in response to Speaker Vos’ call to interest groups for a transportation budget solution and to Governor Walker’s letter to Senate and Assembly outlining a compromise to break the transportation budget stalemate:
“Governor Walker’s initial budget, presented in February, got many things right by focusing on local priorities and cutting highway waste. However, the Governor’s new compromise proposal would make it harder to meet Wisconsin's changing transportation needs. This new plan would take us one step forward and two steps back.
We appreciate that the Governor’s proposal increases local transportation support, provides more funding for infrastructure maintenance, and avoids further delays of ongoing construction projects. We are concerned, however, that this plan would give the go-ahead to new unnecessary megaprojects, such as the billion-dollar expansion of I-94’s East-West Corridor in Milwaukee. As we struggle to find resources to finish major highway expansions begun in previous years, like widening I-39/90 to the Illinois border, green-lighting yet another costly project that may not be needed in its current scope would perpetuate our current funding crisis for years to come. The Governor’s proposal also fails to increase investment in public transportation that connects a growing number of Wisconsinites to jobs and opportunities.
Our coalition has long urged decision-makers to treat the state’s infrastructure crisis not simply as one caused by declining transportation revenue, but also as a problem of misplaced spending priorities. We call on state leaders to strike new highway expansions from their final budget proposal, to increase funding for infrastructure maintenance, and to invest in public transportation.
We should use this year's budget as an opportunity to learn from past mistakes. A misplaced spending focus on 20th century infrastructure will continue to divert resources away from more forward-thinking investments that address 21st-century transportation needs.”
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Now more than ever it's time to call your elected officials, email them your photo petition, submit letters to the editor and tweet/facebook post. Below are some resources that can help you. Please share this email with your networks.
- Calls:
Find your Assemblyperson and Senator here
Script: Hi, my name is ____ and I’m a constituent from [hometown]. I’m calling because I want to encourage the Representative/Senator to focus on meeting important local needs in the transportation budget. Please cut spending on highway mega-projects and invest instead in local needs - like repairing existing roads and funding public transit that connects people to jobs and the places they want to go. I also want to make sure that public transit stays in the segregated transportation fund. Thank you! - Photo Petitions: Post on social media with #MyTransportationPriorities and email them to your elected officials (or tag them on Twitter and Facebook!). For full instructions, click here.
- Letters to the Editor: Write a letter-to-the-editor with your thoughts. Elected officials read them!