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You sir, are an ass...
Jun. 5th, 2007 10:51 pmMr. Scott Walker, Milwaukee County Executive, is an ass. Seriously. I really can not comprehend his aversion, which he obviously has, to light rail service.
In this battle of "my plan is the best plan for improving public transportation in Milwaukee" Mr. Walker has often displayed an amazing concentration of not "getting it." This is the man who has been previously quoted in newspapers saying things such as 'we need to fix the underlying problem' [...] 'we need to make it so people don't need to rely on buses, and can own a car.'
Now the Mr. Walker is steadfastly and stubbornly arguing that his plan 'rules' and all others 'drool.' He is lauding the fancy shmancy buses (don't get me wrong, these buses are nice, and I think they should be part of a comprehensive transit system), and dismissing (without any supportive data) any implication that rail has advantages. (For one example, see his "Comparative Analysis" on page 35 of his plan -- oh what a beautiful document of Ctrl+C/Ctrl+V it is!)
He (or perhaps the intern that likely created this atrocity of a presentation of his plan) also claims (on page 25 of the above linked pdf) that "Amtrak Station generates about 40 weekday rides." I wonder where that statistic originates. I imagine that the actual number of riders is/would be higher... even from Hiawatha riders alone. Obviously Mr. Walker has not used rail service of any kind (Portland is real nice, I understand ^_~, perhaps Mr. Walker could talk to someone there about how light rail works) much, if at all, which is why I wonder why he is such a hater.
It seems the editorial writer for the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel also sees him as being stubborn (see today's editorial, "Editorial: Rail essential to system").
From the article: "Walker says that his plan would do a better job of connecting workers with jobs, adding that it's more important to serve bus-dependent poor and minorities than tourists and white-collar workers downtown." Of course he is concerned about the "bus-dependent poor and minorities" again... you know, those who's entire problems (and therefore the county's problem with public transit) would be entirely solved if they just could afford a car! Mr. Walker, sir, you simply don't get it!
First of all, a public transportation system should be for all people; poor, rich, white collar, blue collar, purple collar, whatever -- All! Second, people who use Amtrak are not just tourists, and hooking up to that station simply makes sense. Stations make sense, mmmkay? True, the bus stops along Wisconsin Ave. are not all that far away, but it does get rather chilly during a Wisconsin winter, right? Third, (a rather nit-picky jab at your plan) why waste money on electronic signs and a system (which will need to be maintained) that displays when the next bus will arrive? The bus will arrive when it does, and no sign will help it. Use that money to create a wider coverage area, to have buses arrive more often, to hire more workers, or to pay those workers more. Just a few thoughts, but I know your not into listening to others and taking good ideas into consideration. ;}
... anyway... sleep now. おやすみなさい。
Related old news on JS Online:
6/3 Editorial: Derailed by politics
5/23 Dueling express bus plans
Walker proposing up to 3 routes; no streetcars, unlike city's plan
(Heh, and in a quick Google search just now, I found this. One quote: "County bus fares increase 25 cents. In the past, each time bus fares increase, ridership decreases. It's simple economics, where the laws of supply and demand rule. Since Walker has a track record of opposing mass transit, it is likely that when ridership diminishes, routes will be cut, forcing mass transit into a death spiral. Paratransit, the transportation service the disabled rely on, will also raise fares in this budget." I'm amused!)
テレサ
(Aye, Japanese class started again tonight. ^_~)
In this battle of "my plan is the best plan for improving public transportation in Milwaukee" Mr. Walker has often displayed an amazing concentration of not "getting it." This is the man who has been previously quoted in newspapers saying things such as 'we need to fix the underlying problem' [...] 'we need to make it so people don't need to rely on buses, and can own a car.'
Now the Mr. Walker is steadfastly and stubbornly arguing that his plan 'rules' and all others 'drool.' He is lauding the fancy shmancy buses (don't get me wrong, these buses are nice, and I think they should be part of a comprehensive transit system), and dismissing (without any supportive data) any implication that rail has advantages. (For one example, see his "Comparative Analysis" on page 35 of his plan -- oh what a beautiful document of Ctrl+C/Ctrl+V it is!)
He (or perhaps the intern that likely created this atrocity of a presentation of his plan) also claims (on page 25 of the above linked pdf) that "Amtrak Station generates about 40 weekday rides." I wonder where that statistic originates. I imagine that the actual number of riders is/would be higher... even from Hiawatha riders alone. Obviously Mr. Walker has not used rail service of any kind (Portland is real nice, I understand ^_~, perhaps Mr. Walker could talk to someone there about how light rail works) much, if at all, which is why I wonder why he is such a hater.
It seems the editorial writer for the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel also sees him as being stubborn (see today's editorial, "Editorial: Rail essential to system").
From the article: "Walker says that his plan would do a better job of connecting workers with jobs, adding that it's more important to serve bus-dependent poor and minorities than tourists and white-collar workers downtown." Of course he is concerned about the "bus-dependent poor and minorities" again... you know, those who's entire problems (and therefore the county's problem with public transit) would be entirely solved if they just could afford a car! Mr. Walker, sir, you simply don't get it!
First of all, a public transportation system should be for all people; poor, rich, white collar, blue collar, purple collar, whatever -- All! Second, people who use Amtrak are not just tourists, and hooking up to that station simply makes sense. Stations make sense, mmmkay? True, the bus stops along Wisconsin Ave. are not all that far away, but it does get rather chilly during a Wisconsin winter, right? Third, (a rather nit-picky jab at your plan) why waste money on electronic signs and a system (which will need to be maintained) that displays when the next bus will arrive? The bus will arrive when it does, and no sign will help it. Use that money to create a wider coverage area, to have buses arrive more often, to hire more workers, or to pay those workers more. Just a few thoughts, but I know your not into listening to others and taking good ideas into consideration. ;}
... anyway... sleep now. おやすみなさい。
Related old news on JS Online:
6/3 Editorial: Derailed by politics
5/23 Dueling express bus plans
Walker proposing up to 3 routes; no streetcars, unlike city's plan
(Heh, and in a quick Google search just now, I found this. One quote: "County bus fares increase 25 cents. In the past, each time bus fares increase, ridership decreases. It's simple economics, where the laws of supply and demand rule. Since Walker has a track record of opposing mass transit, it is likely that when ridership diminishes, routes will be cut, forcing mass transit into a death spiral. Paratransit, the transportation service the disabled rely on, will also raise fares in this budget." I'm amused!)
テレサ
(Aye, Japanese class started again tonight. ^_~)