Call your representatives to support transit

Dear Editor,

Kinnickinnic Avenue has struggled over the years to develop a vibrant and useful business district. The possible end of Milwaukee County Transit looms as yet another warning to each business owner (and their customers) along our business “strip.” In fact Bay View is served by four bus lines, which bring customers and employees from South Milwaukee, Bayshore, the airport, Riverwest, the western edge of the county, and neighborhoods between. The bus is ideal because our street does not (yet) have large swaths of parking lots.

This vital transit service could come to a screeching halt if our bus system is dismantled. It could happen.

But we can take action today.

All four funding sources for transit are drying up: property tax, fare box, federal and state support. Most cities use a small sales tax dedicated to transit. The bill in Madison provides this remedy. As the economy renews itself the sales tax in Milwaukee County will deliver money to fix old buses, purchase new ones, and rebuild the kind of service that will draw people out of their cars as gasoline prices soar again.

If the bus system collapses-and it will without dedicated funding-100,000 jobs will be inaccessible to transit (according to UWM’s Center for Economic Development), isolating whole neighborhoods from jobs.

Urgent legislation is pending in Madison. It is important for legislators to hear from their constituents now. Keep in mind that this transit bill will take transit off the property tax, a net benefit for Milwaukee County property owners.

Bay View voters should call Representatives Jon Richards and Chris Sinicki, and Senator Jeff Plale. While these three are on record in favor of this legislation, your urgent calls to save our buses will help our reps convince other reps to vote “Yes.” While it’s clear to Milwaukeeans what must be done, we have yet to persuade our elected representatives. Your call will make a large difference.

Sincerely,

Bill Sell
Bay View