The Assembly today backed a resolution expressing support for basing F-35 fighter jets at the Air National Guard Base in Madison.
This comes after some residents near Truax Field have raised concerns over noise from the new planes. The base is now home to F-16s and the debate over the possibility of the new planes has largely focused on whether the F-35s would be louder, resulting in a bigger impact on local residents.
Rep. Chris Taylor, who represents the Madison area, highlighted a U.S. Air Force environmental study that found found F-35s and four times louder than F-16s and said that noise would have a substantial impact on neighborhoods on the east and north side of the city.
“This resolution ignores that reality completely,” she said.
But Rep. Tony Kurtz, R-Wonewoc, said the resolution was key to showing the federal government that state lawmakers were supportive placing F-35s in the state.
“It does matter to the federal government what elected officials in Wisconsin are saying,” he said.
The measure passed 87-9, with two of the three Madison Dems voting against it.
The Senate backed the resolution by voice vote on Tuesday.
