Conservatively Speaking
State Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) represents parts of four counties: Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine, and Walworth. Her Senate District 28 includes New Berlin, Franklin, Greendale, Hales Corners, Muskego, Waterford, Big Bend, the town of Vernon and parts of Greenfield, East Troy, and Mukwonago. Senator Lazich has been in the Legislature for more than a decade. She considers herself a tireless crusader for lower taxes, reduced spending and smaller government.
State Budget Watch: Shortfall in transportation fund
By Mary Lazich
Thursday, Apr 30 2009, 02:33 PM
The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) has issued a report on the condition of the state’s transportation fund. The LFB says the balance at the end of the biennium is $7.6 million, $24.7 million less than was estimated by Governor Doyle at the time he introduced his 2009-11 state budget proposal.
Factors affecting the decrease in the fund are projected reductions in collections from the gas tax, oil company profits tax and vehicle registration fees, and lower transportation fund investment earnings.
Read the LFB report.
Watch for Governor Doyle to use this new information to fuel his recent call for a three-cent increase in Wisconsin’s gas tax.
I repeat. Wisconsin’s gas tax is already one of the highest in the country. The Tax Foundation in Washington D.C. reports Wisconsin's gasoline tax is variable and stands at 32.9 cents per gallon, the nation's 8th highest.
We do not need an increase in the gas tax. Here is a thought. Maybe the governor should stop raiding the transportation fund and there would not be a need to discuss raising the gas tax.
