West Allis votes to oppose the Downtown Streetcar
On Tuesday, July 3, the Common Council of the City of West Allis voted unanimously to oppose Milwaukee’s downtown streetcar project.
On Tuesday, July 3, the Common Council of the City of West Allis voted unanimously to oppose Milwaukee’s downtown streetcar project. Citing the possibility that relocating utilities may increase the project’s price tag by $50 million or more (costs that would then be passed on to utilities customers here and outside Milwaukee’s city limits), as well as the huge “initial capital cost” and annual operating cost that are higher than a more flexible, “less expensive rubber-tired trolley bus system,” the West Allis council put itself clearly on record against the streetcar project.
As the city’s most vocal opponent of the streetcar boondoggle, I must admit I was pleased to learn of the West Allis council action. I am hopeful that other municipalities throughout the county and the region will also follow suit with their own anti-streetcar legislation.
Thousands of streetcar opponents have already signed a petition in opposition to the project, and I believe our grassroots effort will spread to suburban communities as business owners and residents voice their opposition to utility rate hikes that could come from the project, and also to the huge waste of federal taxpayer dollars ($64 million-!).
I am confident that the vast majority of residents in Milwaukee and the region would rather that the money be used to help rebuild our crumbling roads, or even to help our struggling transit system. A trolley serving a small area of downtown Milwaukee is NOT something they support.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
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