Sunday, June 29, 2008
For immediate release
Contact: Samuel Jensen (414) 405 6753
or Matt Nelson (414) 273 9777
www.transitridersunion.org
transitridersunion@gmail.com
The people deserve the opportunity to vote on sales tax
The advisory sales tax referendum proposal passed by the Milwaukee County Board on Thursday, June 26, has the possibility of providing stable support for vital county services and deserves to be taken to the people on November 4. The Milwaukee Transit Riders Union urges the Milwaukee County Board to show the vision and courage to override County Executive Scott Walker’s promised veto of the referendum.
The sales tax referendum approved by the Milwaukee County Board offers a real opportunity for Milwaukee County residents to have a say in how they want to fund essential county services. The referendum’s proposed 1% sales tax increase, if allowed by the state and passed by the county board, would provide over $67 million in property tax relief (over $170 a year for a house valued at $165,000).
The referendum would take the Milwaukee County Transit System off the property tax and provide $30-40 million in extra funding for transit.
“This extra funding can help replace MCTS’s aging buses, restore services cut since 1999, and allow the system to modernize to the level of most other major American transit systems- real improvement which would improve the daily lives of Milwaukeeans, giving people more mobility and cleaning up our environment,” said Samuel Jensen from the Transit Riders Union
“While the Transit Riders Union would prefer a stronger, binding referendum, given the current stalemate in transit issues in Milwaukee, this referendum is a productive first step, which can give legislators the political backing to fund transit and other county services properly,” said Samuel Jensen of the Milwaukee Transit Riders Union.
The Transit Riders Union urges all Milwaukee County residents to contact their county supervisor and urge them to show support for funding our essential county services, including MCTS , and override Scott Walker’s upcoming veto.
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For more information, contact: Samuel Jensen (414) 405 6753, or Matt Nelson (414) 273 9777
www.transitridersunion.org
