Unable to Raise Taxes, GOP to Shift Road Repair to Local Taxpayers. I thought they didn't like Referendums?

It's been fun watching Republicans fumble helplessly with their "no tax pledge," which forever prevents them from adding money to the transportation fund.

So Republicans have decided to foist their responsibilities off onto local communities, by making them raise their sales taxes through a referendum. Oh, and the money goes first to the state before maybe going back to fix roads.

Keep in mind, these are the same Republican legislators who want to restrict school referendums because it negates their efforts to cut property taxes. Never fear, they've got another flip flopping, mind-blowing reason waiting in the wings.

GOP backer and lobbyist Patrick Goss, executive director of the Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association, is stepping forward with the most surreal way of looking at tax increases...:

Goss: "How do you say you're voting for a tax increase, when what you're really doing is you're enabling your constituents, your citizens, to make that decision." 

Huh? Any Republican interpreters out there that can help me with this one? Can the party really have it both ways and not get a little blowback from their base? And don't referendums cost money, time and effort? If anything should be handled by the state, it should be roads.



Hat tip to WPR's Laurel White for featuring this gem.

Steve Hiniker, executive director of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, an environmental advocacy group, said the bill amounts to "double taxation" of communities. "Why should communities have to a pay a gas tax that is not returned to their community, and if they want the roads fixed impose a new tax on them?" Hiniker said.