The MacIver Institute does the math on Wisconsin’s transportation budget and it isn’t pretty. This comparison jumps out at me.

Much of the debate over the upcoming transportation budget is being framed with some basic assumptions that need to be challenged. The basic argument being used is, “the roads suck and we need more money, so should we borrow it or raise taxes?”

Before we even get to that question, lawmakers need much more visibility on how the DOT is spending money and what their priorities are. The data indicates that Wisconsin spends an metric crap-ton more on transportation than comparable states and has worse roads. Why? Why are we spending money on more expansion at the expense of maintaining the roads we have? How many times has the DOT’s traffic estimates which were used to justify expansion fallen short? (hint: many). What policies are unnecessarily driving up the cost of road work (bidding process, prevailing wage requirements, design requirements, etc.)?

We may get to the point that we need to seriously consider more transportation spending, but we are nowhere near that point yet. The evidence indicates that the DOT has been a poorly run agency that overspends on poor priorities for decades. Until that ship is put right, more money will only encourage more bad behavior.

Good. We don’t have the money to do everything. Prioritize, people.

The move appears to foreclose any near-term efforts to expand a corridor that carries growing volumes of traffic, much of it tourism-based, from southern Wisconsin and Illinois to Wisconsin Dells and other points north and west.

In February the department said the corridor would experience “significant problems” from traffic congestion if it is not expanded.

Heh.

 Vos emphasized that large highway expansions in southeast Wisconsin, including of the Zoo Interchange and Interstate 94 in Racine and Kenosha counties, would face an uncertain future under Walker’s plan.

“Under your plan, the unfortunate reality is that these roads may not be done in our lifetime,” Vos wrote.

In Dane County, the Verona Road project would be delayed at least two years under Walker’s plan. The plan would keep on track expansions of I-39/90 in Rock and Dane counties and of Highway 10-441 in the Fox Valley.

My column for the West Bend Daily News is online. Here you go:

There is a battle brewing over transportation funding in Wisconsin causing fissures between some prominent Republicans. Specifically, Speaker Robin Vos and Gov. Scott Walker are at odds, but both of them are wrong.

Virtually everyone in Wisconsin agrees that maintaining a quality transportation infrastructure is vital to the state. Our economy flows across our roads, rails, waterways and skyways. Constructing and maintaining our transportation infrastructure is a defined responsibility of our government. It is the scope and means of fulfilling that responsibility upon which disagreements arise.

With an election looming and the next state budget debate coming in less than seven months, people are already maneuvering for position. The problem with the state transportation budget, as defined by some, is that the funding cannot keep up with the necessary spending.

The money for state transportation spending comes from a variety of sources. Chief among these sources are the fuel tax and registration fees, which account for 56 percent of all state transportation revenue. Twenty-four percent comes from federal funds, 7 percent comes from general purpose revenue and other funds, and in the most recent budget, 13 percent came from borrowing.

According to the state Department of Transportation, all state transportation revenue, 56 percent of all funds, has only risen by 3.4 percent in constant 2013 dollars since 2006. Over the same period, state transportation appropriations rose by 5.1 percent in constant 2013 dollars. The biggest problem is that the revenue from the fuel tax has been essentially flat for years. The concept of taxing fuel was a good one as it served as a proxy for usage with people who use the transportation system more having to pay more for it. But in an age of fuel-efficient vehicles, electric cars, etc. the fuel tax is a poor proxy for usage. A new taxing mechanism is needed, but there are more fundamental issues that need resolving before determining the optimum funding methodology.

Essentially, the cost of transportation is increasing faster than the revenue that is used to fund it. The state has been patching the problem in the past few budgets by borrowing to fill in the gap. This is where the rub between Walker and Vos comes in.

Vos believes it is poor public stewardship to continue borrowing money to fill in the transportation budget. Such borrowing merely forces future taxpayers to pay for today’s transportation needs with interest. Vos wants to fix transportation funding for good so borrowing is not necessary. Vos’ goal is laudable.

Walker has said that he does not support any additional funding for transportation needs unless an equal amount of money is taken out of the budget elsewhere. He recognizes that despite years of improvement, Wisconsin is still a tax hell. The state still ranks as one of the worst in terms of state and local tax burden (second worst by WalletHub, fourth worst by CNN Money). Walker is insisting the overall budget remain flat and wants the Legislature to prioritize taxing and spending while not increasing the overall tax burden on the taxpayer. Walker’s goal is also laudable.

They are both missing the point. The problem with Wisconsin’s transportation budget is not that there is not enough money. The problem is the state is spending too much.

I wrote about this fact last May when this issue flared up again and it has not changed. A look at the Reason Foundation’s most recent 21st annual highway report shows Wisconsin is spending way more than comparable states.

For example, Wisconsin and Minnesota have almost the same number of highway miles at 11,766 and 11,833, respectively. They also have almost the same number of lane miles. They are both cold-weather states with a major metropolitan area. In terms of total spending on roads, Minnesota spends just over $132,000 per state-controlled mile. Wisconsin spends 72 percent more for a total of almost $227,000 per mile.

