by jboullion | Dec 2, 2008 | Uncategorized
From a post on the Greener Milwaukee blog:
I conducted a short interview on a local business owner, Adam Borut and his partner’s start-up called, Eco-hatchery. Their focus is on Green gift packs that could come in handy this holiday season… what do you think?
0. Who are you?
Eco Hatchery is a Milwaukee based company dedicated to helping homeowners reduce the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
1. How did you get started with this Hatchery business?
My business partner and I were discussing the challenge of moving from environmental consciousness to action. In talking with friends and family, we found most were environmentally conscious, but had done little in their personal lives to take action. They were overwhelmed by information, and short on time. We sought to develop a collection of tools that would enable homeowners to have the greatest impact in a single weekend. Along the way, we realized this was not enough. People needed to see in economic and environmental terms the size of opportunities, and the impact of their actions. They also wanted a clear and personalized roadmap for moving forward. We therefore married our Eco Starter Kit with on-line programs we developed to identify, prioritize and track impact of opportunities.
by jboullion | Dec 1, 2008 | Uncategorized
From a story Paul Snyder in The Daily Reporter:
The special legislative committee charged with creating a regional transit authority bill is dead.
State Rep. Alvin Ott, chairman of the Legislative Council Special Committee on Regional Transportation Authority, on Tuesday informed the Joint Legislative Council by letter that he would not convene any more committee meetings.
Citing changes in political leadership, economic conditions and the projected $5.4 billion state budget deficit, Ott said it would not be prudent to set up a new taxing authority until the economy improves.
But Len Brandrup, a committee member and director of Kenosha’s Transportation Department, said the state can’t afford to wait any longer for an RTA bill.
“We have no choice but to get a bill this session,” he said. “We can’t fail. If we’re to remain competitive in terms of attracting business and economic development, the state puts itself at a distinct disadvantage by not acting.”
Brandrup said his biggest concern is that the committee was terminated for partisan reasons, and Ott’s letter confirms the concern.
“With the pending change in party control of the Assembly, the Committee no longer has the ‘built-in’ balance that I feel is necessary to cultivate an appropriate compromise on the policy questions the committee has been charged with addressing,” according to the letter attributed to Ott.
Such comments echoed remarks made by state Rep. Robin Vos, the Racine Republican who last week said he doubts bipartisan discussions of RTAs could proceed with Democrats in control of the Legislature.
Neither Ott, Vos nor state Rep. Jeff Stone, R-Greendale — the committee’s three GOP legislative members — was available for comment Wednesday.
“We need all sides at the table,” Brandrup said. “To make this a partisan issue is a shortsighted approach. It’s not a wedge issue.”
Despite the conflict, other committee members said the committee’s demise doesn’t mean the end of an RTA bill.
Read other stories on regional transit authorities.
by jboullion | Nov 30, 2008 | Uncategorized
From an article by Larry Sandler and Patrick Marley in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Wisconsin’s public transit supporters have their best chance in years to win long-sought funding for buses and proposed commuter trains.
But that’s no guarantee they’ll get it – or that what they get will pay for everything they want.
Heading into next year’s state budget debates, key elements are in place to overhaul transit finance: the passage of a Milwaukee County advisory referendum seeking a local sales tax for transit and other services; growing support from legislators, Gov. Jim Doyle and the business community for buses and KRM Commuter Link trains; a sense of urgency that the cash-strapped Milwaukee County Transit System is running out of time; and a statewide coalition that reaches beyond southeastern Wisconsin into Dane County and the Fox Valley.
Also in place, however, are the same factors that have blocked a solution until now: Conflicting agendas from Milwaukee-area politicians; and fear that voters will punish lawmakers who raise sales taxes.
For years, transit advocates have sought to take buses off the property tax and out of competition with other local services for funding. Sales taxes support most other major U.S. transit systems, but Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker and others have opposed new taxes here.
While the issue has been debated, the Milwaukee County bus system has been caught in a cycle of fare increases, service cuts and falling ridership as federal funds dwindle. Without new state or local funding, the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission and the Public Policy Forum have warned that the bus system could face a 35% service cut by 2010.
by jboullion | Nov 25, 2008 | Uncategorized
Congress for the New Urbanism
CNU Wisconsin Group
Invites you to attend a great local opportunity to become involved in CNU and meet professionals and others with similar interests.
Presenting: “New Urbanism and You”
With Guest Speaker: Steve Filmanowicz, Communications Director, Congress for the New Urbanism
Steve will speak about the benefits of walkable urban development, ranging from more livable communities, to reduced carbon emissions – plus, how CNU is working to remove the barriers that stand in the way of great neighborhoods and sound transportation systems.
MILWAUKEE
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
5pm (light snacks served)
Office of Engberg Anderson Design Partnership
320 E. Buffalo – Corner of Milwaukee & Buffalo Streets, 53202
Take elevator to 5th Floor
Doors open until 6pm
Note: The CNU Wisconsin Group is developing a chapter of the national Congress for the New Urbanism – which seeks to expand its influence and capabilities through chapters. For questions, call Joan Herriges at 414-289-7685, or email joanherriges@yahoo.com.
by jboullion | Nov 24, 2008 | Uncategorized
An opinion piece by Michael Grebe in The Business Joournal:
As gas prices fluctuate and the economy trudges along, sustainable, dependable modes of transit will be critical to keeping our local economy from stagnating. If southeastern Wisconsin desires economic growth and prosperity for citizens, we must follow peer cities nationwide and invest in our current transit systems and new initiatives encouraging economic development in the region.
The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) must be properly funded so it can continue to provide critical service and access to jobs and educational opportunities in this community. Routes should be restored and frequency of buses increased. Continuing to cut funding and service to this system is an added blow to the populations hardest hit by these economic times.
To complement bus service and connect local residents to nearly a million jobs in the corridor linking this region to Chicago, the proposed Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail would expand the pool of potential jobs and employees for this region and promote economic development. Connecting with other transit options such as buses and shuttles, it would provide southeastern Wisconsin with the full-service mass transit system it needs, creating an infrastructure linking people to jobs to support economic growth in this community.
Southeastern Wisconsin is one of the few metro regions of our size that funds transit with property taxes. Recently, the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) supported removing bus transit from the property tax and enacting up to 0.5 percent sales tax to fund transit.
