WRN News- Andrew Beckett
As state budget talks continue, Governor Scott Walker says the possibility of taking up transportation funding separately could lead to delays and cuts in state road projects.
“Major projects could see about a 45 percent reduction and there would be no increase for local governments,” the governor warned, during a press conference in Neenah Thursday morning. “To me, that’s just unacceptable.”
Lawmakers and the governor have been largely divided over how to handle transportation funding in the budget. Walker’s original budget called for delaying some projects and more borrowing to help pay for roads, while many lawmakers have rejected that plan.
Assembly GOP leaders have said all options needs to be on the table, including gas tax and vehicle registration fee increases. They introduced a plan earlier this month that would cut the gas tax, while applying state sales taxes to fuel purchases to help pay for roads. Walker has spoken out against that proposal.