Tag Archives: Regional Transit Authority

$100 million proposed for Milwaukee-area transit

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$100 million would be made available for capital costs of Milwaukee-area transit projects, under a proposal in the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s budget request. The catch is that local officials would have to get their act together on a dedicated revenue source before they could even ask for the money.

Keeping this in his budget — to be introduced later this month — would be a political win for Gov. Jim Doyle no matter how it plays out. The Regional Transit Authority wants a 0.5% sales tax to fund transit in Kenosha, Milwaukee and eastern Racine counties, but not everyone likes that idea and it still must pass legislative muster.

If that happens, Doyle goes a long way — and essentially on the cheap — to proving that he doesn’t really hate Milwaukee. If the RTA deal falls apart, Doyle can point at southeastern Wisconsin politicos, sneer and say, “See, even with a $100 million bribe they can’t get it together.”

Of transit, safety, cities and SEWRPC

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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.