State rep. believes Gov. Walker is nearly alone on taxes funding transportation projects

Walker asked trans. sec. to submit
budget with no new gas tax

This week, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is repeating his promise not to raise taxes or fees to repair roads in Wisconsin.

An uncompromising position that is also a little disappointing, says Onalaska state rep., Steve Doyle.

“It’s been kind of gospel for the governor, (who says), ‘Not going to raise any taxes for an increase in transportation spending. If you want to have an increase, you’ll have to cut from somewhere else,'” Doyle said of Walker.

Walker asked the state transportation secretary for a new budget plan by Sept. 15 without a gas tax increase to fund more road repairs. And that’s a stance that the governor appears to be taking increasingly on his own, Doyle believes.

“Within the legislature, in terms of both parties, there has been a realization that you either start setting aside some money now or things will get so bad that costs will rise dramatically,” Doyle said. “We’ve already seen that with a number of projects around the state being delayed and prices going up 10-20 percent.”