It doesn’t matter which corner of Wisconsin you’re in, there are roads that need work, pipes that need to be replaced, and communities that can’t afford to do the work.  

Local budgets are more strapped than ever, yet strict levy limits remain in place. At the same time, state funding formulas for road maintenance and other infrastructure investment are woefully outdated, putting rural communities at an extreme disadvantage.

When the declining shared revenues, increasing fixed costs, and unfunded state mandates are stacked up, we get towns and villages with crumbling infrastructure, reduced services, and gaps in critical, life-saving functions like ambulance coverage.

To make matters worse, the legislative majority in Madison has repeatedly voted to strip local governments of decision-making power over the last decade, opting instead to consolidate that power in their own hands. Thanks to their top-down, one-size-fits-all governance, Wisconsin communities aren't free to make the decisions that are right for them. It's long past time to give local governments the tools they need to provide their residents with the services they need and expect.