ANTI-RAIL ADVOCATE SPEAKS TODAY ON KRM AT COURTHOUSE

County Executive Scott Walker was the host this morning at a 7 a.m. Wisconsin Club breakfast meeting with Thomas Rubin, who is to also speak this morning at the Courthouse at 10 a.m. about his recent report on KRM Commuter Rail.

He's agin' it.

Rubin's Reason Foundation is a libertarian conservative organization that has received $59,000 funding from the Bradley Foundation to study transportation issues in Milwaukee.
A coalition of transit advocates has worked to alert its friends to attend this meeting, indeed to pack the place.

This could be a very good story for the cameras, if the weather weren't so horribly important and worthy of coverage.

--Michael Horne

[Following is a news release from Transit Now.--Ed.]

Tom Rubin, author of the Reason Foundation’s report on the KRM Commuter Rail will be presenting to:

Independent Business Association of Wisconsin
Friday, Jan 16, 2009 at 7:00 AM
Register here: http://www.ibaw.com/?sectionpath=45&asp_processor=calendar&processor=asp&action=sort&p_month=NULL&p_year=NULL&eventid=303

Milwaukee County Board
Friday, Jan 16, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Milwaukee County Courthouse, Room 203P
901 N. Ninth Street, Milwaukee, WI 53233

Although the report is full of factual inaccuracies, opponents of transit and KRM continue to give it much attention. It is urgent that we fill the seats of these events with transit supporters and advocates who are willing to speak toward the benefits of transit and commuter rail. If you are able please attend these events and show your support. There will be questions taken at both events. A myths and facts sheet is attached for your reference.

It is important to look not just at the costs of building KRM as the study does (inaccurately), but also at the cost of not building KRM. What we will be losing in job access and job growth, economic development, urban revitalization, talent attraction and workforce access, improved property values and expanded tax base, quality of life, the physical bi-state link to metro Chicago, and so much more. Replacing KRM with express buses on I-94, van pools and bus rapid transit as Rubin suggests will not provide these critical benefits, and we would lose this once in a generation opportunity to build wealth and economic base of our cities and neighborhoods. Please visit www.transitnow.org.


Thank you,

Kerry Thomas
Interim Executive Director
Transit NOW
262-246-6151, fax 262-246-4053
kthomas@transitnow.org
www.transitnow.org