- Now for our closer look at the state budget,
which Governor Walker presents next Wednesday.
How to make up for the state's transportation shortfall
continues to be a sticky budget issue.
We hit the highway to learn more, as Andy Soth reports
from a travel plaza in western Wisconsin.
- With this location next to Crystal Cave,
the TEAM Oil Travel Center in Spring Valley
is built to handle thousands of tourists that visit each season.
- This building was built by people that do maintenance, not
by people who sit behind a desk.
- But on this frigid January morning,
only a few regulars are here.
[indistinct conversation, laughter]
- There we go. There we go. That's good.
- The team behind TEAM Oil is really Tony Huppert and family.
- Every morning, I come in and say good morning to April.
She says good morning to me. Works out good.
If we both say good morning, we're having a good day.
TEAM stands for Trudy, my wife, Eric, my son
and I'm actually Anthony, and my daughter-in-law is Michelle.
So that's where TEAM comes from.
It was cold, too.
Eric came up with it.
- The 65-year-old is happy, having son Eric onboard.
- He runs the show.
I just have to--
I got the ideal job.
So as far as retiring, here I can act like a boss.
If I'm retired, I'm home with Trudy and she's the boss.
- That gives Huppert the time to sit at the round table with
the regulars.
With last night's snowfall,
weather conditions are on everyone's mind.
- When's the last time you pulled someone
out of the ditch right out here?
- You.
- That was a whiteout that morning.
- The most recent automobile accident is another topic.
- Did you know about that accident out by Martel?
- Phone rings.
Daughter Karen, she works at the title company in River Falls.
She says, "Good, I'm glad you answered the phone.
There's an accident out there."
- It's not you. - Wasn't me.
- Of course, transportation is also a professional interest
for Huppert and an issue he watches closely.
- In a rural area, because less state funding, the early areas
are having to make a decision, as all communities,
what do we do about roads?
So Gilman Township, where this place is located in,
just raised the levy 35%.
TEAM Oil will pay $1300 a year more.
- Huppert's also concerned about a bridge
that's out a few miles away.
It's created a detour for a popular local restaurant.
- You have to go an extra ten miles to get to this place.
Plus I have people stopping here saying they just can't find it.
He employs 90 people on his payroll,
pays in over a half a million dollars in total taxes
and it's going to start up again this spring
and the bridge is still going to be out.
That bridge should have been done six months ago.
- And Huppert is not seeing much help or hope from Madison.
- As far as the transportation fund in Wisconsin, I don't
understand how there can be any hesitation on doing something.
-Legislators have been reluctant to unfreeze the state's gas tax.
And tax revenues have declined as gas mileage has improved.
That means the state's designated transportation fund
is seriously under-funded.
- So where is the money supposed to come from?
There should be the designated transportation fund
or it's got to come out of the general fund.
Well, then when it comes out of the general fund,
you got everybody fighting for that.
You got education fighting for it.
We have to maintain the infrastructure
of the state of Wisconsin.
It isn't because we like pretty roads.
- Huppert is frustrated and
his irritation at the inaction of politicians is growing.
- Somebody's got to get off their butt
and start to realize this is not funny anymore
and, you know, it really irritates me.
Coming from a person with two heart attacks,
my wife says, "Don't get irritated."
- That was Andy Soth reporting.