Gov. Scott Walker wants his transportation secretary to submit a budget request that minimizes spending on major construction projects in southeast Wisconsin.
In a letter to Department of Transportation head Mark Gottlieb, Walker also said raising the gas tax or vehicle registration fees to pay for roads without an equal or greater reduction in taxes elsewhere is, “not an option” and “would throw a wet blanket on our growing economy.”
Walker said proposed spending on mega projects in the southeast part of the state should be minimized.
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“Any such projects should be prioritized based on our needs, not our wants,” Walker wrote. “Large, needs-based projects should have their designs reviewed to save taxpayer dollars while maximizing maintenance and safety.”
At the same time, Walker said Gottlieb’s budget “must” increase funding for local road aids and highway maintenance.
The governor did not give any firm numbers on how much Gottlieb should borrow to pay for roads, saying only that he should hold bonding “to a reasonable level.” Walker proposed borrowing $1.3 billion in his last transportation budget. The Legislature reduced that to $850-million.
Walker also told Gottlieb to submit his budget request with other agencies in mid-September, which is two months earlier than typical DOT budgets.
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