Breaking down the numbers is even more interesting. Wisconsin spends 25 percent more on administrative costs, but actually spends 38 percent less on maintenance. The big difference comes with construction. Wisconsin is spending 75 percent more than Minnesota for every new mile of road. In summary, Wisconsin spends a lot more money on administration and construction, but less on maintenance than Minnesota. That is a difference in priorities.

To think of it another way, if Wisconsin just lowered its spending to the same amount per mile as Minnesota and prioritized maintenance over construction, it would save Wisconsin $1.1 billion per year and solve the transportation budget problem overnight while leaving a surplus to return to the taxpayers.

Wisconsin does not have a funding or taxing problem — it has a spending problem. Vos and Walker should look for common ground on reducing spending before locking horns on how to pay for the spending.

The Speaker of the Assembly seems hell bent on pumping more tax dollars into the pockets of the transportation lobby.

During the interview, Vos said he “fundamentally disagrees” with Gov. Scott Walker’s view on transportation spending. The governor has said repeatedly that he won’t increase roads spending unless equivalent cuts are made elsewhere in the state budget.

Vos said “all options should be on the table” when it comes to the funding.

I stand with Walker.

Brian Fraley doesn’t offer any solutions yet, but he makes a compelling case for why conservatives need to lead the way on finding the solutions.

If we just continue to hold tight under the misguided notion of what is conservative and therefore don’t invest in resolving the current crisis, over the next decade there will be 250 fewer new road projects, 800 fewer miles of roads will be rehabilitated or improved (thus increasing the miles of poor roads by 81 percent). This means 26 percent of all highways in Wisconsin will be in poor condition by 2027.

Let’s be clear. These numbers are not some hype from the special interests, these numbers are the sober, honest analysis of Governor Walker’s Department of Transportation.

If Interstate projects are pushed back this far and our two lane highways in Wisconsin gradually succumb to being gravel roads, you can take all the ballyhooed economic development plans Wisconsin has for the next 25 years and kiss them goodbye. Wisconsin would be open for business, but getting your customers or your goods to and from here–well???

The fact is, our agricultural, manufacturing and tourism economies rely upon our roads. Their condition is a key component to Wisconsin’s overall economy.

Fraley is right that our transportation infrastructure is critical to the state’s economy and quality of life. He is also right that building and maintaining a quality transportation infrastructure is a primary function of government.

Here’s the problem… as defined, the problem is that the cost of our transportation needs are being outpaced by the money we have to pay for it. Any solutions to such a problem will have to include some combination of a reduction in the cost and an increase in the money (read: higher taxes). But even as the problem is framed, the idea is entertained that the cost may be too high, but then immediately dismissed, thus leading the audience to the inevitable solution: we need higher taxes.

The other problem is that I simply don’t trust the data. The road builders are a powerful interest group in Wisconsin. They own the Department of Transportation and have long held sway in both parties. Our last elected Republican governor, Tommy Thompson, was legendary in his willingness to spend money on roads. Doyle was just as bad, but preferred to tilt more toward public transportation. And Walker is proving to be every bit the spender in this regard as his predecessors. All of the data we see regarding the extent of the “crisis” and costs needed to resolve it come from the same people who have been screwing Wisconsin taxpayers for a generation or more.

As I wrote last year:

According to Reason’s Annual Report on the Performance of State Highway Systems, which measures how much bang each state gets for their transportation buck, Wisconsin has jumped 10 spots to 15th place in the country since 2011, but it ranks 36th in spending per state-controlled mile. Wisconsin spends a whopping $226,901 per mile — way more than every other Midwestern state except Illinois. Iowa and Minnesota manage to spend less than $134,000 per mile.

Consider that if Wisconsin could reduce its spending per mile to just the same level as our neighboring states, there would be a surplus of transportation funding.

When considering that Iowa and Minnesota have very similar weather and stresses on the pavement, why does Wisconsin need to spend so much more per mile on roads? Until that conundrum is solved, I am not willing to consider more revenue for transportation. The solutions to this crisis can be found in the bloated costs that other states seem to be able to control.

Argh… more money stolen from our kids being spent with virtually no effort at controlling spending. The road builders have politicians from both parties by the short hairs.

All four Democrats on the Legislature’s budget committee joined six Assembly Republicans on Wednesday to approve borrowing $350 million for big-ticket road projects — including the Verona Road/Beltline Highway project and widening Interstate 39/90.

Six Senate Republicans voted against the plan.

At the same time, Democrats slammed Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican majority for not developing a long-term plan sooner to pay for major road projects, including raising the state’s gas tax.

Ummmm… no.

Gov. Scott Walker urged Republican lawmakers Tuesday to authorize an additional $350 million in borrowing to help pay for road projects that are delayed for lack of funding.

I think it’s comical how this is stated as a bad thing.

Democrats have called for a special session to address transportation funding issues. Rep. Robb Kahl, D-Monona, announced Tuesday a proposal to reinstate indexing the gas tax to inflation, which the state discontinued in 2006. He said if indexing hadn’t been eliminated, the gas tax would be 6 cents per gallon higher today.

I remember how hard that was to get passed. If it weren’t for the repeal of gas tax indexing, every Wisconsinite would be paying an extra 6 cents per gallon. It’s a good thing that gas tax indexing was repealed – not a bad thing.