Wisconsin notes

[colinstu]

Saw this last week.... getting very low on old plates! Should see new format ones soon... anyone see one in the wild yet?

edit: what's interesting, allegedly the 123-ZZA (and higher?) series plates were for 'for hire' cars up until 2004. ZYA+ were also used for human service vehicles.

[mgk920]

I've seen plates up to (xxx)-ZZJ so far (about a week ago).  I'm expecting to see a LLL-NNNN plate sometime this week.

There is a vehicle here in the Appleton area that has 'APR 1974' (no dash), but that is a personalized number that Ive seen a few times over the past several years. I'm assuming that WisDOT will skip that one in the regular issue series when they get that far.  That number balances nicely on the plate, BTW.

BTW, the plate in your image also tops the high number that is currently shown in licenseplates(dot)cc.  As of this posting, their highest is 168-ZZK.

Mike

[Roadguy]

As some other states have done, new proposal out there partially transitions Wisconsin from a gas tax to a sales tax funding strategy at the pump to raise more revenue for transportation and be less reliant on bonding.  To make it tax neutral it also cuts the income tax.  Also puts Wisconsin on board to apply to the Feds to convert some freeways to tollways. 

http://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2017/05/02/gop-plan-would-hike-wisconsin-gas-tax-slash-income-taxes-and-borrowing/101194618/

Not sure how people will feel about this... I doubt there is support in it's current form but I expect parts of it (like tolling) may make it into the final budget.

[colinstu]

I'd rather have nothing done than any part of that plan become a thing.

Half step forward and 29 steps back. CLUELESS on how budgets and taxes work. "Let's cut taxes. Obviously that means we'll be able to pay for everything now!" *runs home to the bank with barely any more money and the entire public suffers*

[tchafe1978]

I actually kind of like the idea of converting the gas tax to a percentage tax like the sales tax, but I'm not really seeing how this plan would increase funding for transportation. Cutting the per gallon gas tax and replacing that lost revenue isn't really getting us ahead. They just need to either raise the gas tax, or have it indexed to inflation again like it was before 2007. Really all this plan is is a political stunt to try to get Walker to accept it, since he won't back down from his stance that he won't accept any tax increase without a corresponding tax cut somewhere else, i.e. revenue neutral. And a gas tax proposal shouldn't be included with a plan to cut income taxes. Each should be discussed and voted on on its own.

[invincor]

Question for the group, especially those of you more in tune with the present politics in Madison. 

If a municipality were to approach the governor and the WisDOT chief and ask that a project that is in the current schedules to be completed in about 10 years time instead be advanced to as soon as possible so that it can help in the construction of a new, large business development for that municipality, how likely would it be that it could be approved? 

Just this situation is happening in Hudson right now.  An investment group from the Twin Cities has bought the long disused St. Croix Meadows dog-racing track property and plans to redevelop it in three phases.  Phase One is to include a baseball park for a Northwoods League baseball team, as well as a brewery, a hotel, and at least one corporate headquarters.  Phases Two and Three will add other businesses in later years. 

Everyone in Hudson loves the idea of this, but the one concern that keeps getting raised is the poor and somewhat dangerous traffic situation on Carmichael Road.  They want to reconstruct the road in the vicinity of the new development, but even then they're worried about how it will plug in further north to it's interchange with I-94's Exit 2.  They've been told that that interchange is due for reconstruction in about 10 years, but I heard the city council and staff people say in their latest meeting they'd like to approach the state about getting that advanced so that they can do it all at once, or close to it anyway. 

They hope to start construction in June, and I think they even want to have the baseball park done in time to open for the 2018 season.

[SEWIGuy]

As some other states have done, new proposal out there partially transitions Wisconsin from a gas tax to a sales tax funding strategy at the pump to raise more revenue for transportation and be less reliant on bonding.  To make it tax neutral it also cuts the income tax.  Also puts Wisconsin on board to apply to the Feds to convert some freeways to tollways. 

http://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2017/05/02/gop-plan-would-hike-wisconsin-gas-tax-slash-income-taxes-and-borrowing/101194618/

Not sure how people will feel about this... I doubt there is support in it's current form but I expect parts of it (like tolling) may make it into the final budget.

Also within this bill is a provision that would require a local municipality to conduct a referendum to enact a wheel tax.  I guess I don't understand why representative democracy isn't good enough in cases like this. 

