I would much rather pay a higher registration fee for a bike that
I use every day of the year, rather than for a car that sits in
the garage most of the time. A wheel tax is regressive for those
of us who do our best to conserve energy and use public roadways
very little (aside from local streets, for which we pay in large
part with property taxes).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*From: *"William Hauda" <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>>
*To: *"Eric Sundquist" <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>>, "Larry Nelson"
<[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>>, "Matthew
Logan" <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>>
*Cc: *[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
*Sent: *Tuesday, March 3, 2015 11:12:25 PM
*Subject: *Re: [Bikies] Iowa Raises Gas Tax
The problem with a wheel tax is the same problem we face with
the state transportation fund. It's a perception issue. There's
no guarantee any of the $ from a wheel tax will go for bicycling.
Given the negative view of the public and their elected officials
of cycling as being a part of an integrated transportation
system, it's just another tax to fund roads for cars. While
better roads for cars may also accommodate us(*if complete
streets is not repealed, which is a current issue in the
legislature, and Bike Fed is working on trying to resolve that
problem*) a wheel tax might finance new and re-pave existing
streets and roads, but it is not going to specifically help
bicycle transportation. That's where we need to go. We need to
statutorily integrate bicycling into transportation funding
because it is a part of transportation.
On 3/3/2015 5:49 PM, Eric Sundquist wrote:
I have heard discussion among County Board members about
establishing a wheel tax and would favor it, based on that
discussion and Larry's info. A $20 tax in Dane County would
bring in between $4 million and $5 million -- not nearly what
the RTA was looking at and small potatoes compared to big
projects like Verona Road or Highway M, but definitely a part
of the puzzle in growing the multimodal system in the county.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*From:* Larry Nelson <[email protected]>
<mailto:[email protected]>
*To:* Matthew Logan <[email protected]>
<mailto:[email protected]>
*Cc:* [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
*Sent:* Tuesday, March 3, 2015 5:31 PM
*Subject:* Re: [Bikies] Iowa Raises Gas Tax
Planning includes financing needed public transportation
improvements. The following municipalities have adopted the
wheel tax.
Municipalities
Appleton (city) - $20 beginning February 2015
Arena (township) - $20 beginning April 2015
Beloit (city) - $10 through January 2015; $20 beginning
February 2015
Janesville (city) - $10
Milwaukee (city) - $20
Counties
Chippewa County - $10 beginning January 2015
Iowa County - $20 beginning February 2015
St. Croix County - $10
I don't think that they did that because they wanted to but
that they had to. I rather doubt that Iowa County and the
Town of Arena in Iowa County adopted a wheel tax because they
wanted to: rather, I suspect that they had to in order to
fund their transportation responsibilities.
The WIDOT collects the wheel tax for a small charge.
And, I intend to lobby my township, the Town of Dodgeville,
to do the same in order to maintain town roads.
I argue that biking is a transportation mode. Upon
reflection, I don't argue that: I assert that biking is a
part of the transportation system as a proven fact.
The wheel tax has to be spent on transportation. This is a
tool already provided by the State. I suggest that you
consider this when you next discuss transportation issues
with your elected officials. Think and act locally.
Larry D Nelson
----- Original Message -----
From: "Matthew Logan" <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>>
To: "Larry D Nelson" <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>>, "William Hauda"
<[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>>,
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 3, 2015 9:21:32 AM
Subject: RE: [Bikies] Iowa Raises Gas Tax
The core problem since November 2010 is not a lack of funding
or planning
for transportation - The Governor and Legislature have had no
problem making
money show up for highway expansions (that primarily benefit
people in the
suburbs of Milwaukee), even when facing large deficits that
are otherwise
used to justify large cuts elsewhere in the budget. The
problem is that the
people making the decisions do not believe it is the role of
the state to
provide funding for bicycling, while at the same time,
clinging to
1970's-era thinking about the value of highways.
The Governor has stated that until all the roads are fixed,
bicycle
facilities will have to wait. Of course, by "fixed" he
means, enough money
lavished on them to send a signal to businesses (the few that
directly
benefit from highway spending) that they should consider
relocating to
Wisconsin. The Governor has also effectively said that the
people of
Wisconsin have chosen to drive, so that is where all the
money should go -
to infrastructure that directly benefits the payers of gas
tax (which means
motorists). The Governor and GOP have been promoting the
meme that the
transportation fund has been raided, and needs to be repaid.
This, despite
the fact that the LFB reported a net $314 million transfer
from the General
Fund to Transportation since the "raids" began in 2003.
These beliefs displayed by the Governor and legislature are
at odds with the
reality of AADT trend lines looking more flat - a fact now
acknowledged by
AASHTO.
The problem is not that we need a plan for a revenue stream -
it is that our
elected officials have no rational basis upon which we can
argue the merits
of increasing funding for bicycling infrastructure. They
live in a world
where economically productive highways have been cheated out
of their due by
special interest groups like teachers and bicyclists. They
live in a world
where fairness dictates repayment for this perceived wrong.
Until that
belief system changes, planning will have no effect.
-----Original Message-----
From: Bikies [mailto:[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>] On Behalf Of Larry D
Nelson
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2015 7:02 AM
To: 'William Hauda'; [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [Bikies] Iowa Raises Gas Tax
In my observations and study regarding the construction of
public works from
Rome to the present time (I apologize if that sounds pompous:
it is my
hobby), there are periods of time when funding and resources
are just not
made available to construct needed improvements. But, wise
people plan for
the future. For example, the interstate highway system
planning took place
decades before there was a President Eisenhower to implement
the plan.
Planning is relatively inexpensive.
Bill, please plan and propose.
For my part, I'd like to consider moving the responsibility
for state bike
routes from the WDNR to the WIDOT, and recognize that their
construction and
maintenance are transportation corridors/modes.
Ok, I am off my soap box :>)
Larry D. Nelson, P.E.
PO Box 199
4180 Wilson Road
Dodgeville, WI 53533
608 630 6532 <tel:608%20630%206532> (C)
-----Original Message-----
From: Bikies [mailto:[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>] On Behalf Of William
Hauda
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2015 7:01 PM
To: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [Bikies] Iowa Raises Gas Tax
Mike, Iowa also has in place a constitutional amendment
that earmarks a
portion of any future sales tax increase for things like
trails. Problem is,
there is no enthusiasm to increase the sales tax.
I'm currently researching some policy that I think has
hampered bicycling in
Wisconsin and think I will have a recommendation for either
the next meeting
of the Non-motorized Recreation and Transportation Trails
Council or the
Bike Fed, where the Advocacy Committee we served together on
developing
things like Complete Streets is, I'm told by the powers that
be, about to be
reconstituted. Where I am going might not only be politically
palatable to a
conservative administration, for reasons other than
bicycling, but set us up
with a guaranteed source of funding. Where I am headed will
involve a major
paradigm shift. Got my fingers crossed.
Bill
On 2/25/2015 6:03 PM, Michael Rewey wrote:
> With bi-partisan and governor's support Iowa just raised
their gas tax
> a whopping 10 cents per gallon.
>
> Too bad that could not happen here so we can get balanced
> transportation instead of just building for cars and trucks
with bond
> dollars. But of course a governor who is running for
national office
doesn't dare raise any taxes.
>
> We'll have to pay more for trail passes and state park
passes to name
> a few, but those are "user fees". In reality gas tax is a
user fee also.
You only pay if you use it. Frustrating....
>
> Mike Rewey
> _______________________________________________
> Bikies mailing list
> [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
> http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
>
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