Wisconsin Ag Connection - Groups Urge Legislators to Fund Rural Town Roads

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Groups Urge Legislators to Fund Rural Town Roads
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 06/26/2019

A coalition of six lobbying groups representing rural Wisconsin interests are urging lawmakers to support a state budget provision that provides a one-time appropriation of $5 million to fund towns negatively impacted by flaws in the General Transportation Aids formula. Authored by Senators Tom Tiffany of Minocqua and Jerry Petrowski from Marathon, the proposal would spend $2.5 million each year over the next biennium to help fix deteriorating roads and bridges--which the groups say are necessary for fostering economic growth.

"The budget substitute amendment adopted by the Joint Committee on Finance would invest approximately $29.4 million in town roads," the groups said in a letter. "Unfortunately, in the 2019-21 biennium, towns will lose an estimated $5.2 million due to a flaw in the funding distribution process. This is equal to 18 percent of the proposed investment. Because of this flaw, 92 towns will receive none of the additional funding and an additional 75 towns will only receive a portion of the new funding."

The memo went on to say the one-time allocation would ensure Wisconsin's rural economy gets the resources it needs to keep our economy moving, until a permanent fix can be made to the funding formula.

Partners of the effort include leaders from the Wisconsin Farm Bureau, Lakes States Loggers Association, Wisconsin Dairy Alliance, Wisconsin Paper Council, Wisconsin County Forests Association and Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association.

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