[Reprinted from the Wisconsin State Journal, November 8, 1995. -Ed.]
by Mike Flaherty
Legislative reporter
The Wisconsin Senate passed a $3 billion transportation bill Tuesday that freezes gasoline taxes and retains full state funding for Madison's bus system.
Senators voted 22-10 Tuesday on a bill that restores $1.4 million in state subsidies for Madison Metro Bus Co., includes a 3 perent increase in county and local oad aids, and offers a 2.5 percent increase in highway construction and repair programs statewide. However, because federal highway aid will fall as much as $65 million short over the next two years, the state's transportation department Monday produced a list of 13 projects it will postpone if the bill becomes law.
In the first year, none of those projects are in southwestern or south-central Wisconsin. In the second year, many area projects will be candidates for cuts, though none have been singled out.
Republicans, led by Gov. Tommy Thompson, had hoped for increased gasoline taxes to cover the shortfall. But Assembly Democrats and a small cadre of Republicans have repeatedly rejected the idea. Democrats in the Senate weren't happy about it though.
"We're going to have to come back to this in the spring and vote again on as much as $20 million in additional spending-- that's why I'm voting no," said Sen. Chuck Chvala, D-Madison, the Senate's new majority leader.
"The bill is irresponsible," complained Sen. Gary George, a Democrat from Milwaukee which will see sizable cuts in road project funding.
Senate Majority Leader Mike Ellis, R-Neenah, noted Democrats in the Assembly (and a small cadre of conservative Republicans) have already rejected three versions of transportation package.
"I'm not going to send them another bill with a tax increase just to see them reject it again," he said. "This is the best we can do."
But supporters of a gasoline tax increase say the idea isn't dead yet A small boost in the tax to provide more money for highway projects and transit could still surface before the Legislature quits for the year a week from Thursday.
Here's why:
But the ball is clearly in the Democrat's court, said Sen. Dale Schultz, R-New Richland.
"No one trusts Wally," he said, referring to the Assembly's Demo- cratic leader, Walter Kunicki, D-Milwaukee. "He would have to produce enough Democratic votes (to send the bill to conference) to send a signal to us that he has the votes to support a tax increase."
With that signal, Republicans could go along, he said. "But Wally would have to come to us publicly and tell us he has the votes," said Rep. Steve Foti, R-Oconomowoc, one of the Republican leaders who put together Assembly versions of the transportation budget.
Kunicki, meanwhile, marveled at all the power others were suggesting he possessed.
As a representative of Milwaukee that will need more state funding, Kunicki said he didn't think the idea of a gasoline tax was dead. "But they want me to come up with 24 votes. I don't have 24 votes."
He said he had 12, maybe 13 votes.
Few Democrats will go along, suggested fellow Milwaukee Democratic Rep. Shirley Krug. Fighting a tax increase has "been the right policy and the right politics for Democrats," she said. "Democrats killed a Republican tax increase and we're not going to let go of that."
|
|
|
? ? ? About the BCP |
|