[The Ghostbuster]

I'm not a fan of increasing gas taxes. My reasoning is the trend in recent decades to build more fuel-efficient cars, and the diversion of gas taxes to pay for things that have nothing to do with building and maintaining roads.

I would prefer a tax based on mileage driven, or congestion-priced tolls on the heaviest-traveled roads.

[colinstu]

How about a higher registration fee instead then? And an inflation-indexed gas tax would be a very minimal increase to the individual -- and would STILL help the budget... increased fuel efficiency or not. It will be a long time before the state is 100% electric... Rather get SOMETHING in the meantime compared to nothing like right now. Political bickering, delaying projects, and borrowing more money (which costs even more in the long run compared to just getting it done asap and fixing the taxes/fees now...)

People will find a way to avoid tolls. Which will put more wear, tear, and congestion on side streets instead.
And there are definitely costs involved with setting up and maintaining a toll system.

As it stands, sounding like from previous articles, change freeways to tollways will not be easy and isn't going to fly with the feds.

[JREwing78]

More paying-for-roads discussion, this time about tolls:
http://www.gazettextra.com/20170507/state_lawmakers_weighing_toll_roads?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

[JREwing78]

The whole gas tax debate is ridiculous.

What happens when Big Oil raises their prices, causing your gas to go up 10 or 20 cents per gallon? People shrug. People might bitch and moan a bit. The more dedicated might decide NOW to buy a more fuel-efficient car. The rest of us suck it up and pay a little extra because we have places to be.

Wisconsin used to have a sensible system that tracked fuel taxes to inflation. It helped build a rather impressive highway system. Then it was decided (thanks, Democrats) that it was no longer necessary. Now, 10 years later, a bunch of anti-government imbeciles (the Republicans) are doing anything possible to avoid having to raise fuel taxes, lest an angry populace wrest them from power.

I, for one, would not care if fuel taxes went up 50 cents a gallon as long as it went straight to transportation. That's not just roads, but public transportation (bus, rail, etc). Cities like Milwaukee and Madison would benefit immensely from decent public transportation, but don't provide it. That makes it harder for those unable to afford or drive a car to participate in the economy.

Lowest-bidder politics has left us with a dollar-store version of a once-great country. It shows.

[midwesternroadguy]

The whole gas tax debate is ridiculous.

What happens when Big Oil raises their prices, causing your gas to go up 10 or 20 cents per gallon? People shrug. People might bitch and moan a bit. The more dedicated might decide NOW to buy a more fuel-efficient car. The rest of us suck it up and pay a little extra because we have places to be.

Wisconsin used to have a sensible system that tracked fuel taxes to inflation. It helped build a rather impressive highway system. Then it was decided (thanks, Democrats) that it was no longer necessary. Now, 10 years later, a bunch of anti-government imbeciles (the Republicans) are doing anything possible to avoid having to raise fuel taxes, lest an angry populace wrest them from power.

I, for one, would not care if fuel taxes went up 50 cents a gallon as long as it went straight to transportation. That's not just roads, but public transportation (bus, rail, etc). Cities like Milwaukee and Madison would benefit immensely from decent public transportation, but don't provide it. That makes it harder for those unable to afford or drive a car to participate in the economy.

Lowest-bidder politics has left us with a dollar-store version of a once-great country. It shows.

Well said. 

It's so disheartening to see the Republicans run this state into the ground.  I hate to see Wisconsin become a Mississippi With Snow.

Believe it or not, people and corporations actually do chose WI and MN for their once highly regarded quality of life.  Look at Epic. 

And why don't people scream at the oil companies for jacking up prices, but scream bloody murder when government does raise taxes to maintain our highways?  At least we get some new highways out of it from government.  What do we get from the oil companies when they raise their prices?  It's time to return to viewing things objectively, and not be cowed by the corporations who have bullied their way into reducing what we need to keep this country running properly. 

[colinstu]

Saw my first new format (AAA-1111) plate in the wild.



Sorry for the crap quality. Was in partner's truck, and I didn't notice it until right as the light changed.

[mgk920]

Saw my first new format (AAA-1111) plate in the wild.



Sorry for the crap quality. Was in partner's truck, and I didn't notice it until right as the light changed.

Mike

[quickshade]

I'd disagree with the oil companies don't get any backlash when they increase prices. I look at it more of something that people realize we don't have complete control over, unlike government in which people feel like they can bitch and moan and bring about change. I remember in 2008 when oil prices spiked every other news story was about how this was affecting people's long term plans (and some would argue was the finally turning point into the financial disaster and recession that we ended up in). Either way people just seem to accept that as fact of life.

