The mass transit system across Wisconsin is an archaic disgrace. With Forbes Magazine citing Madison as the nationwide leader in job growth for 2009, isn’t it about time Wisconsin started taking transportation seriously?
Soon, the entire Wisconsin Legislature will vote on a bill for a Regional Transit Authority, which will play a large role in determining the future of integrated transit in Southeastern Wisconsin. Advocates of the bill, such as Rep. Robin Vos, R-Racine, hope to connect Wisconsin’s major metropolitan areas with an efficient transportation system, including linking Milwaukee and Chicago via railway. The bill’s opponents are concerned about the possible increase in sales tax and, according to The Badger Herald, Vos said unfortunately, fixing potholes is a much higher priority in local communities than funding the extensive transit initiative. While spending money on a local level is an understandable goal, the RTA bill would bring momentous, long-term changes to Wisconsin through the imposition of a 0.5 percent sales tax increase; selfish dissent is almost laughable.
Voting down the bill because of a possible increase in sales tax would be absurd, considering it was designed with the community in mind. By increasing the sales tax instead of property taxes, visitors to the area would help share the burden of funding transportation. Since money for maintaining community transit has to come from somewhere, without increasing sales tax, property owners would be left to foot the bill.
On the other hand, enhancing Wisconsin’s transit network would increase the state’s claim to federal transportation spending in the future. Plus, by networking Madison and Milwaukee with the third-largest city in the U.S., big corporations could be lured away to Wisconsin to conduct business without the metropolitan hassles of the Chicagoland. Not only would it increase appeal to businesses, but also, imagine the increase in tourism from Chicago if travel were that simple. According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, each year 624,000 people currently travel between Chicago and Milwaukee by train. Wisconsin worries of a slow tourist season would be a thing of the past as existing venues like Devil’s Lake and The Dells cash in on whole new markets. With express transit between Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison, the resulting boost in tourism will galvanize Wisconsin’s economy.
Madison may be the best place for job growth in America, but that does not mean layoffs have not marred Wisconsin during the recession. With the auto industry taking hits left and right, more than a few plants have closed in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin State Journal cited if the transportation proposal passes, it would create a significant number of high-paying jobs which would alleviate some of the unemployment problems left in the wake of auto plant closings and the stalled economy.
Another concern raised about the RTA proposal is it will cause a huge increase in pollution and will be ultimately detrimental to the environment. Yet Madison already has cleaner burning diesel-hybrid buses in the Madison Metro fleet. According to a Metro Transit annual report, these hybrids have 20 to 30 percent better fuel economy than Madison’s non-hybrid buses. The Wisconsin State Journal reported similar diesel-hybrid trains could provide a solution that would provide an alternative solution and relieve environmental apprehensiveness toward the RTA bill.
In any case, Wisconsin’s transit network is an obsolete model of a bygone era and the necessity of approving the RTA bill is indisputable. The slight sales tax increase would help maintain and expand transportation channels while providing an alternative to levying additional property taxes against area residents. Wisconsinites may be against increasing the sales tax, but are much more passionate about the economy and employment within the state; both of which would see a beneficial bump due to expanding transportation. But most importantly, networking an efficient transit system throughout the state could be an environmentally viable solution that would finally be Wisconsin’s ticket to the 21st century.
Casey Skeens ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in French and English.
