MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The Latest on Wisconsin road funding debate (all times local):
4 p.m.
Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says Republicans are eyeing a $10 increase to the state’s $75 vehicle registration fee as part of a way to pay for roads without raising the gas tax as Gov. Tony Evers has proposed.
Evers did not call for an increase in the vehicle registration fee in his budget proposal.
Republicans are discussing alternative proposals and plan to vote on their approach Thursday during a meeting of the budget-writing Joint Finance Committee.
Fitzgerald said Wednesday they are examining which construction projects must get done and how much it would cost. He says Republicans are eyeing cash, fee increases, additional borrowing and tolling is also part of the discussion.
Evers proposed $608 million more for transportation. Fitzgerald says Republicans don’t have a target number.
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9:55 a.m.
With no deal on how to fund Wisconsin’s transportation needs in sight, some Republican senators are proposing tapping $133 million in budget reserves to pay for repairs to county and town roads.
But the senators who announced the plan Wednesday say they have no agreement with Assembly Republicans on the deal. That means it may not win approval by the budget-writing Joint Finance Committee when it meets Thursday to vote on road funding.
Committee member Sen. Tom Tiffany says he was “hopeful” the idea presented Wednesday will be a part of what the GOP-controlled panel adopts.
Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald was not at the news conference. He said last week Senate Republicans would not raise the gas tax to pay for roads as Gov. Tony Evers wanted.
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