Transportation Referendum on November Ballot

The Wisconsin Legislature has successfully adopted the same proposed constitutional amendment in each of the last two sessions, to make it illegal for the government to raid segregated funds for transportation to fill holes in the state budget. This qualifies the question for a deciding vote by electors in the upcoming November 2014 general election.

The ballot question reads:

“Creation of a Transportation Fund. Shall section 9 (2) of article IV and section 11 of article VIII of the constitution be created to require that revenues generated by use of the state transportation system be deposited into a transportation fund administered by a department of transportation for the exclusive purpose of funding Wisconsin’s transportation systems and to prohibit any transfers or lapses from this fund?”

There is no organized opposition to the referendum; however, eight senators and 13 representatives voted against the amendment, with the most vocal being Sen. Fred Risser (D-Madison). Some oppose the creation of the transportation fund because it ties the hands of government to use the segregated transportation revenue as needed for other government programs and department funds.

Vote Yes for Transportation is an organized coalition of businesses, labor organizations, and trade groups that are in favor of voting yes on the referendum.