Mayor Barrett wrote a small column in this weekend's JournalSentinel on our local transit issue. He points out the 91 million from the federal government that has gone unused and goes on to lament about not having a balanced transit system. While he does touch on the bus system and it's woes, it's all about not having a rail system.
What is it with the libs and trains?
A couple of things struck me about the article. First, why? He blathers on about all sorts of things yet never answers a basic question . . . why? He makes declarations about how behind we are, that we need this, that other cities have it, and claims that we'll benefit if we invest in it.
If we fail to modernize transit in Milwaukee and throughout southeastern Wisconsin, our region will miss critical economic development opportunities and fall further behind other parts of the country.
Why? While a few other cities have invested in a rail system (debatable whether any of them are successful), lots of cities don't have rail and do just fine. Including Milwaukee. So we're doomed in some fashion if we don't have rail? Why? Don't freeways spur economic development?
Then there was this:
Recently, the state approved a $1.9 billion expansion of I-94 from the Mitchell Interchange down to the Illinois state line. This would be the most expensive road construction project in Wisconsin's history, and it was decided without a debate or a referendum.
Well, maybe it's because PEOPLE LIKE TO DRIVE! What a ridiculous statement. Roads are clearly a priority over rail . . . there's more of them and they're the basic infrastructure of travel throughout the country. DUH.
The other thing about that statement that he doesn't tell you that he always blathering on about otherwise, is the amount of JOBS that project will create. I guess if it isn't a rail construction job, it's not good enough.
As for the 91 million . . . if you can do it with rail, you can do it with wheels.
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