Here & Now

Closer Look: Travel Center Owner On Transportation Budget

Frederica Freyberg:

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.

Andy Soth:

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.

Tony Huppert:

This building was built by people that do maintenance, not by people who sit behind a desk.

Andy Soth:

But on this frigid January morning, only a few regulars are here.

Tony Huppert:

There we go. There we go. That’s good.

Andy Soth:

The team behind TEASM Oil is really Tony Huppert and family.

Tony Huppert:

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.

Andy Soth:

The 65-year-old is happy, having son Eric onboard.

Tony Huppert:

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.

Andy Soth:

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.

Man:

When's the last time you pulled someone out of the ditch right out here?

Tony Huppert:

You.

Man:

That was a whiteout that morning.

Andy Soth:

The most recent automobile accident is another topic.

Tony Huppert:

Did you know about that accident out by Martel?

Other Man:

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.”

Tony Huppert:

It's not you.

Other Man:

Wasn’t me.

Andy Soth:

Of course, transportation is also a professional interest for Huppert and an issue he watches closely.

Tony Huppert:

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.

Andy Soth:

Huppert's also concerned about a bridge that’s out a few miles away. It’s created a detour for a popular local restaurant.

Tony Huppert:

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.

Andy Soth:

And Huppert is not seeing much help or hope from Madison.

Tony Huppert:

As far as the transportation fund in Wisconsin, I don’t understand how there can be any hesitation on doing something.

Andy Soth:

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.

Tony Huppert:

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.

Andy Soth:

Huppert is frustrated and his irritation at the inaction of politicians is growing.

Tony Huppert:

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.