Today, the Department of Transportation released a 2017-2019 budget recommendation that responds to Governor Walker's directives to increase local aids, reduce funding for major highway construction, and avoid a fee or fuel tax increase. 

Highlights for Cities and Villages

LRIP.  Increases funding over the prior state budget for the  Local Road Improvement Program (LRIP) as follows:

LRIP Entitlement Program:          $1,331,520 

LRIP Discretionary Program:        $8,047,000 

Total LRIP increase:                   $9,378,520

(Note: Funding for the LRIP Discretionary Program is currently heavily skewed in favor of towns. In the 2015-2017 state budget cities and villages get $1,953,000 and towns receive $11,465,000) 

GTA.   Increases General Transportation Aids funding over the prior biennium by $23,080,826 (This is the total increase over two years, presumably the annual increase would be half of that amount, $11,540,413.)

Recall that Governor Walker's first budget, the 2011-2013 biennium, cut GTA funding for cities and villages by $20 million.  

For comparison, GTA funding totals for cities and villages from recent past bienniums are set forth below:

2009-2011 biennium:  $378,042,532

2011-2013 biennium:  $360,774,111

2013-2015 biennium:  $355,071,458

2015-2017 biennium:  $365,659,344

2017-2019 biennium:  $388,740,170 ( proposed by DOT) 

Mass Transit. The proposal includes no increase in transit aids.  

The League appreciates the proposed increases in local transportation aids.  However, t he DOT budget proposal is the first step in a budget process that will play out over the next year.  The League is committed to working with the Governor and Legislature to find a long-term sustainable solution to our state's infrastructure needs that guarantees Wisconsin's entire transportation system - including local roads and bridges, mass transit systems, and state highways - is maintained and where necessary, improved, well into the future. 

The League and the Wisconsin Counties Association issued a joint statement in reaction to DOT's budget proposal.  The statement is posted on the League's website, here. 

View a summary of DOT's Biennial Budget Proposal here.

Governor Walker will introduce his 2017-2019 budget bill in February.  The Legislature will then spend several months to come up with its own version. The Governor will then have an opportunity to line item veto the budget bill before signing it. Needless to say, there is a long road ahead to passing the 2017-2019 state budget.