Holmlund: Transportation funding an issue for all

10/10/18 – Racine Journal Times

Many reasons exist for finding additional ways to fund transportation, including public transit in Wisconsin. They include the following:

• The present ways (gas taxes, registration fees, and Wisconsin Transportation funding in the State Budget) are not supplying enough revenue because of more economical gas mileage, the 10 percent slash in the Transportation Budget in 2010, which was never completely replaced, and the costly, aging infrastructure.
• This aging infrastructure makes our streets, roads and bridges safety hazards, which are on life supports.
• Many younger people who have lived in cities with adequate public transit do not want to drive, but would rather spend their traveling time using their technology for work or pleasure. That translates to not seeking jobs in Racine or many parts of Wisconsin.
• Bus riders are seeking efficient transit to new jobs, many of which are not on any bus lines and have varying shifts outside the traditional bus service times.
• Many families have one car, but two working parents. That means that effective bus service must either get one parent to and from work and the other to appointments, shopping, and other family obligations.