It is indeed time for lawmakers to “get serious” about fixing Wisconsin’s roads

Some encouraging news out of Madison when it comes to paying for our roads. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos wants fellow republicans to “get serious” about raising additional revenue to pay for much-needed road work in Wisconsin. Getting serious about creating a long-term solution for funding our roads is long overdue. Lawmakers know that. They hear it from their constituents all the time, as our roads continue to deteriorate, but our elected officials in Madison continue to offer only patchwork solutions. The favored plan of late has been to continue borrowing to pay for road work, while putting off a number of repairs. Still, the state’s transportation budget has a deficit of $1 billion, bigger than any of the giant potholes in La Crosse. It is good that leading republicans like Vos are finally saying its time for the rubber to meet the road. But the biggest obstacle remains Governor Scott Walker. He refused to endorse any plan during the last budget debate to raise the state’s gas tax, or vehicle registration fees as a way to pay for road work. But it seems those are among the few options left. The state’s gas tax, which currently provides funding for road work, isn’t bringing in the revenue it used to. Now we learn that more than $100 million in road work near the Foxconn plant will take money away from road projects elsewhere, including in Western Wisconsin. Vos is right, it is time for the rubber to meet the road. Let’s hope they come up with a solution before all those potholes get any bigger.