Grothman exhorts Wisconsinites to build roads themselves

WEST BEND -- Decrying increases in property tax levies exceeding 2% across Wisconsin, State Sen. Glenn Grothman called upon the people of Wisconsin to take upon themselves the responsibility for tasks usually delegated to government.

Such as building roads.

"If the hardworking men of Wisconsin were to devote their vacations to roadbuilding, that in and of itself would go a long way toward taking us off the road to serfdom," he declared.

Grothman was referring to a story in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, specifically comments by a jackbooted thug working for the village of Merton. He feebly offered rationalizations for why the village's levy jumped more than 21%.

The number of homes has more than doubled in the community in the past few years, to about 850 from about 400. The miles of roads also have doubled, to 20 from 10. The increased population means village services have to be expanded, Nelson said.

That increase could be substantially cut if the villagers -- and by extension Wisconsinites everywhere -- did roadwork themselves. Grothman said they would not even have to incur the overhead of earthmoving equipment and cement if the roads were simply dirt. Trees could be used in low-lying spots likely to get boggy.

"Corduroy roads have been proven an effective conduit of transportation," Grothman enthused. "And given everyone has SUVs today, the ride should be incredibly comfortable."

WTMJ talker Jeff Wagner called Grothman's plan "a cool kind of deal."

"I think it would give the village of Merton a certain Old World Wisconsin kind of charm if its roads were made of logs, and I think people would really be into that," Wagner said. "I know I myself would enjoy that sort of rustic tour through yesteryear."

Fellow WTMJ spieler Charlie Sykes seized on another part of the story. "Tom Nelson, the Village of Merton's administrator, clerk and treasurer says something interesting here: "We have one full-time employee, and it isn't me." (Hand smacking desk.) The Village of Merton has a full-time employee? Are you kidding me? Merton. Let me guess, this person gets a living wage too, doesn't he? Or she, don't want to offend any feminists out there. Maybe if you didn't pay this person a living wage -- and probably benefits, why stop with just a wage, why not tack on some benefits -- the people of Merton wouldn't have to work until St. Nick's day to pay their taxes."

Later in the show he added: "I know I knock the Journal Sentinel a lot, though, but I have to given them their due when they deserve it. And they deserve it here for not giving any details on the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, the group that did the report this study is based on, until deep in the jump. And then, fortunately, they say it's a "nonprofit, non-partisan organization that monitors state and local spending." A fair minded observer might refer to it as a shill for business interests, and as you could imagine that would have undermined  the story.

"So again, hat's off to the Journal Sentinel."

Comments

[buckyfella]

Merton is the hometown of Mr. Bucher and Jessica McBride. Please do not consider any policy that might raise their taxes.