Personally i'd love to see a tax system in which companies could get tax breaks for investing in local infrastructure projects, putting the pressure on the massive companies that abuse our roadways to invest in building them properly for the future since they benefit from having a proper infrastructure built out and maintained. It only makes sense not just from a tax standpoint (you can't write off government taxes as a ROI) but you could justify to a board and stockholders that this investment on infrastructure you can not only know where the money is going, but you might see a small ROI in travel time for workers or shipping of product.

But alas we live in the real world, and not a utopia.

[The Ghostbuster]

The State Highway 30 freeway is getting exit numbers. I just noticed this yesterday, when I traveled on the road to go grocery shopping. So far, the numbers are only on the advance signs, but I'm sure that will change soon. Not long ago, blue mileposts were erected in the median, and I believed that exit numbers might not be far behind.

The new numbers are as follows:

US 151/East Washington Avenue: Exit 1A
Fair Oaks Avenue: Exit 1B
US 51/North Stoughton Road: Exit 1C
CTH-T/North Thompson Drive: Exit 2

I'm not sure what the numbers for the Badger Interchange will be as I haven't that far east since the exit number tabs were added, but my guess is that Interstate 39 south/Interstate 90 east will be Exit 3A, and Interstate 39 north/Interstate 90 west/Interstate 94 west will be Exit 3B.

[Big John]

^^ What is exit 240A in the Badger interchange used to be Exit 4A, so I am assuming it might revert to that.

[dvferyance]

The whole gas tax debate is ridiculous.

What happens when Big Oil raises their prices, causing your gas to go up 10 or 20 cents per gallon? People shrug. People might bitch and moan a bit. The more dedicated might decide NOW to buy a more fuel-efficient car. The rest of us suck it up and pay a little extra because we have places to be.

Wisconsin used to have a sensible system that tracked fuel taxes to inflation. It helped build a rather impressive highway system. Then it was decided (thanks, Democrats) that it was no longer necessary. Now, 10 years later, a bunch of anti-government imbeciles (the Republicans) are doing anything possible to avoid having to raise fuel taxes, lest an angry populace wrest them from power.

I, for one, would not care if fuel taxes went up 50 cents a gallon as long as it went straight to transportation. That's not just roads, but public transportation (bus, rail, etc). Cities like Milwaukee and Madison would benefit immensely from decent public transportation, but don't provide it. That makes it harder for those unable to afford or drive a car to participate in the economy.

Lowest-bidder politics has left us with a dollar-store version of a once-great country. It shows.

Well said. 

It's so disheartening to see the Republicans run this state into the ground.  I hate to see Wisconsin become a Mississippi With Snow.

Believe it or not, people and corporations actually do chose WI and MN for their once highly regarded quality of life.  Look at Epic. 

And why don't people scream at the oil companies for jacking up prices, but scream bloody murder when government does raise taxes to maintain our highways?  At least we get some new highways out of it from government.  What do we get from the oil companies when they raise their prices?  It's time to return to viewing things objectively, and not be cowed by the corporations who have bullied their way into reducing what we need to keep this country running properly.

Unemployment is the lowest it's been in a long time and we are now in the top 10 business friendly states. How is that running it into the ground? I admit the DOT is still screwed up but it wasn't run any better when the Democrats were in charge.

[The Ghostbuster]

I think the former exit 4A was a stupid number. It didn't match up with the mileage of either STH-30 or Interstate 94. I looked on the DOT website for information on the new exit numbers on Highway 30, but came up empty. Maybe more information will be available eventually.

[GeekJedi]

Unemployment is the lowest it's been in a long time and we are now in the top 10 business friendly states. How is that running it into the ground? I admit the DOT is still screwed up but it wasn't run any better when the Democrats were in charge.

We are NOT in ANY "Top 10 business friendly states" list (seriously, we're not - Google it), roads are falling apart, every year there are tons of local referenda for various projects since the state can't (or won't) pay for anything.

The Doyle years were certainly nothing to write home about, but you've been listening to too much Belling if you think things are great now.

On to roads (the topic at hand): I really don't see much improvement coming anytime soon. The Governor and Legislature can't agree on a funding model. Until that happens, it will be more of the same.

