Statement from State Senator Chris Larson on the Assembly Republicans’ Arena Proposal
“Democrats remain willing to work with Republicans on the arena deal, however, it is disappointing that our continuous calls for inclusion have been ignored.”
Arena Rendering.
MADISON – Wisconsin State Senator Chris Larson released the following statement on today’s release by Legislative Republicans on their arena proposal:
“As I have said before, Democratic legislators from Milwaukee and across the state have been open to working with our Republican colleagues to negotiate a deal on the arena that is in the best interest of both the taxpayers and the city of Milwaukee. After a stunning failure of leadership from Governor Walker, it was only last week that Republican Senate leaders were willing to start preliminary discussions about the deal with those who directly represent the communities surrounding its proposed location. Today’s release by Legislative Republicans shows our efforts to bring transparency and public scrutiny to this issue are starting to succeed.
“However, considering Republicans are currently in control of all houses of government, it is absurd that with the budget deadline only two days away, we are just now seeing such a complex budgetary proposal.
“Like many across Wisconsin, I am still going through the details of the proposal. While I am eager to work to get the best possible Bucks deal for Wisconsin, it seems like Walker’s budget overall is a sinking ship and instead of working with Democrats to find a life raft, Republican leaders have abandoned ship.
“Democrats remain willing to work with Republicans on the arena deal, however, it is disappointing that our continuous calls for inclusion have been ignored.”
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.
Recent Press Releases by State Sen. Chris Larson
Deal makers have not just bypassed Milwaukee state legislators.
They also shut out the Wisconsin Center District and want to force that state-chartered entity to borrow $93 million that won’t start being repaid for 13 years.
They also would force non-city county residents to pay $4 million a year to pay for the arena. Collected debt now all goes into the general county fund, and the treasurer and comptroller both say the county does a good job of collecting it. It’s just a ham-handed shell game.
No consensus building in any of this. Just a few oligarchs throwing their weight around, esp. Abele, Proud Papa of the Monstrous Deal. I still think an equitable deal can get done, but not this sleazy funding scheme. No wonder it’s so hated.
“Democratic legislators from Milwaukee and across the state have been open to working with our Republican colleagues to negotiate a deal on the arena that is in the best interest of both the taxpayers and the city of Milwaukee.”
Of course, he has also made it clear that no Democrat would vote for the budget, so I’m not exactly sure what would have made him change his mind on that. I hope he gets his wish and has to muster up enough support for a plan of his own choosing. Should make for fun theater (and the 2018 re-debut of the Seattle Sonics).
So why would a democrat vote for a budget that they have had very little input on that has several things they disagree with?
So why would a republican want a democrat adding to a budget, even if there is no hope of them supporting it, only making it more difficult for republicans to support (and therefore pass)? All when said democrat is issuing press releases about how long it is taking to get the budget passed.
Sounds like the arena deal might not be in the budget at all, so the Milwaukee area democrats will not have the overall budget as an excuse to vote against it.