Another $150 million was transferred to transportation from the general fund in the 2013-15 budget. Some might see that as the same sort of “raid” for which Walker condemned Doyle, but this was into transportation, not out of it, so we did not hear a peep.

By the way, there were ideas for new transportation revenues. A commission Walker appointed on transportation funding proposed increasing fees, implementing toll roads, and tying registration fees to actual miles driven, among other ideas.

The governor and other Republicans ignored those systemic revenue ideas, moving other state money into transportation at the same time they cut taxes, wailed that the “state is broke” and chopped $800 million from K-12 education.

Who knows, maybe the special interests who call the shots will allow Republicans to back increased revenues after this amendment passes, once they are assured they will get most of the money.

Wisconsin’s constitution has been amended 140 times since statehood in 1848, but not often has it been changed for something as trivial as “protecting” drivers who pay a few cents in gasoline taxes or to represent energy and trucking interests from outside Wisconsin.