Milwaukee County Board Finance Committee Seeks to Restore Transit Funding and Strengthen Transit Priorities

MILWAUKEE – On Friday, October 31, Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson will introduce a budget amendment and resolution before the Finance Committee, co-sponsored by Supervisors Shawn Rolland, Caroline Gómez-Tom, Steven Shea, Jack Eckblad, Kathleen Vincent, Felesia A. Martin, Sequanna Taylor, Steve F. Taylor, Juan Miguel Martinez, Patti Logsdon, and Anne O’Connor. The proposal would invest nearly $5 million in transit and paratransit services and direct the development of a formal plan to maximize service levels while minimizing disruptions to the community. The proposal responds to the call on the County Board to restore funding for proposed budget cuts and to preserve paratransit services. During Monday’s Budget Town Hall, Supervisors heard from riders, bus operators, and members of the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), school board representatives, and disability rights advocates who emphasized how essential public transit is for connecting residents to opportunity and resources.

“The Board heard directly from the people we serve, and we’re responding,” said Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson, the lead author of the budget proposal. “We listened as people across Milwaukee County shared with us how essential transit and paratransit are to their daily lives. People choose to live in Milwaukee County because our transit system provides accessible and affordable transportation to their work, health care providers, and community resources. We have to decide to invest in these transportation services so the communities in our County can thrive.”

The proposal establishes a framework to invest in the County’s transit priorities, highlighting the strong public support voiced for preserving routes that serve students and seniors and the independence of our residents.

MCDOT and MCTS will report to the County Board during the December 2025 meeting cycle with findings on how 2026 appropriations will be used to maximize service levels while minimizing community disruption, maintaining essential peak-hour coverage through tripper service, leveraging savings from the Waukesha Metro contract, partnering with employers and community organizations, collaborating with school districts, addressing fare evasion, and exploring limited critical same-day paratransit service. Any contingency funds designated for transit or paratransit service restoration may not be used without prior Board approval.

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.