Gov. Scott Walker said he would not support hiking the gas tax or fees to pay for highways unless corresponding cuts are made elsewhere in the state budget. Credit: Associated Press

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Madison — Wisconsin's roads likely will face longer delays before they get repaired because of an ongoing funding dispute in the state Capitol.

Gov. Scott Walker told reporters Thursday he would not support increasing taxes or fees to pay for highways unless corresponding cuts are made elsewhere in the state budget. He also said he didn't want to rely too much on borrowing for roads — something his fellow Republicans who control the Legislature already are reluctant to do.

If Walker sticks by those stances, ongoing projects would likely take longer to complete and planned ones would take longer to get started. That's because collections from the state's 32.9-cent-per-gallon gas tax have been stagnant in recent years.

"I'm not going to add to the overall tax burden of the hardworking people of this state, so that's a position I made very clear when I ran and I've reiterated it time and time again, so we're not going to add a gas tax or vehicle registration fee in this next budget," Walker told reporters after speaking at a fundraiser for the United Negro College Fund.

Walker will propose a new two-year state budget early next year, after the fall elections determine the makeup of the Legislature.

His position drew opposition from top Republicans in the Assembly, as well as Democrats.

"Personally, I think the governor's approach just isn't sustainable," said Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna). "We can't continue delaying projects, because our economy depends on (them)."

More money — not more borrowing — is needed to pay for roads, he said.

"I think most reasonable people would clearly see it is not more conservative to just borrow your way out of this than to just pay for it as you go," he said.

Some Republicans — particularly in the Assembly — wanted to increase taxes or fees last year to help pay for roads, but didn't pursue the idea because of Walker's strong opposition to such increases.

The interest for finding more money for roads remains strong, despite Walker's latest comments, said Rep. John Nygren (R-Marinette), co-chairman of the budget-writing Joint Finance Committee.

"I don't think this changes anything on where we are at," Nygren said.

The Legislative Audit Bureau is slated to release a review of highway funding this fall, and Nygren said he believes that will help lawmakers recognize the scope of the Department of Transportation's money troubles.

Walker and GOP lawmakers differed last year over roads, with Walker wanting to borrow a record $1.3 billion over two years for transportation and Republican legislators saying his plan wasn't responsible. They cut his bonding plan to $850 million and stressed their opposition to borrowing at that level in the future.

The plan they ultimately agreed upon resulted in delaying for one year the completion of five major projects: I-39/90 from the Illinois state line to Madison; Highway 151/Verona Road in Madison; Highway 10/441 in the Fox Valley; Highway 23 between Fond du Lac and Plymouth; and Highway 15 near New London in Outagamie County.

Highway 23 has been further stalled because of a court fight over that project.

Walker's comments Thursday made it clear another showdown over transportation is likely in the next budget debate.

"There won't be a wave of major projects," he said. "The ones that we've talked about, we're going to figure out ways to continue those, but we won't be adding new projects on top of that."

Pat Goss, the executive director of the Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association, said Walker's stance would lead to delays for everything from major highway expansions to local road improvements.

"A no-increase budget means inevitably there's going to have to be cuts — and maybe cuts across the board," he said.

Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills), the co-chairwoman of the budget committee, said people don't want project delays, but a conversation on the topic "gets very murky" on whether they are willing to pay higher taxes or fees to prevent them.

"This is a good time to begin that discussion" because of the impending audit and upcoming elections, she said.

Democrats were scathing in their assessment of Walker's approach.

"Businesses aren't going to invest in Wisconsin if we don't invest in ourselves," said Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton), who sits on the budget committee. "We haven't raised revenue in nine years. We need to raise the gas tax. The DOT has been cut back enough."

"Clearly, the governor has given up any attempt to govern the state of Wisconsin and move us forward," said Rep. Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh), another committee member. "He has failed in his last six years to address the transportation issue and as a result, Wisconsin is borrowing at a record level to pay for infrastructure at not a level that maintains where we are."

Roads in Wisconsin are primarily funded with federal aid, the state's gas tax and the vehicle registration fee. Registration fees are $75 for automobiles and $75 to $106 for light trucks, depending on their weight. Semi-trailer trucks pay much heftier registration fees.

In recent years, GOP legislators have been split on increasing transportation funding, and those who back the idea have abandoned past efforts because of the opposition they've faced.

There are further divisions among those who want more money for roads, with some favoring boosting the gas tax and others the registration fee.

Other ideas, such as creating a new mileage-based fee, have been met with skepticism.

The DOT is now paying nearly $900,000 to HNTB Corp. and other consultants for a study on the feasibility of implementing tolling in Wisconsin. That study is expected to be done by January.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) and some others have been vocal supporters of tolling, but state officials don't have full control of the issue. To put tolls on Wisconsin's interstate highways, Congress would need to act, and so far the idea has not gained traction in Washington, D.C.