Uh oh….looks like some Republicans in the State Assembly aren’t fans of Gov. Scott Walker’s transportation policy.
Bucking GOP Gov. Scott Walker, a majority of Assembly Republicans told the presidential aspirant Monday that they won’t let their out-state districts take the whole hit to save southeastern Wisconsin from cuts to state road funding.
The Wisconsin governor and some GOP senators are insisting on protecting the massive Zoo Interchange project in metropolitan Milwaukee from cuts or delays, but rural Republicans made clear Monday that they have the votes to hold up that plan in the Assembly.
A letter sent to Walker Monday underlined how the stalemate in the state budget is continuing in Walker’s absence as he travels to California for two days in support of his undeclared run for president.
The Republicans control the 99-member Assembly with 63 lawmakers, and the letter to Walker by Rep. Mary Czaja (R-Irma) was signed by 33 of them, a block that accounts for just over half of the GOP caucus.
Walker proposed borrowing $1.3 billion for transportation over the next two years, but GOP lawmakers have said that’s too high. They are negotiating among themselves over reducing bonding by as much as $800 million, which in turn is leading to debate over which road and bridge projects ought to be delayed.