11/11/03-Wisconsin will cap its borrowing for highway projects at $565 million over the next two years and change how the funds are repaid under legislation Gov. Jim Doyle signed last month.
The legislation resulted from a deal Doyle reached with Republican lawmakers to avoid delaying some road work in the next two months.
The deal clears the way for the state to borrow $100 million to begin work on a series of road projects.
In the budget he signed this summer, Doyle used his veto authority to ensure the bonds would be repaid with transportation funds, which are made up of revenue from the state’s fuel tax and license fees.
AB602 allows the first two years of interest on the bonds to be paid with transportation funds. After that, they will be paid off with general fund revenue.
The governor also used his veto authority to increase the amount of money the state could borrow for road projects to $1 billion for the two-year period that began July 1, from $100 million, the newspaper reported. Doyle had indicated he planned to use $565 million of the available bonding authority over the next two years for highway projects.
Assembly Speaker John Gard, R-Peshtigo, had threatened to sue, claiming the veto was unconstitutional because it increased borrowing authority without the Legislature's permission. He claimed the governor could only reduce borrowing authority.

10/27/03-The amount of money the state can borrow for highway projects would be limited under legislation the Senate approved last week.
Senators voted 27-5 in favor of the bill, sending it to the governor. The measure previously passed the Assembly 82-11.
The legislation resulted from a deal Gov. Jim Doyle reached Oct. 21 with Republican lawmakers to avoid delaying some road work in the next two months. The bill also would change how the money is repaid.
In the budget he signed this summer, Doyle used his veto authority to ensure the bonds would be repaid with transportation funds, which are made up of revenue from the state’s fuel tax and license fees.
The deal allows the first two years of interest on the bonds to be paid with transportation funds. After that, they will be paid off with general fund revenue.
The governor also used his veto authority to increase the amount of money the state could borrow for road projects to $1 billion for the two-year period that began July 1, from $100 million. Doyle indicated in July that he planned to use $565 million of the available bonding authority over the next two years for highway projects.
Assembly Speaker John Gard, R-Peshtigo, had threatened to sue, claiming the veto was unconstitutional because it increased borrowing authority without the Legislature's permission. He claimed the governor could only reduce borrowing authority.

10/21/03-Gov. Jim Doyle and Republican lawmakers reached a compromise Oct. 20 to limit how much money Wisconsin borrows for highway projects.
The deal cleared the way for the State Building Commission to unanimously approve borrowing $100 million to begin road work in the next several months.
The governor earlier said the projects were threatened because Assembly Speaker John Gard, R-Peshtigo, threatened to sue over one of Doyle’s vetoes. His veto increased the amount of funds the state could borrow for highway projects to $1 billion for the two-year period that began July 1.
Gard said the veto was unconstitutional because it increased borrowing authority without the Legislature’s permission. He claimed the governor could only reduce borrowing authority.
With a new deal in place, Gard said he would not sue because he thought the agreement improved the method for paying off the debt for highway projects.
The deal includes new legislation that would limit how much the state can borrow for highway projects in the budget to the $565 million Doyle said he intended to use. It is expected to be approved this week.