GOP Leaders Float Vehicle Registration Hike To Repair Wisconsin Roads

The Wisconsin Legislature’s top Republicans said they’re open to raising Wisconsin’s vehicle registration fee to pay for roads in the budget.

Republicans have said they don’t like Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to borrow $1.3 billion for maintenance. They’ve also said they don’t want to raise the gas tax. But Wednesday, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said his caucus is considering raising vehicle registration fees.

“We’d like to actually raise some revenues, look at registration fees, some things that would be a very reasonable increase to buy down debt,” said Vos.

And Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said the same.

“Yeah, I think registration fees is something that people still look at and say, ‘you know, we’re at $75 right now on a car and if there was some kind of increase, that might be palatable for the Finance committee,’” said Fitzgerald.

Gov. Walker did not propose a vehicle registration fee increase in his budget, but he said in December he was open to the idea.