Wisconsin notes

[SEWIGuy]

They better not delay the finishing of the Zoo interchange any longer. It has already cost more than it should due to delays caused by previous politicians in the form of emergency bridges and other band aids. Additional delays are only going to inflate the final price. Stop kicking the damn can already. I can live with fewer mega projects, as in many cases they've seemed to get ahead of themselves. I'm all for more rehab and safety improvements.

The core of the interchange is supposed to be finished on time.  It's the stretch of I-41 north of Swan Blvd that is supposed to be delayed.  I just noticed today that I-894 between the Zoo Interchange and 84th St is supposed to be resurfaced and re-striped for 8 lanes.  I-94 west of the Zoo Interchange could easily have this done also since the left shoulder is extremely wide.  I think the governor is caving to political pressure from county and municipal leaders that are complaining that they need more state money for local roads. 

I-94 in Racine and southern Milwaukee County is being delayed again and needs to be finished.  That project will continue to aid development and is worth investing in.  Wis 23 is also being delayed again.  Seems like WISDOT is ok with the court case that halted federal funding for that project since it gave an excuse to delay the project despite being approved in 1999. 

I do have a link to Mark Belling's interview with Governor Walker on the transportation budget below.  Mr. Belling does actually does ask him some challenging questions.

http://newstalk1130.iheart.com/media/play/27314594/

I didn't put the interview up to take sides on this issue.  I posted it because this is what is being proposed, but I'm sure that there will be plenty of changes and compromised when the transportation is finalized in the beginning of next year.  Towards the end of the interview the governor is challenged on the roundabouts being built in the state, but kind of dodges that part of the question.  He is also adamant in not raising fuel taxes. 

The state is being very short sighted in not dealing with these projects when the bonding rates are historically low.  The need isn't going to go away, and it will likely never be cheaper to borrow the money.

[DaBigE]

They better not delay the finishing of the Zoo interchange any longer. It has already cost more than it should due to delays caused by previous politicians in the form of emergency bridges and other band aids. Additional delays are only going to inflate the final price. Stop kicking the damn can already. I can live with fewer mega projects, as in many cases they've seemed to get ahead of themselves. I'm all for more rehab and safety improvements.

The core of the interchange is supposed to be finished on time.  It's the stretch of I-41 north of Swan Blvd that is supposed to be delayed.  I just noticed today that I-894 between the Zoo Interchange and 84th St is supposed to be resurfaced and re-striped for 8 lanes.  I-94 west of the Zoo Interchange could easily have this done also since the left shoulder is extremely wide.  I think the governor is caving to political pressure from county and municipal leaders that are complaining that they need more state money for local roads. 

I-94 in Racine and southern Milwaukee County is being delayed again and needs to be finished.  That project will continue to aid development and is worth investing in.  Wis 23 is also being delayed again.  Seems like WISDOT is ok with the court case that halted federal funding for that project since it gave an excuse to delay the project despite being approved in 1999. 

I do have a link to Mark Belling's interview with Governor Walker on the transportation budget below.  Mr. Belling does actually does ask him some challenging questions.

http://newstalk1130.iheart.com/media/play/27314594/

I didn't put the interview up to take sides on this issue.  I posted it because this is what is being proposed, but I'm sure that there will be plenty of changes and compromised when the transportation is finalized in the beginning of next year.  Towards the end of the interview the governor is challenged on the roundabouts being built in the state, but kind of dodges that part of the question.  He is also adamant in not raising fuel taxes. 

The state is being very short sighted in not dealing with these projects when the bonding rates are historically low.  The need isn't going to go away, and it will likely never be cheaper to borrow the money.

While that may be true for borrowing, unless we get some real reform in long-term transportation funding, we'll never be able to main the extra lane miles in the future. At some point, you can't keep borrowing money, despite what the feds keep doing.

[GeekJedi]

Well, that's just it. With the refusal to add or raise any tax, nor add any fees, all they're doing is kicking the can down the road. It's totally unsustainable.

[SEWIGuy]

Well, that's just it. With the refusal to add or raise any tax, nor add any fees, all they're doing is kicking the can down the road. It's totally unsustainable.

Exactly.  And I think Walker is more concerned over how this stuff plays nationally than what's really in the interests of the state.  This is why you are seeing some Republicans grumble not only about this but other issues.

And I am not trying to be partisan about this.  Doyle and the Democrats should have never appealed the automatic gas tax increases that were tied to inflation.

[peterj920]

The real challenge is public opinion.  Raising the gas tax is politically toxic, which is why there haven't been any attempts at the state and federal level.  CSPAN took calls on the issue for an hour and received a lot of calls.  Not one call was for raising the gas tax.  If you're a politician what do you do if people are overwhelmingly against raising the gas tax?

[Joe The Dragon]

What about tolling?

[colinstu]

Tolling would never fly in WI imo. 

[The Ghostbuster]

Although I don't drive, if I did I'd pay the toll, as long as it was a congestion-priced toll.

