Increase spending on local road maintenance
Tony Evers
“As governor, Tony will: Invest more in local road maintenance.”
Evers-O-Meter
Promise Kept
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In the second budget of his term, Gov. Tony Evers once again moved to increase spending on local road maintenance.
Evers' first budget included nearly $400 million in new money for road maintenance, money that flowed from a GOP-backed plan to raise title fees people pay when they buy their vehicles.
He did not try this time for long-term transportation funding methods like raising the gas tax, which he campaigned on and Republicans rejected in his previous budget.
But when he signed the $87.3 billion Republican-written budget on July 8, 2021, it included $100 million for a one-time local road improvement program. It also included a 2% increase in each year for the general transportation aids program that helps municipalities offset the costs of road construction and maintenance.
We leave our rating Promise Kept.
Office of Gov. Tony Evers
As governor, Tony Evers said he would invest funding into fixing local roads across Wisconsin.
Under the budget signed by the governor, nearly $400 million in new money will be collected towards road maintenance.
The money would come from a GOP-backed plan to increase title fees people pay when they buy vehicles. The fees would increase by $95 going, from $69.50 to 164.50.
Republicans also sought to raise the annual registration fee by $10 for cars, which will rise from $75 to $85. For light trucks, the fee will increase by $25 going from $75 to $100.
Evers originally campaigned on raising the gas tax by 8 cents over two years as well as increase fees on semi trucks by 27%, but Republicans rejected the proposals in the budget.
Regardless, Evers did not give a specific amount of funding or promise a particular way of funding roads in his campaign promise to invest more in local roads.
We rate this Promise Kept.
PolitiFact, More money in budget, but Evers' spending plan faces bumpy ride under GOP control, April 17, 2019
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Tony Evers uses his vast veto power to raise school spending another $65 million, wipe out Tesla provision, July 3, 2019
Wisconsin Public Radio, Lawmakers: Budget falls short of long-term road funding solution, July 8, 2019
Tony Evers' platform in the 2018 gubernatorial race included an emphasis on transportation — highlighting the poor condition of many state roadways. He promised to invest more in local road maintenance (though he didn't pledge a specific amount).
Now that Evers is governor, his proposed budget increases that funding.
The transportation plan calls for a 10 percent increase in general transportation aid over the two-year budget, according to a state Department of Administration summary. The budget also calls for a 2% increase in both 2020 and 2021 for a local road improvement program.
The budget now goes to the GOP-controlled Legislature, which could make changes.
For now, we rate this promise In the Works.
Tony Evers campaign website, Infrastructure and Transportation, accessed April 16, 2019
Tony Evers Executive Budget, Department of Transportation (items 10 and 17), accessed April 16, 2019
Email exchange with Melissa Baldauff, spokeswoman for Gov. Tony Evers, April 15-16, 2019