Waukesha Mayor Scrima, In Public Letter, Seeks Transparency, Data And Town Border Respect In Water Search

Citing the need for checks and balances in the local government, and a multi-level "imbalance" in water planning that led to the Lake Michigan diversion application, Waukesha Mayor Jeff Scrima has issued a public letter today to the citizenry urging three lines of focus as the city wrestles with the sufficiency of that application and the city's search for a new water supply.

When I obtain the letter in a format I can copy- - the latest in a series of letters and statements from several players in the water debate - - I will post it in its entirety, but the points Scrima emphasizes in the July 16 letter are:

* The City needs a more complete and independent assessment of options and side-by-side cost comparisons instead of an approach that focuses solely on Lake Michigan water supplied by Milwaukee.

* The City needs a far more transparent and public presentation process.

* The City needs to be more respectful of the Town of Waukesha and not assume that the City's water supply area should be extended into the town, or that such expansion is in the City's financial or environmental interests.

The DNR has frozen review of the application until more cost and comparative source and discharge information can be submitted, but the Waukesha Water Utility has said it would not consider those edits to so change the application as to require another presentation before, and vote by the Common Council.

Here are some earlier letters among the parties.

Scrima has expressed doubts about the application since his campaign for Mayor culminating in his upset election in April, and has engaged in a battle for control of water planning policy with the Council and utility since his swearing-in.

Some of the problems cited by the DNR with the application had been pointed out to the utility for months.

Vitter Attacks Rachel Maddow's Looks

Classy Republican family values Senator mocks Rachel Maddow's appearance.

Here's the audio: Vitter is really enjoying himself.

He probably preferred the way his hookers looked.

Update: Looks like Vitter has even more problems.

Tosa TIF For UMW County Grounds Project Raising Concerns Internally

I am hearing that Waueatosa school officials are growing concerned over the revenue uncertainties if a TIF district is created to help finance UWM's engineering school and innovation complex on the County Grounds.

Consideration of the plan - - in which a loan would be made at municipal interest rates and paid back with taxes generated by the project - - was pulled from Tosa's Plan Commission agenda for July 12.

The problem is that much and perhaps all the project would be tax-exempt, so loan payment revenue and eventual tax payments to the city and other taxing authorities, like the schools, would be nil.

UWM, and the developer, could pledge a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes scheme, but getting that nailed down would take some time.

I've said many times I think this project could die of its own weight.

Mountain Top Removal Should Be Removed From Coal Mining Practices

Another reason why we should have long ago transitioned away coal as an energy source.

Despite Overflows, Deep Tunnel Is A Boon

As the paper correctly notes, the Deep Tunnel operated by the MMSD can't solve every problem in a deluge, but the system, which is always being improved, keeps large volumes of sewerage out of the waterways and all that mess out of basements across the landscape.

I am sure that politically-inspired talk radio froth or angry reader comments will pour forth at the paper as a kind of overflow itself, but the paper has this one right.

Evil Stimulus Funds Provide Shiny New MCTS Buses

Despite his on-again, off-again-sorta-on support for the stimulus program pushed by Democrats, Scott Walker finds new buses!! (nice story and photos courtesy of Urban Milwaukee) have arrived in his transit system fleet thanks to a major investment from...the stimulus program.

I'll post Walker's thank you to President Obama and Speaker Pelosi when I see it.

Obama Reform Scorecard Is Impressive

Add financial reform, to health care and student lending.

On to energy and climate change, now.

Howard Kurtz at The Washington Post online discusses why Obama will not get full credit for his legislative achievements.

BlogNetNews Is No More

According to its ironizing Wisconsin editor.

The last time I had checked, The Political Environment blog was rated #1 by BNN through its super-secret rating matrix over the previous 12 weeks, and for much of the year, for whatever that was worth.

Chris Larson Promotes Airport Development Zone

And teaches me a new word, "aerotropolis," too.

Where Is Government Foundering More Right Now: Waukesha Or New Berlin?

New Berlin is giving water-warring-weary Waukesha a run for its money.

When Government Shirks Its Regulatory Role, People Suffer

See something of a pattern?

Oil drilling was permitted in the Gulf of Mexico without meaningful inspections and disaster plans.

Local public buildings in Milwaukee somehow manage to get constructed without effective oversight.

The local utility, We Energies, continues to spew out pollutants in the heart of the city.

Interlocked investment funds, banks and insurance companies were allowed to create, sell and manipulate bound-to-fail loans and exotic derivatives - - with executives collecting massive bonuses even as bondholders and shareholders and homeowners drowned in the collapse.

All these problems were enabled and accelerated by the failure of public officials to do their jobs for the people who paid their salaries.

The public interest was sacrificed to expediency, ideology or corruption - - depending on the situation or venue - - as regulators chose or were told to shelve their regulatory role.

Or to select the least onerous path as defined by the business supposedly being regulated.

If government isn't going to fulfill its regulatory responsibilities - - and push hard for cleaner air, safe oil drilling, by-the-book building construction and inspection, or financial system oversight - - then why have it?

Do we simply want a facade?

After what happened at O'Donnell Park, absolutely not.

