The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Sunday editorial on the transit system's shocking decline finally calls out County Executive Scott Walker.
Walker has been the impediment to rational transit in Milwaukee for years, reflexively mouthing an ideologically-based opposition to any increase in taxes - - even minimal and focuses on saving a specific service like the bus system he manages - - as if a political line was a substitute for leadership, public planning and provision of services.
Though County Executive in an area with deep povertym Walker believes the ideal transportation system is the one in which everyone owns a car.
Talk about fairy tales.
I suspect that the editorial will fall on deaf ears in the Exec's office. Walker owes his political life to right wing talk radio, where talkers treat transit as a disease, and taxes as the carrier.
The Journal Sentinel endorsed Walker four years for his first full term: that endorsement should be withdrawn, because a County Executive who is willfully starving key services of their resources has sacrificed the right to lead.
Kudos to the JS for finally giving Walker a kick in the pants.
ReplyDeleteWalker's ideological stubbornness and political commitments to right-wing crazies is getting in the way of growth -- specifically, freezing the County's property tax levy and/or sales tax hurts economic development.
It's urban infrastructure investments that enhance economic development and increase personal wealth.
Business location decisions are based more on the availability of amenities (like transit) and subsidy, much more so than taxes. Milwaukee's tax situation is quite better than Chicago's, yet according to Walker's rationale, Boeing should have recently relocated here instead of the windy city. Boeing relocated to Chicago because of its coolness, its infrastructure and amenities.
Spending, especially on transit and other infrastructure, leads to economic development and personal income growth. Even Milton Friedman, the godfather of conservative economics, tipped his hat to Keynes and agreed with him about the benefits of government spending.
Walker and his base would have you think otherwise. So why the opposition? It's a political wedge that keeps getting him re-elected in a heavily Democratic district.
Sorry- long post. Bottom line is Walker and his flawed philosophies need to go. Keep up the good blogging on this issue!