WI Republicans Want to Shift Federal Road Building Dollars from Local to State Projects

Wisconsin Senator Duey Stroebel and Representative Rob Brooks have proposed a bill that would move $47 million in federal funding from local project into state projects. The measure would also shift a corresponding amount of state dollars away from state projects to cover local work — basically swapping federal funding for state funding on local projects.

Storable believes the move will keep local work from being subject to "burdensome federal regulations, increasing efficiency and saving the state money" and help streamline construction processes.

However, if the federal dollars are removed from a project so is the federal prevailing wage requirement. Opponents of the proposal say eliminating the federal prevailing wage will make it harder to recruit and retain skilled workers.

The proposal has not been introduced as a formal bill yet.

(more on the proposal to shift road building funds in Wisconsin...)