Tom Warne Report, 2 March 2013
Lawmakers in Wisconsin are answering voter’s demands that transportation funds be protected from raids, nearly two years after residents called for action. The state Legislature is near approval of a constitutional amendment to prevent legislators from transferring money from the fund. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau reports that an estimated $1.2 billion has been diverted from the fund over a ten-year period.
Jeremy Thiesfeldt, R-Fond du Lac, said it is unfortunate that the state has to take action to prevent tax dollars for transportation so they are not spent elsewhere. “Citizens deserve to be assured that the money they spend to put fuel in their tanks and fees for their renewals remain for the purpose it was originally intended,” Thiesfeldt said in a news release.
The Assembly voted 82-13 to approve the amendment to the state Constitution, requiring any money collected from the state fuel tax or vehicle fees to be spent on transportation projects. With Senate lawmaker’s approval, the measure would go to voters in the November 2014 election. In order for the Wisconsin Constitution to be amended, state lawmakers must approve the change in two consecutive sessions. State lawmakers initially approved the change in the 2011 session.
