[milwaukee-electric] And (yawn) another rail proposal for Milwaukee ...

[mrcooby]

Milwaukee-area officials, each 
with their own public transit 
ideas, responded with 
skepticism to Alderman Joe 
Davis' plan to build a citywide 
electric rail system.

Davis on Friday asked that the 
city's 2009 budget include 
freedom to borrow $250 million 
<http://www.dailyreporter.com/pd
f/davis0110308.pdf>  to support
construction of a light-rail 
system 
<http://www.dailyreporter.com/pd
f/handouts-110308.pdf>  
connecting the entire region. 
His idea now joins Mayor Tom 
Barrett's plan to build a light-
rail loop around downtown 
Milwaukee and County Executive 
Scott Walker's support for 
county buses and high-speed bus 
routes stretching from 
Milwaukee to surrounding cities.

So far, there's no compromise 
between Barrett and Walker on 
local transit projects, said 
Peter W. Beitzel, vice 
president of business 
development for the 
Metropolitan Milwaukee 
Association of Commerce. He
would not speculate on whether 
Davis' idea could shift the 
gridlock.

"We're going forward with our 
studies," Beitzel said.
"Then the compromise will be 
required. Will this help it or 
hurt it? I don't know."

A coalition including the MMAC, 
the city, the county and the 
Wisconsin Center District is 
studying the ideas Barrett and 
Walker proposed.

Davis said he's familiar with 
the area's inability to get
transit projects rolling, but 
he said creating the ability to 
borrow $250 million would 
demonstrate the city's 
commitment to progress. Davis 
said building a rail system 
would create a lot of long-term 
jobs for Milwaukee residents 
who need the work.

"We want to speed this thing 
up," he said. "We're
getting our lunch eaten by 
other municipalities because 
they are building out their 
communities."

Walker wants $91.5 million the 
federal government set aside for
Milwaukee transit projects to 
focus on the county bus system.
Furthermore, he wondered how 
people would react to creating 
a rail system when the city is 
behind on its cycle of 
rebuilding streets.

"Even if you liked it," Walker 
said, "it's kind of like
saying, `I'm going to make a 
new driveway when my roof's
falling apart.'"

Comptroller W. Martin "Wally" 
Morics last week released his 
annual report  
<http://www.dailyreporter.com/pd
f/handouts-110308.pdf> 
detailing the reconstruction 
cycle for city streets. The 942 
miles of streets have a life 
expectancy of up to 60 years, 
but, as of 2006, are replaced 
on average every 160 years. But 
the city invested more money in 
roads last year, so the numbers 
will be better in 2007, Morics 
said.

If borrowing money for rail 
would hurt the city's ability 
to shorten the cycle depends on 
whether taxpayer money is used 
to pay the debt, Morics said. 
The city can borrow up to $1.1 
billion, and right now it's 
hovering around $650 million to 
$750 million, he said.

If taxes, rather than federal 
guarantees or train fares, pay 
off the $250 million, it would 
eat up a good chunk of the 
city's remaining ability to 
borrow for projects, he said.

Davis said the city's approval 
of a wheel tax this year would
generate more money for road 
projects. And, he said, his 
idea has perks that benefit the 
county, including stops at 
county-owned facilities such as 
the zoo, Milwaukee Regional 
Medical Center and General 
Mitchell International Airport.

"I think (Walker) has a vested 
interest because all of the 
other plans that have been 
submitted don't take into 
account our regional partner," 
Davis said, referring to the 
county.

Beitzel said he doesn't see any 
compromise in sight, and there 
is probably not enough buying 
power in the $91.5 million in 
federal cash to support 
Barrett's and Walker's ideas.

Faced with a logjam that 
existed before he entered the 
mix, Davis said
he's hopeful his idea can stir 
some movement.

"I'm not a pessimist," he said.
===========================