Bipartisan Commission Tasked with Roads Met Friday
Monday, December 9th, 2019 -- 10:44 AM
(AP) -A bipartisan commission tasked with making recommendations on what major Wisconsin road projects should move forward met for the first time in half a decade on Friday.The Transportation Projects Commission did not recommend any new projects at its meeting, but Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Craig Thompson said it would consider new projects, and how to pay for them, at future meetings. Gov. Tony Evers, who convened and presided over the meeting, proposed raising the gas tax by 8 cents a gallon in his state budget this year to pay for road improvements.
Republicans who control the Legislature rejected that proposal, instead relying on a mixture of cash, borrowing and higher fees to pay for about $465 million road spending. The commission is purely advisory. The Legislature has the power to authorize construction projects without a recommendation from the group. The commission only weighs the largest, most expensive road projects that cost at least $41 million.
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