Town of Elk Mound Resolution # 1-2016
WHEREAS, local government in Wisconsin is responsible for about 90% of the road miles in the state; and,
WHEREAS, towns are responsible for over 50% of the road miles in the state; and,
WHEREAS, Wisconsin’s diverse economy is dependent upon county and town roads, as well as urban streets and transit systems across the state; and,
WHEREAS, according to “Filling Potholes: A New Look at Funding Local Transportation in Wisconsin,” commissioned by the Local Government Institute of Wisconsin the condition of Wisconsin’s highways is now in the bottom third of the country; and,
WHEREAS, according the same research municipal transportation spending has declined from $275 per capita in 2000 to $227 in 2012, which is less than it was in 1986; and,
WHEREAS, state funding for local roads in Wisconsin has failed to keep up with costs over the past several decades, which has adversely affected local transportation finances; and,
WHEREAS, levy limits do not allow local government to make up for the deterioration of state funding; and,
WHEREAS, Wisconsin’s over-reliance on borrowing eats away at the state’s segregated funding sources – the state gas tax and vehicle registration fees – which increasingly pay debt service rather than fund transportation needs; and,
WHEREAS, safety is a primary concern and responsibility of local governments across Wisconsin, and unfortunately, according to TRIP, a national non-profit transportation research group, Wisconsin had 347 non-interstate, rural road fatalities in 2013; and,
WHEREAS, we recognize that all of the interstate, state, and local road systems play a vital role in the economy of Wisconsin and must be properly maintained in order for our economy to grow; and,
WHEREAS, from a competitive standpoint Wisconsin motorists pay significantly less than any of our neighbors when you combine the annual cost of the state gas tax and vehicle registration fees; and,
WHEREAS, the Transportation Finance and Policy Commission, appointed by the Governor and Legislature clearly found that if Wisconsin does not adjust its user fees, the condition of both our state and local roads will deteriorate significantly over the next decade.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Elk Mound Town Board to urge the Governor and Legislature to Just Fix It and agree upon a solution that includes a responsible level of bonding and adjusts our user fees to adequately and sustainably fund Wisconsin’s transportation system.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Town Board directs the Clerk to send a copy of this resolution to the Wisconsin Towns Association our State Legislators and to Governor Scott Walker.