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Vos says good roads matter of life and death

Posted at 10:14 AM, Dec 05, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-05 12:18:02-05

 MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The Latest on the debate over Wisconsin road funding (all times local):

   10 a.m.

   Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says his bumpy ride on a stretcher in the back of an ambulance helps show that maintaining good roads can be a matter of life and death.

   Vos released a video Monday showing his ride through the streets of Racine County in a Burlington Rescue Squad ambulance. His cousin works for the ambulance squad and invited him on the ride.

   The release of the video comes a day before an Assembly committee was to hold a hearing on the state Department of Transportation budget request. Lawmakers are debating how to plug a nearly $1 billion budget hole.

   Vos is among some Republicans who support a gas tax increase as part of the solution. Other Republicans are speaking out against it.

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   8:26 a.m.

   Wisconsin state Assembly Speaker Robin Vos takes a ride in the back of an ambulance in a video to make the case for why more money needs to be spent on roads.

   Vos released a preview of a video that was to come out Monday showing him bouncing along while lying down in a stretcher in the back of Burlington Rescue Squad ambulance. The video comes the day before an Assembly committee is to hold a public hearing on how to fix the state's $1 billion transportation budget shortfall.

   Vos is among a group of Assembly Republican leaders arguing that increasing the gas tax should be considered along with other options, like toll roads and higher vehicle registration fees.

   Republicans opposed to the gas tax planned a Monday news conference.