[hobsini2]

Looks like preliminary transportation budget talks are underway.  Under the governor's proposal, it looks like we aren't going to see any new major projects for a while with some delays on them and more funding for highway rehabilitation and local aid.  Thoughts?

Sounds like exactly what I would expect from a fiscally conservative governor / assembly which demonstrates why it's not always a good thing. As others point out, the bonds would be near the lowest level that THIS is the time to get bonds and pay less in interest.

That being said, the projects that I would like to see addressed for starters:
I-39/90 6 lanes from Illinois to Madison
I-39/90/94 8 lanes from Madison to Portage
I-43 reconstruction in Milwaukee and Ozaukee County
I-43/94 bridge reconstruction over the Menominee River in Milwaukee
I-90/94 6 lanes from Wisconsin Dells to Tomah
I-94 8 lanes in Racine and Milwaukee County
I-94 6 lanes in St Croix County
US 12 new expressway corridor from Elkhorn to Whitewater
US 12 4 lanes from Whitewater to Cambridge
US 12 complete the 4 lanes from Middleton to Lake Delton
US 18 4 lanes from Dodgeville to Prairie du Chien
US 151 upgrade to an interstate grade freeway from Madison to Fond du Lac
Wis 23 4 lanes from Fond du Lac to Sheboygan
Wis 26 expressway in from Wis 16/60 to Waupun

[GeekJedi]

I'd like to see I-94 become six lanes from Pewaukee to I-90 before things like a 4 lane US-12, or a US-12 expressway from Elkhorn to Whitewater. That's just my opinion though. (I traveled to Madison this morning via I-94 and then back home via US-12, and I can tell you that traffic was substantially worse on 94 than it was on 12!)

[peterj920]

Living in the Green Bay Area, I'm pretty satisfied with the state's highway network.  I can drive on 4 lane freeways/expressways to almost any major destination in the state from here.  It does seem like there is more of a shift from building rural expressways to rebuilding and expanding existing mostly urban freeways.  I would like to see more of an I-894 approach to lane expansion.  If the resurfacing project from the Zoo Interchange to 84th St is successful in being able to add a 4th lane in each direction, that approach should be tried with other major projects.  It's interesting on the WISDOT website that they brag about being able to make I-39/90/94, 30 miles of freeway expanded to 6 lanes in only 1 year (1984).  I do notice that most of the structures were left intact, and the existing interstate bridges were widened and rehabbed.  Could WISDOT look into doing more of that to cut costs while still being able to add lanes?

[SEWIGuy]

The real challenge is public opinion.  Raising the gas tax is politically toxic, which is why there haven't been any attempts at the state and federal level.  CSPAN took calls on the issue for an hour and received a lot of calls.  Not one call was for raising the gas tax.  If you're a politician what do you do if people are overwhelmingly against raising the gas tax?

It could be argued that simply tying the tax back to inflation isn't really raising it.  Income taxes and sales taxes are automatically tied to inflation. 

[dvferyance]

I'd like to see I-94 become six lanes from Pewaukee to I-90 before things like a 4 lane US-12, or a US-12 expressway from Elkhorn to Whitewater. That's just my opinion though. (I traveled to Madison this morning via I-94 and then back home via US-12, and I can tell you that traffic was substantially worse on 94 than it was on 12!)

I agree with that but for now I think 6 lanes is only needed to Oconomowoc.

[dvferyance]

The real challenge is public opinion.  Raising the gas tax is politically toxic, which is why there haven't been any attempts at the state and federal level.  CSPAN took calls on the issue for an hour and received a lot of calls.  Not one call was for raising the gas tax.  If you're a politician what do you do if people are overwhelmingly against raising the gas tax?

Right on the gas tax is one of the highest in the state I pay enough as it is. Some of these projects aren't all that needed anyways I say they can wait.

[SEWIGuy]

The real challenge is public opinion.  Raising the gas tax is politically toxic, which is why there haven't been any attempts at the state and federal level.  CSPAN took calls on the issue for an hour and received a lot of calls.  Not one call was for raising the gas tax.  If you're a politician what do you do if people are overwhelmingly against raising the gas tax?

Right on the gas tax is one of the highest in the state I pay enough as it is. Some of these projects aren't all that needed anyways I say they can wait.

What do you mean by "one of the highest in the state?"  Wisconsin's gas tax is slightly above the national average.  Nowhere near the highest.

[GeekJedi]

The real challenge is public opinion.  Raising the gas tax is politically toxic, which is why there haven't been any attempts at the state and federal level.  CSPAN took calls on the issue for an hour and received a lot of calls.  Not one call was for raising the gas tax.  If you're a politician what do you do if people are overwhelmingly against raising the gas tax?

Right on the gas tax is one of the highest in the state I pay enough as it is. Some of these projects aren't all that needed anyways I say they can wait.

What do you mean by "one of the highest in the state?"  Wisconsin's gas tax is slightly above the national average.  Nowhere near the highest.

"Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!"
"Germans?"
"Forget it, he's rolling."

