Contact: State Senator Tim Carpenter, (608) 266-8535
Madison – Today State Senator Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee) released the following statement after attending the State Audit Committee hearing regarding the audit of the Department of Transportation’s State Highway Program.
“What is clear from the hearing today is that the budget for the Wisconsin’s Department of Transportation needs to be pulled from the general state budget and considered separately.
There are too many important issues raised that need extra scrutiny and deliberation by the Legislature. This can’t be done in four months with the state budget due by June 30th.
For a start, Assembly Republican leadership have asked for a re-estimate of DOT project costs by March 15th, the standing Transportation Committees must deliberate, the Transportation Projects Commission should have several meetings to review it and the Audit Bureau will have further information to review.
The Legislature needs to be fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars for the 4th largest budget expenditure that will be by far the most controversial part of the budget.”
Senator Carpenter is the ranking Democratic member of the Senate Committee on Transportation and Veterans Affairs, and a member of the Transportations Projects Commission.
Senator Carpenter’s press releases are available for review at http://legis.wisconsin.gov/senate/carpenter/PressReleases/
