A rendering of a Brookville streetcar in Milwaukee's Third Ward. Three Republican state legislators are circulating a bill that would block state funds from contributing to the operation of the city’s planned streetcar line. Credit: Brookville Equipment Corp.

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Republican state lawmakers are circulating a bill that would block state transportation money from being used to operate a Milwaukee streetcar.

Three legislators — Reps. Jesse Kremer (R-Kewaskum), Romaine Quinn (R-Rice Lake) and Cody Horlacher (R-Mukwonago) — announced the proposal Tuesday in an email seeking co-sponsors for the measure.

"I am proud to support economic development and growth in the City of Milwaukee, and many of us did just that through our challenging Bucks arena vote earlier this year," Kremer said in a statement. "The state transportation fund and rural, mass-transit issues are major concerns for my constituents."

Kremer said he isn't convinced the streetcar project will be sustainable.

"There's been no state funding so far, and this would ensure there would not be," Kremer told the Journal Sentinel.

Kremer said Wisconsin taxpayers have already helped to contribute millions in federal tax dollars.

"As such, I do not feel that taxpayers outside of the City of Milwaukee should be responsible for any future operational costs that may arise," Kremer said.

The proposal aims to prohibit the state from incurring any expenses associated with a commuter rail system.

Kremer said the measure would essentially be an expansion of a provision in the 2015-'17 state budget that created a transit safety oversight program. That provision was aimed at preventing a county containing a first-class city — that would only be Milwaukee — from incurring any expenses linked to the operation of a commuter rail system, unless the county would be fully reimbursed by the city.

The proposal also would prohibit projects resulting from the Milwaukee Downtown Transit Connector Study from being eligible for operating assistance funds.

A spokeswoman for Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said he backs the proposal.

"Speaker Vos supports the bill as it protects state taxpayers from runaway costs associated with the Milwaukee streetcar project," Kit Beyer said in an email.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has said the streetcar project will bring thousands of residents and visitors to major attractions and new developments in the city, and would help create jobs and connect neighborhoods to downtown.

The mayor's office said Tuesday that it is proceeding with the project.