District Supervisor Opposed to Streetcar Plan

There are many proponents of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett's proposed streetcar line, a proposal that is expected to be approved by the city's Common Council at a meeting July 26, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

There are also many opponents, of which is Mark Borkowski, Milwaukee County Supervisor of the 11th District, which includes Greenfield.

In a letter to County Executive Chris Abele, Borkowski urges Abele to work with Barrett "and the federal government and use the "streetcar" money for the bus system."

Here is the complete text of Borkowski's letter to Abele:

"During your successful campaign for County Executive, we all learned of your positive working relationship with Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. It is good when cooperation benefits the entire community. However, I am troubled by his insistence on forcing a $64 million streetcar unto the downtown district when our own mass transit is being crippled beyond repair. I am even more mortified when I hear the Mayor suggest that the county will operate it! What?

"I realize the Mayor will say that the city must use this federal money for streetcars. Well, here is where the cooperation comes in.

"We have Federal legislators who are very responsive to the plight of mass transit (Senator Kohl, Representative Moore come to mind). Their constituents won't benefit from the steetcar; in fact, they'll be hurt if the bus service continues to crumble.

"As you know, State funding for our bus system was reduced by $7 million for 2012. We need all the help we can get to preserve buses, which currently connect the majority of neighborhoods in Milwaukee County. Rather than spending money on a streetcar that relatively few people will use, I am asking you to work with the Mayor and the federal government to use the "streetcar" money for the bus system. This original plan is a gross waste of tax dollars and does nothing but hurt transit in the long run."

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel political columnist Larry Sandler said in a blog post Monday that Milwaukee Alderman Bob Donovan wants a referendum for the project and believes the city is moving too quickly with its plan.