Gov. Walker proposes increases in funding for town roads

MADISON — Gov. Scott Walker is proposing to increase state funding for town roads, a pledge that comes amid re-election attacks from Democrats that he hasn't done enough to fix Wisconsin's roads.

Walker announced his intentions Monday at the Wisconsin Towns Association convention in Stevens Point. He previously called for raising county road funding by 50 percent, a $57 million increase.

Walker did not release details of his new town roads funding plan. But the Legislative Fiscal Bureau says it appears his proposal would increase state support for town roads by about $53 million, from $149 million a year to about $202 million.

That is roughly a 36 percent increase.

Walker faces Democrat Tony Evers in the Nov. 6 election. Evers' spokeswoman Britt Cudaback says Walker is making "empty election-year promises on transportation."