via Fox 6 Now by BY THEO KEITH,
MADISON — The City of Milwaukee would be dramatically restricted from spending money on the downtown streetcar project under a budget deal advanced by legislative Republicans on Tuesday, September 5th.
The deal, which passed the Legislature’s budget committee 12-4 late Tuesday, also delays two Milwaukee-area freeway projects, imposes a fee on electric and hybrid vehicles, and would allow Wisconsin to apply for federal permission to toll interstate highways.
Republicans have been at odds for months over how to fund state road projects and broke their impasse to reach the agreement. The budget is more than two months past due.
“This budget includes more transportation funding for all levels of government to provide better roads and bridges and historically low levels of borrowing,” Gov. Scott Walker said in a statement after the vote. “We did all of this without raising taxes.”
Under the GOP deal, Milwaukee could not spend any of its state transportation aid money to operate the streetcar. In addition, a City of Milwaukee tax-incremental financing district and Milwaukee County could not fund the operation of the streetcar.
The complete story here > GOP budget deal restricts Milwaukee Streetcar funding, delays 2 Milwaukee Co. interstate projectsi