Regional Cooperation Disappears When Money Is Involved

Ah, regional cooperation. That dreamy idea that everyone's for it - - until money or power-sharing is involved.

Then it's every man/woman/village/town and city for themselves.

And I'm not talking about the really big issues, like how much will New Berlin pay if it gets Lake Michigan water - - certainly not on theoretical fee schedules that State Sen. Mary Lazich, R-New Berlin, has already deemed "extortion".

(For a link to her original statement, scroll down to Nov. 1, 2007 on her blog's postings, here.)

Or if Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker will stop blocking federal funds available for rail transit (Likely answer: "No!").

I'm talking about whether the City of New Berlin, and the neighboring City and Town of Brookfield governments, can agree to formulas and finish paying for one local road project - - Greenfield Ave.

It's ironic that these warring parties are on the turf of leading opponents of the Great Lakes Compact, like Lazich, and fellow Compact naysayer State Sen. Ted Kanavas, (R-Brookfield).

They want to send the Compact back into eight-state, two-nation negotiations, even though those discussions ended in 2005 after four years of meetings.

Perhaps Lazich and Kanavas' time and negotiation skills could be better spent getting Greenfield Ave. finished.

Or, maybe not.