Sonya And Dan Moving On; Event Tonight

Urbanists, journalists, political types - - you know who you are - - should stop by this evening and say "farewell, but come back soon" to Sonya Jongama-Knauss and Dan Knauss as they prepare to leave Riverwest for work and life in Iowa.

I remember having to move away from our old neighborhood in Madison for a job with The Milwaukee Journal, leaving friends and familiar surroundings behind.

Then, as now, the economy stunk and people had to make these choices.

The good news is that friendships endure.

Milwaukee is losing two of its best writers, and strongest and most decent advocates, and that's a drag.

So show up at their party at the historic Pabst Brewery's Best Place, on Thursday, July 15, 7:30 - - ?? ( Sonya tells me their party is in the small hall and courtyard, not the Great Hall.)

Cities Reclaim Their Land

Rail lines, freeway stubs, all offer the same new value to cities.

Journal Sentinel Again Backs Waukesha's Lake Michigan Diversion Plan

The paper editorially supports the diversion application and criticizes the Mayor for his skepticism.

I think the editorial overstates the study that Waukesha has done on some potential water supply alternatives, and on that score, it will be up to the DNR and the other states to decide if the level of study Waukesha has done and puts into the application effectively makes a case under the Great Lakes Compact.

It would behoove Waukesha to make sure it has made its case so the DNR isn't again in the position of saying, as it did a couple of weeks ago, 'don't ask us to validate the application as is.'

Why Some Cities Want Less Land For Roads

Great discussion, especially in the context of the stimulus funding's emphasis on highways.

Former Mayor John Norquist participates.

Feeble Great Lakes Oil Drilling Count-Punch

I don't think I'd want to be on the defensive on this issue - - possible oil drilling in the Great Lakes - - which is where GOP candidate Johnson finds himself.

Because he had supported the notion up until a day or so ago.

And because he holds a big chunk of BP stock, and so forth.

Advantage, Feingold.

Waukesha Freeman Covers Town Of Waukesha Recall Election Outcome

"Hands off our water" seems to be the message.

And land, too, since this began with the City of Waukesha's condemnation of land in the Town for a well field.

I had my say, here.

Janesville Fabric Firm's Oil Cleanup Method Getting Attention

Here's an update on the progress that Monterey Mills is making.

See the YouTube posting and more information here.

The Walker-Neumann Contest Gets Wackier

GOP heavyweight Jim Klauser wants a contribution refund from Neumann.

Looks to me like Neumann is getting a bang for those bucks.

Great Lakes Oil Drilling Ban Petition: Another Reminder

What would happen to Wisconsin if the BP oil spill in the Gulf happened in Lake Michigan or Lake Superior instead? What if tar balls were washing up on beaches in Milwaukee, Sheboygan, Door County and the Apostle Islands? Or if thousands of lake trout and salmon were found dead and instead of oil-coated pelicans it was eagles, ospreys, loons and ducks?

We simply cannot afford to open the door to a BP-style catastrophe that will destroy our environment, our economy and our quality of life.

Say NO! to drilling in the Great Lakes!

Support the movement for a Wisconsin constitutional amendment banning drilling in the Great Lakes at http://www.onewisconsinnow.org/bangreatlakesdrilling

Conservatives in Wisconsin have wasted no time making it clear they put Big Oil interests ahead of the people of Wisconsin.

When asked by the Associated Press if the BP spill in the Gulf should prompt more caution before undertaking new oil drilling projects, Republican Senate candidate Ron Johnson answered simply "NO."¹. And in an interview last week, when asked about potential oil drilling in the Great Lakes, Johnson said "I think we have to get the oil where it is."²

Dave Westlake, who's running in the primary for the Republican nomination for US Senate, echoed the controversial remarks of Joe Barton (R-Texas) and called the $20 billion fund set up by BP to pay for claims filed from the BP spill "Nothing more than a shakedown of BP."³

http://www.onewisconsinnow.org/bangreatlakesdrilling.

We want to enact a complete and permanent ban on drilling in the Great Lakes, a protection that would ensure Wisconsin doesn't become the next oil disaster zone. Sign on in support of a constitutional amendment to ban drilling in the Great Lakes at http://www.onewisconsinnow.org/bangreatlakesdrilling

Together, we can keep the Great Lakes safe from oil companies and make sure a catastrophe like the BP oil spill in the Gulf never happens here.

http://www.onewisconsinnow.org/bangreatlakesdrilling.

P.S.--We cannot allow the Great Lakes to become the next location for oil drilling. Join the movement today to enact a constitutional amendment banning drilling the Great Lakes at http://www.onewisconsinnow.org/bangreatlakesdrilling.

_________

¹ Westlake, Johnson talk Gulf spill, Patriot Act at forum, WisPolitics Interview, 6/10/2010]

² Wisconsin Senate Candidates Want to Drill, Dubuque Times Herald, 6/6/2010

³Ron Johnson and Dave Westlake, R-BP, Capital Times, 6/22/2010

One Wisconsin Now is a new-media online network of citizens from across Wisconsin committed to advancing progressive policy, leadership, values and ensuring equal economic opportunity for all.