Editor's note: The following letter was delivered to Milwaukee County Chris Abele Thursday as testimony related to the 2012 Milwaukee County Budget discussions.

Dear Mr. Abele,

The Coalition for Advancing Transit (C.A.T.) and Transit Now appreciate the vocal support that your administration has shown for transit this year. We understand that as you prepare the 2012 Milwaukee County Budget, there are very difficult decisions to make and significant challenges presented by the recently passed biennial State budget.

Transit is vital to our metro economy. It is more than just transportation. Transit is an integral part of connecting people to jobs, business growth, and quality of life opportunities. It allows people to live independent, healthy, productive lives without owning a car and is needed to fulfill the many programs, services and opportunities provided by the taxpayers.

At this early stage of the budget process perhaps the biggest questions we need to answer when it comes to our local transit system are:

1. Do we understand the immediate economic impacts of the proposed transit cuts and restructuring, and the resultant weakening of our transportation system?

2. Has the County analyzed and vetted alternative revenue sources?

3. If transit cuts are implemented, what plans are in place to address the negative impacts?

Members of our transit coalition are concerned that by implementing proposed cuts, we may be creating more costs than we are saving. For example,

• What is the impact on employment? When nearly half of trips are work related, cuts in transit service may well equate to lost access to jobs, which would cause more unemployment. Already, over the past decade, over 40,000 jobs have become inaccessible to transit riders due to cuts in transit service. Minimally, to keep existing jobs, many workers will have to spend more of their time and earnings on getting to and from work, which reduces spending capacity in the County.

• Business growth requires good access to workers. For example, a Milwaukee 7 survey found that manufacturers have rated access to qualified workers as the top concern. Those same concerns are seen across the business spectrum, particularly now as transit has become a "must have" basic infrastructure for attracting businesses and development to our metro area. Reducing transit will hamper our economic growth, and negatively impact our economic competitiveness.

• Milwaukee has one of the highest poverty rates in the country. Reducing access to jobs or raising fares can only exacerbate this issue. The high costs of poverty impact everyone plus the economic viability of our metro area and the State.

• Loss of independence for seniors and people with disabilities and increased health costs come from lack of access to healthcare and other destinations required for basic human needs. Moving people from living independently to nursing homes before they are ready can double or triple costs to taxpayers. What capacity is available for housing the many people that will need new living arrangements when their transportation is lost?

• Tourism is one of Milwaukee's largest business sectors with festivals and main attractions drawing $1.9 billion annually. We all reap the economic gains from festivals and events like Summerfest, Brewers games and State Fair. In 2010 over 150,000 people took the bus or the shuttle to Summerfest, about 15% of all attendees. If patrons continue to attend and can only drive a car, with an average of 3 people per car, the Historic Third Ward and downtown would be forced to cope with an additional 45,000 cars. Festivals may suffer from lower attendance if the capacity of the bus system is cut back from its current status because there would not enough buses or drivers to provide the intensive festival services on top of the regular service.

• Freeway Flyers get people to work and reduce traffic on congested freeways and roads during rush hour. Without the flyers, more than 1,000 cars will be added to downtown parking and rush hour traffic alone.

• Loss of fare revenue: Cutting transit service will cost the county $3.3 million in fare revenue (MCTS 2012 budget request).

• The Zoo interchange project is scheduled start widening the major roads that service the freeway in 2013. What impact will adding additional cars at rush hour, while at the same time eliminating the bus system's capacity, have on keeping those economic thoroughfares moving and cars out of nearby neighborhoods during construction?

The County must pro-actively investigate and analyze the feasibility of alternative revenue sources and cost containment strategies. For instance:

       • Instead of cutting routes and paratransit, investigate the feasibility of keeping service intact but instituting zone fares for paratransit outside of the ADA minimum area, and for longer, more distant fixed routes,

       • Festivals and events that benefit from special transit routes are run by non-profit entities mostly, which do not pay property tax to support the transit system. Some for-profit event entities receive special route services to support their business success. Might a small portion of parking or entrance fees support transit?

Invest where there is good return: MCTS provides a crucial and quality transportation service and leverages 89% of its operating revenue from outside the county, including 33% from fares and advertising. This is a good value considering our local roads require about 80% of the costs from local property tax.

The costs of major cuts to transit are high and replacing transit service after it has been cut is very challenging. What has been proposed is a significant reduction of the metro transportation system.

We are hopeful that you, working with the County Board, County staff and staff at the Milwaukee County Transit System can find a way to minimize or eliminate the need for these substantial service reductions.



We stand ready to assist you in any way we can – please do not hesitate to call on us. We must find the means to invest in transit and strengthen our economy:

-. Keep people working.

-. Support business growth and economic development.

- Keep people living independently.

-  Keep tourism thriving.

- Reduce traffic congestion.

- Maintain the capacity of MCTS to respond to major projects and events like the Zoo Interchange, Summerfest and ethnic festivals.

Our respective coalitions and groups reach over 1,000 individuals and groups that represent citizens, local businesses, labor, environmental, community groups, faith-based organizations and local civic leaders. We believe that a vibrant, modern transit system is essential to preserving and growing the regional economy. Thank you for your continued efforts to resolve the incredibly challenging budget issue and this opportunity to provide our comments.

Sincerely,

Tom Rave, on behalf of the Coalition for Advancing Transit, and Kerry Thomas of Transit Now.