(Madison) … State Representative Mark Gottlieb (R – Port Washington)
and State Senator Randy Hopper (R – Fond du Lac) introduced a
constitutional amendment today to guarantee that all future user fees
paid by vehicle owners and road users can be used only to build and
maintain transportation systems.

“Using Transportation Fund money to fill holes in the general state
budget has become the rule
rather than the exception in recent years. Over one billion dollars
has been diverted from the
Fund since 2003, a portion of which had to be replaced with new
bonding,” said Gottlieb.

“When the state collects money to build and repair roads, the people
who pay those taxes and
fees have a right to expect us to use the money for that purpose. A
constitutional amendment is
the only way to protect transportation funds from raids by future
governors and legislatures.”

The amendment requires that all revenue from fuel taxes, registration
fees, or other road user
charges be deposited only in the Transportation Fund and only be used
for legitimate
transportation-related purposes. Governor Doyle’s proposed oil company
gross receipts tax and
the authority recently granted to the Department of Administration to
take money from the
transportation fund in the 2009-2011 biennium make this amendment
especially timely.

“Building infrastructure is one of the most important things state
government does and it must
have a secure funding source,” Hopper said. “The constant raids on
this fund have left our
roads in disrepair, creating safety hazards and costing motorist
millions of dollars in
unnecessary vehicle repairs. Constitutionally protecting the
Transportation Fund will ensure
that our roads are maintained and our motorists kept safe.”

A proposed constitutional amendment requires adoption by two
successive legislatures and
ratification by the people before it can become effective.