Saving the Number 9

by capper

I have already pointed out how Senator Lena Taylor has done more for Milwaukee County before being elected than Scott Walker has done in the past five years. She did this by getting millions of dollars from the state budget to help preserve as much of the transit system as possible.

Gretchen at Milwaukee Rising points out that it was Governor Jim Doyle that preserved the Canal Street bus line when Walker again refused to do his job.

Now it looks like it will be up to Governor Doyle and/or the state to ride to the rescue again. Taking a page out of Walker's book, Waukesha County Executive Dan Vrakas is refusing to find the funding for the #9 bus route. Seventy some families depend on this route for jobs to support themselves, but for the want of a $100,000 dollars, this route is due to be eliminated on January 1, 2008.

And has James Rowen points out, with Waukesha County and the State ready and willing to spend millions of dollars on an unnecessary interchange at the Pabst Farms, there must be a way for the two counties, the state and/or the businesses that get all the tax breaks to pony up this money.

Nothing says "Merry Christmas" like the threat of losing your ability to earn a living. I personally don't care who fixes the problem, but someone better get on it. Governor Doyle could easily get the funding here, but I like Gretchen's suggestion better-something about the thought of knocking Walker's and Vrakas' heads together appeals to my baser side.