Congratulations to the Regional Transit Authority for doing what’s needed and recommending a 0.5% sales tax to fund transit in Milwaukee, Kenosha and eastern Racine counties. Scott Walker’s representative, George Torres, cast the lone vote against the proposal, demonstrating again that the Milwaukee County executive’s office is clueless about the needs of anything beyond Scott Walkers right-wing-based political aspirations.

The RTA also recommended giving municipalities the power to levy a 0.15% sales tax to fund public safety services, but that recommendation — a Milwaukee appeasement — is so far beyond the RTA’s charge that it may well die before it gets very far. Mayor Tom Barrett really wants to get public safety services off the property tax. While that is a worthy goal, public safety funding is not really any of the RTA’s business. 

The RTA also voted to recommend maintaining its current board structure, with one member each named by the Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha county executives and mayors and the governor. While it’s politically expedient not to change the structure, why should Racine County get a full vote when half of it is missing in action and revenue contribution? If all of Milwaukee County were to drop out except Shorewood, would the county get a full vote?

Finally, the RTA should hire its own staff sooner, rather than later. It now is staffed by the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, which has repeatedly broken faith with Milwaukee residents and cannot be trusted to serve them well in any significant (or even minor) capacity.