Public Works Committee Approves Vehicle Registration Fee
The meeting began with public hearings regarding assessable road improvements and lead into Alderman Robert Bauman‘s opening discussion of resolution 080034, the proposed municipal vehicle registration fee. This resolution would change the assessable portion of road improvement costs from 60%, which on average is an assessment of $2500 to the abutting property owner, to 0% being assessed to the property owner by shifting these costs onto a $20 municipal vehicle registration fee. Additionally assessment rates for alley improvements would drop from 90% to 60% and for sidewalks it would drop from 70% to 50%. This proposed resolution came about in response to property owners regularly voting to delete road projects due to high assessment costs. The postponing or deletion of road repair projects has lead to crumbling streets, a proliferation of potholes and higher reconstruction costs in the future. The Committee voted to approve this resolution with Alderman Joe Dudzik opposing the measure and it will move forward to the Finance and Personnel Committee.
Alderman Bauman continued his efforts of improving the pedestrian experience in the City of Milwaukee by bring resolution 050096 forward. The resolution would repaint West State St. and West Wells St. reducing traffic lanes down to one in each direction which would help to slow traffic, improve the streets walkability, and make driving conditions less of a hazard during winter months. At the Department of Public Works request he had held off on this resolution until the near completion of the Marquette Interchange project. This resolution passed and will now go before the full Common Council.
Can I just say thank you!? Thanks for going to these meetings and keeping us informed. You’re doing a great service.
Thanks I try! To me I think it is a shame that not enough people watch these meetings because to get a good feel for how our city government works it is really the first step. Also if you watch enough you can sometimes see between the lines and find the real story.