Highs and lows for Milwaukee in budget

Last month the Wisconsin Senate and Assembly passed the 2009-11 biennial budget. This budget called for hard compromises as we worked to fix the record $6.6 billion shortfall that Wisconsin faced this biennium.

While there were some low points of the budget for Milwaukee, there were some high points as well for economic development and job creation in our region.

There was some great news in the budget for Milwaukee with the approval of investment in University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, which included money for a new research vessel and facilities for the new School of Freshwater Sciences, the School of Public Health in downtown Milwaukee, and new research facilities for the Engineering School.

Milwaukee can be a national center for better, higher paying jobs and this funding is a key investment into making this a reality. This is the largest single investment in UWM ever and a major vote of confidence in Milwaukee’s future.

I worked with my colleagues in Milwaukee and across Wisconsin to honor the voters’ decision to remove the transit and parks in Milwaukee County from the property tax burden and create a 1-percent sales tax to cover the costs of fixing our ailing transit and parks systems in Milwaukee County.

Unfortunately the 0.35-percent increase in sales tax for Milwaukee County Parks was removed in compromises between the Senate and Assembly. I was disappointed when the governor also removed the 0.5-percent increase for transit funding and 0.15-percent increase for emergency services.

We must recognize that good parks and transit systems will draw people to our area to live and create jobs. I will continue to work to ensure that these two things receive all the resources they need in order to survive and thrive.

Although it was difficult budget, I am proud that we were able to deliver some of the resources Milwaukee needs to continue to grow and become a world-class city, and I will continue to work to deliver these resources and opportunities to Milwaukee.

Jon Richards is the state representative for Wisconsin’s 19th state Assembly District, which includes Bay View, the Third Ward, eastern downtown, and the East Side. His website is jonrichards.org. He can be reached at (888) 534-0019 or rep.richards@legis.wisconsin.gov.

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