The White House announced in late January that Wisconsin would receive over $810 million in federal grants to develop high-speed rail in the state between Madison and Milwaukee. An additional $13 million will be used to improve the existing Milwaukee-Chicago line and study the feasibility of connecting to Minneapolis. This grant, which the state won in competition against other states around the country, has the real possibility of creating thousands of jobs and increasing tourism at a time when countless Wisconsin families need relief.
Yet to listen to some state politicians, this is a harbinger of financial ruin. Milwaukee County Executive and Republican candidate for governor Scott Walker said this week that the costs of maintaining the rail line could be passed down to taxpayers. Both he and his rival, former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann, advocate not accepting the federal money. Republicans in the state Assembly said the costs of operating the line could be $7.5 annually and not covered by federal funds.
Although genuine concerns about long-term financial responsibility are legitimate when considering a project of this size, the hyperbolic posturing on display is more about scoring cheap political points than fiscal common sense. Republican former Gov. Tommy Thompson advocated consistently for high-speed rail before joining the Bush administration, and his GOP successor, Scott McCallum, similarly favored it. It was Thompson's task force on passenger rail service that recommended seeking federal funds in the first place.
Walker and Neumann are rushing to prop up their conservative credentials not because of any supposed concerns regarding costs, but because rejection of federal funds is fast becoming a litmus test for Republican candidates hoping to emerge victorious in tough primaries. Neither mentions that, according to Thompson's task force report, over 70 percent of Wisconsin's population would be within an hour's drive of the rail lines. Both neglect to point out that Wisconsin in the past has considered using $50 million worth of bonds that can be authorized by the state Department of Transportation. A combination of funds from cities along the rail line and private investment are other options also worth pursing to fill any financial gaps. And the fact remains that if Wisconsin did not use the federal funds another state like Illinois or California would jump at such an opportunity. To refuse the federal funds point blank would be foolhardy at best and harmful to the state's economic recovery at worst.
Make no mistake, Gov. Jim Doyle made an error early on when his administration said the number of jobs created would be near 13,000 when more realistic estimates show it being closer to 4,700 temporary jobs. Lawmakers should also be encouraged to ask the hard questions of federal programs whenever projects have the potential to spiral into debt. But there is a big difference between searching for solutions and partisan grandstanding. In the face of high unemployment and dwindling faith in elected officials, Wisconsin voters demand more from candidates for the state's top office than soundbites that cater to an angry minority of residents.
