MADISON, WI (WTAQ) – While he’s not endorsing the singular plan to hike Wisconsin’s gasoline tax, a key Republican says it is part of the discussion to find a long-term solution for funding transportation.
Speaking to WTAQ Friday afternoon, Wisconsin state Representative John Nygren (R-Marinette) said “all options” are on the table.
“I’m not saying necessarily saying one way or the other should be selected at this point in time,” says Nygren, who also co-chair the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee. “I think we need to look at all the options and have a conversation. I don’t want to get to the point where we’re always relying on borrowing as a way to build our infrastructure.”
In a story published Friday by the Wisconsin State Journal, the JFC’s other co-chair Wisconsin Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) said the state can no longer “kick the can down the road” with borrowing and delays for much needed projects.
Nygren says failing to find that long range funding mechanism for transportation has bothered him for a while, but the breaking point for him came earlier this year.
“When some of my colleagues in the eastern part of the state showed a willingness to not fund the projects in the Appleton area or in outstate Wisconsin when for the last several budgets, hundreds of millions of dollars have gone into the Marquette interchange, the Zoo interchange,” said Nygren.
Nygren indicates that transportation funding has moved up the list of priorities, and something needs to be figured out as part of the next two-year state budget in 2017.
“I don’t want to get to that same position a year-and-a-half from now and not have had a thorough vetting, not just with legislators but I think the public needs to have a conversation about what makes sense from their standpoint to be able to fund transportation moving forward,” says Nygren.
TOLL ROADS POSSIBLE
Among the options on the proverbial table is the creation of toll roads, particularly in higher traffic Interstate areas. Nygren used the stretch from Milwaukee to the Illinois border as an example.
But that needs federal approval, and those talks have already begun.
“Both Congressman Reid Ribble (R-Sherwood) and myself being from my area, Paul Ryan the House Speaker, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has had conversations with him, we’ve had these conversations,” said Nygren. “There is a willingness at the federal level to take a look at it.”
Nygren says there is some competition with other states who are seeking the same clearance.
GOV. WALKER STANCE
Governor Scott Walker has gone on the record stating that should the Legislature decide to raise taxes or fees for transportation, he wants to see offsetting spending cuts in other areas.
Nygren says the Republican Walker’s stance hasn’t changed in that regard, however he seemed prepared to challenge his bottom line.
“My concern is that we need to have the conversations and set our priorities,” says Nygren. “I don’t want to be in a position where we’re making choices of transportation funding over education or over health care.”
Ultimately, Nygren says if Wisconsin’s revenues come in as projected then there’s an opportunity to be able to offset with some income or property tax.
“But we also need to make sure we aren’t short sighted and reduce our ability to fund our other priorities in the next budget,” said Nygren.
Wisconsin’s gas tax stands at 30.9 cents a gallon, and Nygren points out that neighboring states Michigan and Iowa recently raised their gas taxes to help with funding.
