The Wisconsin Senate approved former Sen. Jeff Plale as the new commissioner of railroads on Tuesday, with some opposition from Democrats.
The Senate approved Gov. Scott Walker’s appointment of Plale by a bipartisan 29-4 vote, said Andrew Welhouse, spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau.
The primary responsibility of the railroad commissioner is to determine the sufficiency of warning devices at railroad crossings, according to the Office of the Commissioner of Railroads’ website.
“As commissioner of railroads, I will improve rail infrastructure and safety,” Plale said in a statement. “I understand the importance of a comprehensive transportation infrastructure and the profound impact that rail has on commerce and job creation.”
The commissioner is also in charge of railroad related regulations such as managing exemptions from railroad track clearing laws, installing new highway and railroad crossings and determining adequate railroad fences, among others, according to the commissioner’s website.
Plale, a previously elected state senator from southern Milwaukee, ran in the September 2010 Democratic primary against opponent and current Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee.
Plale was defeated in the primary and broke ties with many of his fellow Democrats three months later by assisting Republicans in defeating labor contracts for state workers, labeling himself as a “traitor” among Democrats in the state, said Graeme Zielinski, spokesperson for Wisconsin Democratic Party, in an email to The Badger Herald
Still, Walker said he stands by his choice because of Plale’s legislative history in the state.
“Jeff Plale’s distinguished record of public service and experience, both as a state legislator and as a state administrator, makes him an excellent choice to serve as railroad commissioner,” Walker said in a statement.
The four votes against Plale’s appointment all came from Democrats, including Larson, Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller, D-Monona, Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay and Tim Carpenter, D-Milwaukee, Welhouse said.
Zielinski said he believes Plale will adequately do his job under the eye of the Walker administration.
“[I am] confident that Jeff Plale will be a faithful servant to Scott Walker and the agenda he promotes. While the circumstances are rather pungent, it’s good to know that someone is finding work amid the failures of this administration,” Zielinski said.
