News Release Contact: Kerry Thomas

April 28, 2010 262-246-6151

Leaders Express Disappointment, Appreciation on

Landmark Regional Transit and Jobs Legislation Loss
SE WISCONSIN – The Wisconsin Legislature narrowly missed passing regional transit and jobs legislation
(AB-282) last week. The bill would have put control of transit decisions in the hands of local communities
by allowing them to vote to establish Regional Transit Authorities and dedicated funding for transit, and in
some cases require removal of transit costs from property taxes. The impacts of inaction on the RTA bill are
clear. