Madison officials oppose state budget changes targeting cyclists

Madison Bike Week kicked off on Sunday with the annual Ride the Drive event, where the streets are given over to two-wheel traffic. But proposed state policy, including a $25 dollar bike tax in the 2015-17 state budget, could potentially hurt bicycle related businesses in Madison.

The Joint Finance Committee in the Wisconsin State Capitol is proposing a one-time tax at the point of purchase for new bikes with wheels larger than 20 inches. The legislature calls it a registration fee for new bikes. 

Governor Scott Walker’s budget proposal also sought new cuts to Wisconsin’s Complete Streets Law, which requires all state-funded new road constructions to accommodate bicyclist and pedestrians. The implications of the proposed cuts to Complete Street Laws are unclear.

“We are adamantly opposed to the state’s proposed $25 bike taxes in the new state budget. Regardless of what the state does, we will continue with our commitment to Complete Streets,” Madison Mayor Paul Soglin said in a statement.

City officials were puzzled by the proposed tax.

“I don’t think whoever is proposing this [new tax] has thought it out very well,” said Arthur Ross, City of Madison pedestrian-bicycle coordinator.

Ross said the tax would hurt the bicycle-related businesses in Madison because majority of the bicycles sold in 2013 are less than $100, according to National Bicycle Dealers Association, a $25 tax could potentially hurt sales of new bikes. 

“The $25 bike tax is a small-minded, politically-motivated and highly regressive tax that will hurt poorer people much more than those who are well off,” said Tony Fernandez, City of Madison bike facility design engineer.

A less regressive form of a potential bike tax, said Fernandez, would be a percentage of the selling price of a bike which would go directly to enhance bike facilities.

“But that is not the real intent of this proposed law. Instead, it is an attempt to gain political advantage by inflaming some sort of culture war, pitting automobile drivers against bicyclists,” Fernandez said, “This is nonsense and I hope it backfires as people see its divisive nature.”

Wisconsin’s bike friendliness ranking recently dropped from the third best in the country last year to ninth this year according to the League of American Bicyclists, a non-partisan group based in Washington D.C.

The report highlighted many of the incoming policy changes in Wisconsin, and concluded that “If these changes come to pass, bicycling in Wisconsin will be set back significantly and it may be years to recover the state support for bicycling that has led to Wisconsin’s history of being one of the most Bicycle Friendly States in America.”

“The real issue is how we use taxation and public policy to try to shape a society that is sustainable, reduces pollution, is safer and friendlier for kids and others to walk, promotes healthy lifestyles, has economic vitality and is inclusive of everyone.” said Fernandez. “Biking has a positive role to play in achieving that, and both Democrats and Republicans mostly agree. Any policy that discourages use of bicycles is terribly misguided.”