After Finance Committee Budget Debate, Alders Burgelis & Bauman Highlight Facts: The Streetcar Strengthens Downtown and Reduces Tax Burden on Neighborhoods

Following today’s Finance and Personnel Committee discussion on the Transportation Fund, Alderman Peter Burgelis and Alderman Robert J. Bauman are setting the record straight. The Milwaukee Streetcar is not a drain on city resources. It is a strategic investment that grows downtown’s economy, raises property values, and reduces tax pressure on homeowners across the city.

“Today’s discussion made clear that we need to separate headlines from hard numbers,” said Alderman Burgelis, Vice Chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee. “The facts from the City Assessor’s Office show that downtown continues to outperform, and that growth directly benefits our neighborhoods by shifting more of the property tax load onto the commercial core.”

According to the City Assessor’s 2025 City of Milwaukee Revaluation Report, assessed values citywide increased by approximately 15 percent compared to 2024. In the downtown area, where the streetcar operates, growth was even stronger.

Alderman Bauman said downtown’s core districts experienced assessed value increases of 16.46 percent, which exceeds the citywide average. Commercial and retail properties across Milwaukee rose by nearly 30 percent in assessed value over the past year. This surge in downtown and commercial property values means that a larger share of the city’s property tax levy is now covered by businesses and developments in the city center. As a result, the burden on homeowners in other parts of Milwaukee is reduced.

“These numbers are not a coincidence,” Alderman Bauman said. “They are the result of deliberate public investment, including the streetcar, which has made downtown more connected, walkable, and attractive to employers, residents, and visitors alike.”

“I often say in response to the remark that “the streetcar does not pay for itself” that it has paid for itself many times over in terms of economic development and increased tax base,” Alderman Bauman said.

While some critics focus on the streetcar’s operating costs, Alderman Burgelis emphasized that such narrow accounting fails to recognize the broader fiscal impact. Rising downtown property values expand the city’s tax base, generate long-term revenue, and help stabilize the overall city budget.

“The streetcar helps power downtown’s momentum,” Burgelis said. “That momentum translates into higher property values, stronger businesses, and a lighter load for the average homeowner. The streetcar isn’t a subsidy. It is a strategy.”

Alderman Burgelis noted that he is not a City Hall insider but brings a private-sector perspective focused on results and efficiency. Before joining the Common Council, he led efforts to grow nonprofit organizations and small businesses through operational improvements and community partnerships. He also spent more than 20 years in financial services helping homebuyers achieve stability and build wealth through homeownership.

“Milwaukee’s future depends on growth that benefits everyone,” Burgelis said. “If we want lower taxes in our neighborhoods, we should be cheering for a thriving downtown. The math is simple. Growth downtown creates tax relief citywide.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.