Contact: Craig Thompson, TDA Executive Director, (608) 577-0345
MADISON — The Democratic candidate for governor, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, today endorsed amending the Wisconsin constitution in order to prohibit transfers from the state’s segregated transportation fund.
Barrett made his announcement during his remarks to the annual meeting of the Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin, which was held at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in Madison.
“I’m here to tell you that I support the constitutional amendment to stop the raids,” he said.
County Executive Scott Walker , the Republican candidate, spoke to the group immediately following Barrett and reiterated his previous support for the amendment.
“I will not tap the segregated transportation fund,” Walker said. “We need to protect against the raids that happened in the last couple of budgets.”
Barrett joined Walker in pledging, if elected, to use money from the fund only for purposes related to transportation. Barrett said that doing otherwise “erodes public confidence and trust in these funds.” He also said both parties were to blame for past transfers from the transportation fund.
“There are unclean hands all over on this,” he said. “Governor Doyle and the Republican legislature committed the bipartisan sin” of using money from the transportation fund to make up for a shortfall in the state budget.
TDA Executive Director Craig Thompson praised the candidates for their support. “We’re very pleased that both candidates support constitutional protection for Wisconsin’s segregated transportation fund,” he said.
An advisory referendum to amend the state constitution is on the general election ballot in 53 Wisconsin counties. Racine County placed the question on its primary election ballot, and it passed with 74 percent of the vote.
The Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin is a statewide alliance representing more than 400 transportation stakeholders committed to working together for the best in transportation. TDA members include businesses, labor, units of government and organizations, as well as individuals. For more information visit http://www.tdawisconsin.org or call (608) 256-7044.