[Brandon]

I think they could, as long as their systems have a way of invalidating / nulling out any out-standing issues with previously registered numbers.
Sure, all those LLL-NNN plates should be gone, but...Parking tickets, other violations, etc related to that number... are they tied with the Plate Number itself? Or with the RRN? VIN? That would have to be checked out first I'm sure. Wouldn't want to get the number registered to a new car, and then that person sent a bunch of mail about other people's issues.

If they wanted to play it safe, they probably wouldn't re-use numbers. I think it would be the best move though.

They could also ditch the hyphen and go with a 7 digit plate. NNNLLLL?

That makes much more sense, and would actually allow for something like more than 400 million combinations.  (Instead of the 17 million or so with NNN-LLL format.)

Well, seeing as all of the older LLL-NNN format ('red letter/number') plates are now off of the road, that pool can be reused.  I can also see going to 7 characters, like in Michigan and Illinois, so we'll have to see.  (I'm intrigued by Illinois' 'NNN NNNN' and 'LNN NNNN' formats.)

Mike

Illinois used 'NNN NNNN' during the early 2000s (starting like 1999 or 2000).  My license plate is in that format as I originally got my plates in 2001.  The current (and oddly, previous) format is the "LNN NNNN'.

[dvferyance]

The real challenge is public opinion.  Raising the gas tax is politically toxic, which is why there haven't been any attempts at the state and federal level.  CSPAN took calls on the issue for an hour and received a lot of calls.  Not one call was for raising the gas tax.  If you're a politician what do you do if people are overwhelmingly against raising the gas tax?

Right on the gas tax is one of the highest in the state I pay enough as it is. Some of these projects aren't all that needed anyways I say they can wait.

What do you mean by "one of the highest in the state?"  Wisconsin's gas tax is slightly above the national average.  Nowhere near the highest.

So I misspoke but I am sure you know what I meant. It's one of the highest in the country. For 18 years we had an unconstitutional automatic increase in the gas tax. It would go up every year without any politician even voting on it.

[SEWIGuy]

The real challenge is public opinion.  Raising the gas tax is politically toxic, which is why there haven't been any attempts at the state and federal level.  CSPAN took calls on the issue for an hour and received a lot of calls.  Not one call was for raising the gas tax.  If you're a politician what do you do if people are overwhelmingly against raising the gas tax?

Right on the gas tax is one of the highest in the state I pay enough as it is. Some of these projects aren't all that needed anyways I say they can wait.

What do you mean by "one of the highest in the state?"  Wisconsin's gas tax is slightly above the national average.  Nowhere near the highest.

So I misspoke but I am sure you know what I meant. It's one of the highest in the country. For 18 years we had an unconstitutional automatic increase in the gas tax. It would go up every year without any politician even voting on it.

Wisconsin is 16th.  It is with a group of states that vary by about $.03 a gallon that go from 8th to about 26th.  Really it's not that high.

And I am not sure where you get the idea that a tax tied to the cost of living is unconstitutional.  It isn't.

[WarrenWallace]

Sounds like suburban Milwaukee focused talk radio / tea party rhetoric.

[SEWIGuy]

Sounds like suburban Milwaukee focused talk radio / tea party rhetoric.

I figured it was talk radio.  Really needs to do more research than taking what they say at face value.

[jwags]

Just got new plates today and they end in ZGK.

[jakeroot]

For 18 years we had an unconstitutional automatic increase in the gas tax. It would go up every year without any politician even voting on it.

Even if that were unconstitutional, it makes sense: as long as fuel taxes are a fixed amount, it has to go up each year to keep up with inflation.

Decades ago, governments around the world decided on fixed amounts for fuel taxes to compensate for varying fuel prices (thusly, varying income from fuel taxes). This allowed for gas prices to fluctuate without harming tax income (if it were a percentage, income each year could vary wildly). The problem is that 60 cents today may mean 30 cents 20 years from now. So to keep up with inflation, you have to steadily increase the fixed tax amount.

[dvferyance]

For 18 years we had an unconstitutional automatic increase in the gas tax. It would go up every year without any politician even voting on it.

Even if that were unconstitutional, it makes sense: as long as fuel taxes are a fixed amount, it has to go up each year to keep up with inflation.

Decades ago, governments around the world decided on fixed amounts for fuel taxes to compensate for varying fuel prices (thusly, varying income from fuel taxes). This allowed for gas prices to fluctuate without harming tax income (if it were a percentage, income each year could vary wildly). The problem is that 60 cents today may mean 30 cents 20 years from now. So to keep up with inflation, you have to steadily increase the fixed tax amount.

Whether it makes sense or not isn't the point if it it's unconstitutional it should be repealed and I am glad it was. Then your saying the constitution doesn't matter. It's unconstitutional because we have a tax increase every year without any politician voting on it. That's taxation without representation that's why we declared our independence from England. I just want to let you know back in 2003 when it was repealed it had overwhelming support from both parties. Not just tea party Republicans but even from several Democrats as well. It was the will of the people it was probably one of the few good things fmr Gov Doyle did.

[dvferyance]

Sounds like suburban Milwaukee focused talk radio / tea party rhetoric.

If you like paying high taxes then your always free to write a check to the government. I would rather keep my own money.