[colinstu]

Well, some random magazine DID rank WI #10 for business this year
https://www.biztimes.com/2017/ideas/government-politics/wisconsin-in-top-10-of-chief-executive-magazines-best-states-for-business/

How much that really means remains to be seen. Really, they rank California number 50? ...yet that state is BOOMing for big tech among other things. Pretty much looks like a ranking of "Most red to Most blue" states than anything.

It's hard to compare pre-economic recession politics and how things were going to post-economic recession recovery.
Doyle and Walker have both been really poor governors.

Removing the gas tax and replacing it with sales tax is the scariest thing ever. There's no way that collected sales tax will be going into a transportation fund, not to mention that doing this will ultimately cost MORE in tax than just resurrecting the indexing on the gas tax again. A completely bone-headed move that will hurt transportation, and likely line someone else's pockets.

[GeekJedi]

Well, some random magazine DID rank WI #10 for business this year
https://www.biztimes.com/2017/ideas/government-politics/wisconsin-in-top-10-of-chief-executive-magazines-best-states-for-business/

How much that really means remains to be seen. Really, they rank California number 50? ...yet that state is BOOMing for big tech among other things. Pretty much looks like a ranking of "Most red to Most blue" states than anything.

It's hard to compare pre-economic recession politics and how things were going to post-economic recession recovery.
Doyle and Walker have both been really poor governors.

Removing the gas tax and replacing it with sales tax is the scariest thing ever. There's no way that collected sales tax will be going into a transportation fund, not to mention that doing this will ultimately cost MORE in tax than just resurrecting the indexing on the gas tax again. A completely bone-headed move that will hurt transportation, and likely line someone else's pockets.

OK there's one - it's offset by all the other ones that *don't* have WI on the list. And with crumbling infrastructure and schools begging for money, it will be hard to sustain.

Anyway, I share your concern with the sales tax. I agree that it's much to easy to "borrow" the funds earmarked for transportation for something else with the promise to put it back someday.

The gas tax (while not perfect) was a good way to do it. Easy to track, and easy to account for.

[I-39]

Unemployment is the lowest it's been in a long time and we are now in the top 10 business friendly states. How is that running it into the ground? I admit the DOT is still screwed up but it wasn't run any better when the Democrats were in charge.

We are NOT in ANY "Top 10 business friendly states" list (seriously, we're not - Google it), roads are falling apart, every year there are tons of local referenda for various projects since the state can't (or won't) pay for anything.

The Doyle years were certainly nothing to write home about, but you've been listening to too much Belling if you think things are great now.

On to roads (the topic at hand): I really don't see much improvement coming anytime soon. The Governor and Legislature can't agree on a funding model. Until that happens, it will be more of the same.

I'm gonna say one thing political.

Wisconsin isn't nearly as bad as Illinois. Seriously, Wisconsin isn't all that bad compared to other states (and I'm not a Walker fan FYI). I can think of a lot worse states. Sure, it isn't perfect and there are some serious issues that need to be addressed, but it's microscopic compared to the issues, say, Illinois has. Plus, you also need to consider geographical measures when considering business-friendly states. The Midwest as a whole is losing ground to the South and West. 

Nonetheless, I think Republican Governor's need to follow the mold of Bill Haslam here in Tennessee. He's conservative, but not over the top and he realizes the need to invest in the future. Under his leadership, Tennessee recently passed a gas tax increase (Haslam even tried to have the gas tax indexed to inflation, but that unfortunately was shot down), has increased education funding and is pushing to make community college free through programs such as Tennessee promise. All while the state is booming economically and has no income tax. Walker could learn a few things from Haslam.

Anyway, that's just my two cents. I agree that getting rid of the gas tax and imposing a general sales tax is stupid.

[mgk920]

A quick note on Wisconsin's new-format license plates.

I've seen a small handful of new-format plates 'in the wild' here in the Appleton area over the past few days. They have all been 'AAB-xxxx', with the highest being 'AAB-6467'.

Did WisDOT decide to skip the 'AAA-xxxx' block?

Mike

[Milwaukee, WY]

A quick note on Wisconsin's new-format license plates.

I've seen a small handful of new-format plates 'in the wild' here in the Appleton area over the past few days. They have all been 'AAB-xxxx', with the highest being 'AAB-6467'.

Did WisDOT decide to skip the 'AAA-xxxx' block?

Mike

No they didn't. I saw an AAA-xxxx plate here in Milwaukee. Perhaps the batch they sent to the DMV in Appleton were the AAB-xxxx block.




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