LETTER: ‘Wildly unpopular’ gas tax is wrong way to fund road repair

To Ozaukee Press:

One of the clearest lessons from last fall’s election was that the people of Wisconsin demand better roads. Although local jurisdictions are actually responsible for maintaining the majority of the roads that the average citizen encounters on a daily basis, the state is nevertheless the target of Wisconsinites’ scorn when it comes to bad road conditions.

Recognizing the fact that issue helped him win the election, Gov. Tony Evers included a hefty gas tax increase in his proposed budget to pay for transportation initiatives. The governor also proposes to restore automatic indexing, which would result in annual increases to keep up with inflation.

Evers is fundamentally mistaken in his dependence on the gas tax as a reliable way to address transportation funding. It is nearly universally understood that gas taxes are a diminishing source of revenue due to lower fuel consumption by newer cars and the shift towards hybrid and electric vehicles.

The governor’s proposal faces a more pressing obstacle: A gas tax increase is wildly unpopular, as shown by last week’s Marquette University Law School Poll reporting that 57% of Wisconsinites oppose raising the gas tax.

A more conservative way forward would allow Wisconsin to consistently put more money towards transportation without resorting to new taxation, while also resulting in a more efficient Department of Transportation and less borrowing.

The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates that Wisconsin collects around $1 billion in sales tax revenue annually from the sale of automobiles and related parts and services, all of which currently goes to the state’s general fund. Transferring a portion of this revenue into the transportation fund would give it a sustainable funding source without putting a hole in the state budget.

This would reduce reliance on bonding for road construction projects. Money that would otherwise be used for debt service would be available for transportation program funding.

Any honest discussion of Wisconsin’s transportation issues has to acknowledge the role played by waste and inefficiency in the sprawling DOT. In tandem with dedicating more funds for transportation, we must pass legislation that reforms the DOT. There must be a top-down effort to eliminate bloat within the agency, particularly in management positions.

Those who favor a tax-and-spend approach will oppose this proposal because it will limit their ability to grow the size and reach of government. Nevertheless, it is imperative for the Legislature to stand up to that opposition and demonstrate that conservative principles are effective for solving problems by creating a sustainable DOT without raising taxes.

Joe Sanfelippo
West Allis
The letter writer is the state representative for the 15th Assembly District.