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Francesca Hong: “Restoring regional transit authorities is going to be key.”

Featuring: Francesca Hong, Democratic | Wisconsin State Assembly, District 76

Wisconsin's Environmental Future: A Nonpartisan Gubernatorial Forum Part 2

Published June 2, 2026 | Video Starts at 52:15

And so that would include electric appliances, heat pumps, insulation. And then public transit infrastructure is long past due, especially since we lost our trains thanks to Scott Walker. And so Restoring regional transit authorities is going to be key. And that legislation is ready to go in the state assembly and we would get support from it in the Senate as well. And we don't want these bus lines to stop at county lines either. (52:15–52:20)

CLAIM

Asserts the importance of restoring regional transit authorities for public transit infrastructure.

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.

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Francesca Hong

“Wisconsin was actually the first state in the country to pass a renewable portfolio [in 1999].”
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“Natural gas and coal still generate about 72% of Wisconsin's electricity and renewables are only around 10 to 12%.”
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“$12 million was what the executive pay for We Energies [executive] took home.”
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“The law was written in the early 1900s and it prevents the commission from considering air pollution.”
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“We have data centers right now that have sales and use tax exemptions that have cost the state upwards of $40 million.”
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“Wisconsinites electricity bills are the second highest in the Midwest.”
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“The manufacturing and agricultural tax credit that costs the state around $400 million a year, this is a tax credit, a subsidy that we…”
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“It [AB888] creates the funding necessary to train up thousands of workers who would be able to collectively bargain and construct this…”
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“Ratepayers should not be paying for utilities to lobby against them.”
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“Ratepayers should not be paying for utilities to lobby against them.”
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“We've seen millions of dollars get lost in trade association fees.”
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“The administration should use every tool possible and wield the full power of the executive [to address Line 5].”
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“Line 5 should be shut down and not rerouted.”
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“We have to stop both Line 5 in both its current form and the reroute as well.”
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“Expand the DNR board of directors to include not one, but multiple tribal nations representation.”
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“There should be direct partnership with the Bad River Band, the Red Cliff, and every tribal nation defending their Great Lakes.”
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“In Wisconsin, we have seen that the courts have interpreted it to include greenhouse gas emissions.”
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“Our Public Service Commission keeps approving new gas plants while the climate crisis continues to accelerate.”
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“It's imperative that we work, that the executive work with the legislature to repeal these statutory binders.”
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“There are additional statutory changes that will allow the Public Service Commission to actually be much more reflective of the public…”
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“If a data center wants to operate in Wisconsin, it should be powered entirely with renewables.”
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“I've also introduced a bill that would put a moratorium on the construction of new AI data centers until we have more data on the impacts…”
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“Data centers should pay for the full cost of the infrastructure they require.”
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“Local governments should have the authority to approve or reject [data center] projects if they don't want them there.”
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“We've had legislation introduced that would prohibit the use of NDA, and I would absolutely direct the legislature to continue to pursue…”
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“Closing loopholes, ensuring that we're putting in statute that there are regular reforms...is absolutely imperative.”
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“The legislation [for restoring regional transit authorities] is ready to go in the state assembly.”
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