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The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

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Public transit could compete for funds under budget repair bill

[media-credit name=’Megan McCormick/The Badger Herald’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′]ada_MM[/media-credit]

Members of a city commission met Monday to address public concerns about how Gov. Scott Walker’s controversial budget repair bill will affect Madison’s pubic transit system, including Metro bus lines.

Regional Transportation Authority board member Steve Hiniker reminded those in attendance that the bill will cut off millions of dollars in federal funding to Wisconsin’s public transit system and redirect the money to highway construction, 

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Walker’s bill freezes $107 million of federal funding for public transit, allowing for all previously earmarked funds for the transit system to be transferred over to highway work. The bill also includes provisions to redirect money from state recycling programs into funds for the construction.

The city’s transit system currently receives federal funding through the State Segregated Transportation Fund. When Walker’s bill goes into effect, funding for the public transit system will instead come from the state’s general fund and will consequently need to compete for its funding.

The general fund also supports other public services, such as education and aid to low income families. This means transit’s federal funding will be cut by $48.6 million annually, Hiniker said.

“The governor is trying to kill all government programs except for highways because his friends are in the road building business,” Hiniker said, alluding to 40 private companies that financially supported Walker’s campaign.

Funds for highway construction will increase by 15 percent and the total revenue going into the highway fund will be more than $400 million.

Walker said the transfer in funds is appropriate, arguing highways pay for themselves because user fees cover the building costs. Hiniker dismissed Walker’s justification and said highways and transit both require federal funding.

“Walker fails to recognize that different communities have different transportation needs,” Hiniker said. “His idea of transit is for everyone to have a car.”

According to a statement from the Dane County Regional Transit Authority, the county is growing rapidly and an increase in vehicles on the road would mean longer commute time and worse congestion.

An expansion in Metro’s bus services would help address this problem, Metro’s general manager Chuck Kamp said. Kamp said Metro’s transit system currently does not serve the entire urban area around Madison.

Metro’s long-term vision is a regional transport system that would eventually include towns such as Stoughton, McFarland, Waunakee, Sun Prairie and Westport. Kamp said cuts in federal funding for Metro will prevent this expansion.

Kamp said Metro will uphold its agreement with Associated Students of Madison to continue providing unlimited free ride tickets to students through a previously negotiated deal that offers semester-long bus passes for University of Wisconsin students.

“Metro staff and the political leaders of this community are strongly committed to improving the public transport system – transit is part of a sustainable community,” Kamp said.

Hiniker said the cuts are uncalled for and would have intense effects for the Madison community. He urged Madisonians to communicate their sentiments against transit cuts to Walker, saying community members need to have their voices heard on the issue in order to preserve the current benefits he said the transit system provides.

“These are pretty draconian cuts; they’re unfair,” Hiniker said. ” Let [Walker] know that this is important. Do not give up.”

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