So a state audit finds Wisconsin is vastly over-spending on road projects because the estimated costs were low-balled and now we can't pay the bills.
I find nothing surprising about it: Wisconsin's road-building record has long been a scandal.
Two days ago, on January 24t, in a posting about Wisconsin failing to make an apparent first cut of Donald Trump-prioritized infrastructure projects in line for federal financing, I wrote this lede:
My point being: this is nothing new.
People like former Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist for whom I worked between 1996 and 2004 fought for years against bloated WisDOT over-spending and over-building during gubernatorial administrations of both political parties, and even offered unsuccessfully an alternative plan crafted by city engineers to cut nearly $400 million from the $810 million finally spent on the expanded Marquette Interchange that cost also the city mightily in lost taxable property.
And I have recounted often on this blog - - an example, here - - that the Marquette was just the first step in a $6.4 billion (in 2002 dollars) Southeastern Wisconsin Freeway rebuilding and reconstruction plan which will add with all its maintenance and related costs going forward 127 new mile lanes across seven counties - - a road-builders' dream
written by the sprawl-inducing and suburban-tilting Southeastern Regional Planning Commission through a $1 million WisDOt grant without, as Norquist pointed out, any financing plan.
The seven-county proposal motion moved out of a SEWRPC fait-accompli project advisory committee on a motion made by then-Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker
And was approved by the full SEWRPC Commission and sent on to the Legislature by the full Commission with a letter signed by the Commission chairman advocating full implementation.
Which is why I wrote in 2008:
I find nothing surprising about it: Wisconsin's road-building record has long been a scandal.
Two days ago, on January 24t, in a posting about Wisconsin failing to make an apparent first cut of Donald Trump-prioritized infrastructure projects in line for federal financing, I wrote this lede:
Too bad Wisconsin right-wing GOP Gov. Scott Walker set back rail manufacturing in Wisconsin, blocked the Milwaukee-Madison Amtrak extension and has no comprehensive state transportation plan except over-scheduled, under-financed 'plums' now-stalled - - poorly planned projects set in motion unsustainably to please his road-builder and legislative pals.And in November of 2014, barely able to contain myself, I wrote:
Understanding the Walker/GOP/road-builder complex spending binge
To fully appreciate Team Walker's recklessly wasteful 'plan' to beg, borrow and otherwise tax you for the fresh billions that make all the road-builders' dreams come true - - to the year 2032! - - imagine that your selfish, estate-plundering drunken uncle has just presented you with a holiday wish list and scheme to keep himself satisfied, solvent and soused for the foreseeable future by diverting the lion's share of the family's already-debt laden assets into a trust which he manages, and can spend, at will.
People like former Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist for whom I worked between 1996 and 2004 fought for years against bloated WisDOT over-spending and over-building during gubernatorial administrations of both political parties, and even offered unsuccessfully an alternative plan crafted by city engineers to cut nearly $400 million from the $810 million finally spent on the expanded Marquette Interchange that cost also the city mightily in lost taxable property.
And I have recounted often on this blog - - an example, here - - that the Marquette was just the first step in a $6.4 billion (in 2002 dollars) Southeastern Wisconsin Freeway rebuilding and reconstruction plan which will add with all its maintenance and related costs going forward 127 new mile lanes across seven counties - - a road-builders' dream
written by the sprawl-inducing and suburban-tilting Southeastern Regional Planning Commission through a $1 million WisDOt grant without, as Norquist pointed out, any financing plan.
The seven-county proposal motion moved out of a SEWRPC fait-accompli project advisory committee on a motion made by then-Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker
And was approved by the full SEWRPC Commission and sent on to the Legislature by the full Commission with a letter signed by the Commission chairman advocating full implementation.
Which is why I wrote in 2008:
It is a closed loop, planned and implemented by and with state and federal dollars spent in Southeastern Wisconsin predicated on the either/or scenario.
Highways, yes. $6.5 billion worth between 2004-2030.
Rail and other transit, no new dollars...
This imbalance in planning and spending on transportation is embedded because the lobbies for highways are stronger, better-positioned and richer than are the advocates for transit.Wisconsin's debt-ridden highway spending is a multi-agency, perpetual private-public con, and it is completely fair politically that the burden for resolving it falls to Scott Walker - - though he is likely to pass on the pain to taxpayers, their children and numerous public services that will be starved of needed funding so the big con can be made to disappear.