HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 2016 (32) Resolution No. 32 (2016)
ST. UNTY, RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT "JUST FIX IT" FOR
STATEWIDE ROAD MAINTENANCE
1 WHEREAS, local government in Wisconsin is responsible for about 90% of the road
2 miles in the state; and
3
4 WHEREAS, Wisconsin's diverse economy is dependent upon county and town roads as
5 well as city and village streets and transit systems across the state; and
6
7 WHEREAS, according to "Filling Potholes: A New Look at Funding Local
8 Transportation in Wisconsin," commissioned by the Local Government Institute of Wisconsin
9 (LGI) the condition of Wisconsin's highways is now in the bottom third of the country; and
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11 WHEREAS, state funding for local roads in Wisconsin has failed to keep up with costs
12 over the past several decades which has adversely affected local transportation finances.
13 According to "Filling Potholes," municipal transportation spending has declined from $275 per
14 capita in 2000 to $227 in 2012; and
15
16 WHEREAS, Mass Transit Operating Aids and County Elderly and Disabled
17 Transportation assistance programs are funded through the state gas tax and vehicle registration
18 user fee systems. These programs are critical to ensuring that transportation services are
19 delivered to vulnerable citizens. Proper funding for these programs helps ensure that all citizens
20 have an opportunity to access the workplace as well as the marketplace; and
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22 WHEREAS, levy limits do not allow local governments to make up for the deterioration
23 of state funding; and
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25 WHEREAS, Wisconsin's over-reliance on borrowing eats away at the state's segregated
26 funding sources - the state gas tax and vehicle registration fees -which increasingly pay debt
27 service rather than fund transportation needs; and
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29 WHEREAS, safety is a primary concern and responsibility of local governments across
30 Wisconsin. Unfortunately, according to TRIP, a national non-profit transportation research
31 group, Wisconsin had 347 non-interstate, rural road fatalities in 2013; and
32
33 WHEREAS, the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors recognizes that our state highway
34 and interstate system is the backbone of our surface transportation system and plays a vital role
35 in the economy of Wisconsin. Both local and state roads need to be properly maintained in order
36 for our economy to grow; and
37
38 WHEREAS, from a competitive standpoint Wisconsin motorists pay significantly less
39 than any of our neighbors when you combine the annual cost of the state gas tax and vehicle
40 registration fees; and
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42 WHEREAS, the Transportation Finance and Policy Commission, appointed by the
43 Governor and Legislature clearly found that if Wisconsin does not adjust its user fees, the
44 condition of both our state and local roads will deteriorate significantly over the next decade.
45
46 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the St. Croix County Board of
47 Supervisors urges the Governor and Legislature to "Just Fix It" and to agree upon a sustainable
48 solution: one that includes a responsible level of bonding and adjusts our user fees to adequately
49 and sustainably fund all of Wisconsin's transportation system, including a targeted fund increase
50 for local units of Government. Furthermore, the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors directs
51 the Cleric to send a copy of this resolution to our State Legislators, Governor Scott Walker,
52 Wisconsin Counties Association and the State of Wisconsin County Clerks.
Legal—Fiscal—Administrative Approvals:
Legal Note:
Fiscal Impact: This resolution lays the foundation for a positive future financial impact for most
Wisconsin units of government.
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06/13/16 Adopted
06/13/16 Transportation Committee APPROVED AS AMENDED
RESULT: APPROVED AS AMENDED [UNANIMOUS] Next: 7/5/2016 5:00 PM
MOVER: Ryan S. Sicard, Supervisor
SECONDER: David Peterson, Supervisor
AYES: Sicard, Nelson, Ostness, Peterson, Peavey
Vote Confirmation.
W lliim'c Peavey, Superviso 41�11 /20/201 G
St. Croix County Board of Supervisors Action;
Roll Call -Vote Requirement— Majority of Supervisors Present
RESULT: ADOPTED [18 TO 1]
MOVER: William Peavey, Supervisor
SECONDER: Daniel Hansen, Supervisor
AYES: Sicard, Ring, Babbitt, Sjoberg, Long, Bergren, Nelson, Berke, Ostness, Larson,
Hansen, Kiesler, Brinkman, Peterson, Anderson, Achterhof, Leibfried, Peavey
NAYS: Tom Coulter
This Resolution was Adopted by the St. Croix County Board of Supervisors on July 5, 2016
Cindy Campbell, County Clerk