Monday, June 15, 2009

Tell The State Senate To Park It

The State's Joint Finance Committee has hammered out the next budget. Like every budget before it, it was created in the wee hours. And like every budget before it, this one has some good points, some bad points, and some points that make you think WTF?

One of the really bad points is when the JFC and the State Assembly took out the .5% sales tax that would have gone to the Milwaukee County Parks System. (Thanks for nothing, Rep. Jon Richards, for taking it out of the budget.)

The gentle reader, I'm quite sure, remembers how many fine people, like the Quality of Life Alliance, fought to have the 1% sales tax referendum on the ballot, and how it was approved by a rather safe margin. The sales tax was meant to help fund the transit system AND the parks, as well as the EMS.

But it is not too late to have the State recognize the will of the people. Call your state senator today and tell him or her to honor what the voters of Milwaukee County have called for and to restore the .5% sales tax to help restore the parks and keep them from becoming in such poor shape again.

1 comment:

  1. I'd like to see the Parks funded as well but I fear loosing out on transit funding even more. Further, the actual sales tax should be line-itemed. i.e. one for transit. one for parks... and so on...

    ReplyDelete