Category Archives: Water

Adding it together

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What do you think the combined impacts of the Waukesha’s desire to dump water into Underwood Creek and WisDOT’s desire to expand every freeway in this corner of the state?

The Underwood Creek passes under I-94 and US 45 in areas designated for potential freeway expansion under the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Zoo Interchange reconstruction plan. Even if WisDOT doesn’t technically expand the freeway, it will be adding a lot of concrete to the freeway and water runoff to the Underwood Creek under various reconstruction scenarios.

WisDOT, if it follows the abysmal precedent it set in its North-South I-94 reconstruction plan, will propose developing not-as-effective-as-they-should-be wetland replacement banks desperately needed in Milwaukee County in Walworth County instead, where they will not do a bit of good for the people living near or downstream from the Underwood Creek.

Add into the mix additional tens of thousands of gallons of treated wastewater sent into the river by Waukesha as part of its plan to return treated wastewater water to Lake Michigan.

All this is sure to increase the likelihood of flooding along Underwood Creek and, as UWM’s Great Lakes Water Institute notes, “Flooding problems have occurred in the UC (Underwood Creek) subwatershed.”

Favorite quote from the water debate

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I didn’t get to hear much of the debate over selling water to New Berlin, but the absolutely best quote that I did hear came from Ald. Jim Bohl, who argued that using parliamentary procedure to delay the inevitable victory by the pro-sale faction would just be poor sportsmanship.

“A further delay tactic,” he said solemnly, “is a nah-nah, boo-boo game.”

The great orators have a new man among them. 

Council fantasy

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Here’s how I wish it would go today at the Common Council, but it won’t.

Ald. Michael Murphy’s alternative to the proposed $20 wheel tax is adopted. Murphy has proposed a $10 wheel tax with lower special assessments for street repairs. Murphy’s proposal means property tax-exempt non-profits still kick in for street repairs based on the size of their individual properties; under the $20 tax proposal, non-profits with lots of property, but few vehicles, get off really cheap. In addition, the state just raised its own vehicle registration fees by $20. Make it expensive enough, and more people simply won’t register their vehicles.

Murphy’s proposal doesn’t stand a chance in the world, though. The $20 tax seems not only meant to fund street repairs, but also to serve as a symbolic Common Council declaration of independence and leadership. Some aldermen are clearly unenamored with Mayor Barrett’s low-key style. 

Also during my wish-it-were-so council debate, the aldercritters find a way not to tax motorcycles, mopeds and scooters. It’s seems awfully silly to me to levy an additional $20 tax on vehicles that actually are lighter and cause less damage to streets than cars or trucks (yes, I have a scooter.)

The council then moves ahead and rejects Murphy’s proposal to sell water to the “middle third” of New Berlin. This deal is akin to a starving man selling his pure gold watch for a peanut butter sandwich and a glass of milk. The City of Milwaukee is desperate for the $1.5 million New Berlin is dangling. It is making this decision based on inadequate information and fear, a really dangerous combination. 

Not enough from New Berlin

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$1.5 million and an annual talkfest is not worth it.

New Berlin wants to buy more Milwaukee water and send it further west into the suburb. In exchange, New Berlin will pay for the water, kick in an extra $1.5 million and agree to meet with Milwaukee representatives once a year to talk about “opportunities to improve the availability of skilled workers in both communities and to improve the access of workers in each community to job opportunities,” according to a proposed agreement between the two communities.

Jim Rowen does a nice job deconstructing the $1.5 million payment. An agreement to talk, though, is an agreement to do nothing. New Berlin needs to commit to helping fund transit between the two cities; it needs to commit to building affordable housing within its borders.

Those commitments should be made, memorialized and maybe even partially implemented before Milwaukee sends more water and sprawl over the county line. The Common Council should not go along with the deal as it stands.