Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos
Press Release

Speaker Vos Calls Out Senators for Fear Mongering

"...I will work in good faith to work toward the best possible solution to this problem, taking into account all options available.”

By - Dec 5th, 2016 03:24 pm

Madison…Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) released the following statements after Senators Duey Stroebel and Chris Kapenga stated inflated hypotheticals generated in response to his Road Work Ahead video release.

“While it’s laudable that Senators Kapenga and Stroebel say they’re relying on their CPA and business experience to analyze what they describe as the transportation fund’s spending problem, they’re deliberately ignoring the other side of the balance sheet in favor of politics and fear mongering,” said Speaker Vos.

Fact #1: Senators Kapenga and Stroebel favor a plan to borrow $500 million.

  • With that new half billion in borrowing, they’re advocating delaying desperately needed repairs that will further hinder commerce and emergency personnel in this state.
  • The senators support increasing the debt service to nearly 25% of the transportation budget, making future generations have to pay for our inability to find a sustainable solution and increasing costs on future projects. It is not more conservative to borrow and spend than it is to actually raise the revenue and allocate it efficiently.

Fact #2: No one is suggesting a 91% gas tax increase. The suggestion of this is nothing short of fear mongering.

  • As my colleagues in the Assembly and I have consistently said, we favor an all options approach which includes auditing the DOT to find waste, studying tolling options and looking at other revenue options, if necessary.

Fact #3: Even though Senator Stroebel claims he doesn’t believe it, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau did the analysis that said that Prevailing Wage reforms would account for up to 1% of DOT savings. 

  • It’s hard to believe, then, that this is a serious approach by Senators Kapenga and Stroebel, when moments before Stroebel’s statement he put forth his own LFB memo to support his own points. He can’t have it both ways. He either believes LFB or he doesn’t.

“Instead of using selective accounting and Madison math, I’m choosing to use my 20+ years of business and negotiating experience to look at the problem globally. Instead of cherry picking my own facts and fear mongering, I will work in good faith to work toward the best possible solution to this problem, taking into account all options available,” said Speaker Vos.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

Mentioned in This Press Release

3 thoughts on “Speaker Vos Calls Out Senators for Fear Mongering”

  1. Fortunate One says:

    LOL.

    Mr. Ram-it-Down-the-Throats-of-Taxpayers Vos is now touting his “negotiation” skills?

    That is rich indeed.

    Mr. Vos has gotten away with *his* way since 2011 by the simple fact that HE controlled the vote in the Assembly.

    Vos is no negotiator. He is Attila the Hun.

    It’s time the GOP Senate put Mr. Vos in his proper place.

  2. Mike Carey says:

    “Instead of using selective accounting and Madison math, I’m choosing to use my 20+ years of business and negotiating experience to look at the problem globally. Instead of cherry picking my own facts and fear mongering, I will work in good faith to work toward the best possible solution to this problem, taking into account all options available,” said Speaker Vos.

    The irony here is incredible. “Cherry icking and fear mongering” are a staple of GOP politics. Voter Fraud? Nope, no fear mongering, or picking over of facts there. Gerrymandering? Nope, that was straightforward and transparent. Mr. Vos you one large, hypocritical talking pile of dung if you expect people to believe the republicans. Party before state is your only motto.

  3. Rich says:

    Vos seems to be taking pages from the Trump playbook. Confuse and distract. Everything we knew about him based on past actions is now up in the air as he — on the surface — selectively turns on his own party. Deep down, you know they’ve got a well coordinated plan to deliver some garbage while making it look OK. Anyone paying attention knows the difference though.

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