Springfield rejects proposed levy increase to fix roads
By Cara L. Dempski
TOWN OF SPRINGFIELD — Town of Springfield residents soundly rejected a proposed tax levy increase of $100,000 for 2016 with a 46-22 vote against the measure during a November 14 special town meeting.
The meeting stemmed from an October 10 board resolution to exceed the state limit on allowable tax levy increases in order to pay for road construction. Residents spoke against their property taxes being raised during the discussion held prior to the vote. Town officials estimated that property taxes would increase by $164 per $100,000 of property value to increase the available funds for road work.
The Wisconsin Towns Association held a special meeting September 29 called “Turnout for Transportation” in which meetings were held in all 72 counties at the same time to discuss how to fund roads repairs and reconstruction in Wisconsin. The state legislature is proposing to increase local road funding by $88 per mile. The cost of road reconstruction in rural areas is between $100,000 and $150,000 per mile.
Town Chairman Dean Fayerweather stated there are six miles of road in the town that need full reconstruction because they are just “too far gone.” He said the cost of reconstructing a road when oil and material prices are low is between $144,000 and $184,000 per mile. At that rate, the cost to completely reconstruct all six miles of road in the township would cost between $900,000 and $1.1 million.
The proposed increase in state aid would amount to only $528 for reconstruction of those same six miles of roadway.
“The town board takes complaints all the time on the condition of certain roads and why there is nothing being done to fix or repair them,” Fayerweather stated. “Pot holes get filled, weather permitting, but ‘band-aiding’ is not the answer for some roads.”
The Town of Springfield currently is limited to a 1.0007 percent annual increase for tax levy, which would increase the 2016 levy total to $129,768 from 2015’s $128,474. The town board was asking for an increase that would total $228,474.
The town’s road annual construction funds are currently comprised of what money remains after paying bills. Town chairman Dean Fayerweather said the amounts vary widely from year to year.
“One year, the Town of Springfield had $174,000 for road construction, and another year there was only $48,000 for roads,” he explained.
Right now, there is $129,000 budgeted for road construction, but Fayerweather emphasized that these funds are just for 2016, and this amount would not be available every year.
The town chairman said the state froze spending on road aid about 10 years ago, and he anticipates the Town of Springfield will receive only $1,289 in addition to the money already budgeted, which makes a total of $130,289 for road work.
It has been approximately 10 years since the Town of Springfield raised taxes. Fayerweather said the town was not the only one in St. Croix County that failed to secure resident support for raising the tax levy. He hopes residents will approve the measure next year because of the state of some roads.
