Planning forthe Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail line is moving ahead, despite shakyfunding from a rental car fee increase and protests from Milwaukee Countysupervisors who say the county’s bread-and-butter bus system needs solidfunding first.
And does itneed funding. Although Scott Walker promises to increase the property taxsupport for the system by $2.1 million in the coming year, folks at theMilwaukee County Transit System say the funding situation is more dire, atleast according to their early projections. Thank the combination of decreasedrevenue from riders, higher employee and fuel costs, and the increased cost ofrunning Paratransit and Transit Plus, and there’s a $10.2 million budget gapprojected for 2011and that includes Walker’s$2.1 million promise. That represents a 14% service cut or 188,000 hours ofservice per year.
Statelawmakers and local leaders must figure this out before the Wisconsin’s most populous county has noreliable public transit system. Either dedicate more state aid for the systemor allow the county to levy a half-cent sales tax to provide stable, long-termfunds for transit.
Heroes of the Week
Faith and Francie Bybee
The late Melodie Wilsonfounded ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis in 1999 to offer free, personalizedinformation and support to those affected by breast cancerincluding not onlypatients, but also their families and friends.
The group relies on theefforts of volunteers such as cousins Faith and Francie Bybee, who, in additionto providing countless hours of administrative assistance and working atcommunity outreach events, also serve as mentors to program participants.Faith, a breast cancer survivor of 10 years, notes that although participantsmay already have a support network, “when you hear the words ‘you have cancer,’you want to be with someone who’s gone through it and survived.” To that end,ABCD matches participants with a mentor whose circumstances are similar totheir own.
While Faith mentorspatients, Francie mentors friends and families of those dealing with a cancerdiagnosis. The pair also maintains an immense database of available resourcesfor participants. ABCD (6737 W. Washington St., West Allis)is always in need of volunteers. Survivors interested in mentoring others, oranyone just wishing to help donate time with events, are encouraged to call(414) 918-9222 or visit www.abcdbreastcancersupport.org.
Jerk of the Week
Milwaukee CountyExecutive Scott Walker
Republicangubernatorial candidate Scott Walker once again is focusing on his politicalambitions instead of his responsibilities in Milwaukee County.Instead of keeping put and trying to solve the crisis at the Milwaukee CountyMental Health Complex, Walker is taking athree-state trip that just happens to wind up in Milwaukee mere days before the stateRepublican convention on Saturday. But the trip is not political orcampaign-related, of course. No, not at all. Not even when he’s flip-floppingon Arizona’simmigration law while he’s on his Harley, first claiming that he’s against it,then coming out in support of it. What does that have to do with promoting Milwaukee’s touristattractions? We’re stumped.
