By Chris RochesterMacIver Institute Communications Director
The ground should've shifted beneath Madison recently when the latest Marquette University Law Poll found most Wisconsinites aren't nearly as concerned as many have long claimed about the issue of transportation, the debate that's plagued the state Capitol and budget process for months.
Marquette's poll, conducted at the end of June, found that a mere 23 percent of respondents identified transportation as their top priority. More Wisconsinites identified healthcare (25 percent) and K-12 education (37 percent) as their number one concerns.
Even more tellingly, the Marquette poll found that a slim majority - 51 percent - of those who said transportation is their highest priority would not be willing to pay higher taxes for transportation, while just 46 percent said they would pay more. By contrast, 75 percent of respondents who said K-12 education is their top concern would be willing to pay higher taxes for that priority.
When given the chance to list their top two priorities, just 42 percent of respondents in the Marquette Poll included transportation, again trailing K-12 education (63 percent) and healthcare (52 percent).
In other words, transportation isn't that hot a topic outside the beltline, and even those who say it's their most important issue are squishy when asked to put their money where their mouth is.
The complete story here > Reality Check: Do Wisconsinites Really Want to Pay More for Roads?