Democrats to introduce Workforce Mobility Act

MADISON — Monday a group of Democratic state legislators will formally introduce the Workforce Mobility Act. Democrats created the Workforce Mobility Act in an effort to provide workers in communities across Wisconsin dependable, accessible transportation to their jobs.

The Workforce Mobility Act authors, Sen. Jessica King (D-Oshkosh), Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee), Rep. Sandy Pasch (D-Whitefish Bay), and Rep. Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) encourage swift action on the Workforce Mobility Act. The bill aims to invest in local businesses and workers by restoring cuts made to the public transit infrastructure.

“Restoring funding for transit that serves our workforce needs should be a priority for our state,” Rep. Hintz said.

“Transit plays a vital role in fostering economic growth throughout the region and state, so I was extremely disappointed with the short-sighted cuts Walker’s budget made to this critical resource. This legislation will help ensure that our communities will be able to provide an effective and reliable avenue for individuals to access jobs, work, school, and other vital services” Rep. Pasch said.

The Workforce Mobility Act aims to prevent further cuts by reinvesting in the state’s public transit infrastructure. A recent re-estimate of the transportation fund shows that $32.9 million remains available for use, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. The Workforce Mobility Act would use $9.6 million of this funding in an attempt to restore the cuts made to the mass transit system.

“Fare increases and route changes have direct, negative impacts on workers and the businesses that rely on them. The funding to restore these cuts is available and I expect bipartisan support for this common sense measure,” Sen. King said.