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The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

Independent Student Newspaper Since 1969

The Badger Herald

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Madison buses could lose $7.1M in federal grants

The city of Madison stands to lose more than one-sixth of its transit budget from federal funding if the governor’s budget repair bill becomes law, according to a state bureau memo.

The Legislative Fiscal Bureau released a memo Wednesday night sent to Rep. Tamara Grigsby, D-Milwaukee, detailing the effects of Gov. Scott Walker’s budget bill on federally funded transit systems across Wisconsin.

Madison transit systems could lose up to $7.1 million of federal funds, close to a sixth of it’s total budget, if unionized transit workers’ collective bargaining authority is repealed as mandated by the budget repair bill, according to the memo.

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City of Madison Attorney Michael May said the LFB memo is accurate.

“We essentially agree with the memo. The bill puts [funding] at risk,” May said. “We haven’t figured out whether we’re going to lose the money of if we can satisfy the federal government.”

Federal dollars are given only under strict circumstances. In the case of transit funding, funds can be given to mass transit providers so long as their employees have the right to collectively bargain and are guaranteed protection for wages, working conditions, pension benefits, seniority, vacation, sick and personal leave, travel passes and other conditions of employment, according to the memo.

If passed and signed into law, Walker’s repair bill would effectively strip state employee union members of their collective bargaining authority. Unless actions are taken to reverse the provision and protect collective bargaining rights for transit union members, the U.S. Department of Labor said the ability of unionized transit systems to receive federal funding would be impacted.

May said he did not know how many of Madison’s transit workers were unionized but said all the drivers were.

The federal government provides funds for other cities’ transit systems in Wisconsin, some of which would not be affected if Walker strips public employee bargaining rights.

Milwaukee County’s transit system operates under a private authority called the Milwaukee County Transport System, Inc., and Walker’s bill would have no effect on MCTS workers who are allowed to collectively bargain for wages and working conditions.

MCTS received $22.5 million in 2010 from the federal government.

Many ride-share taxi services, which receive federal money, are privately owned and operated as well, according to the memo, and would not likely be affected.

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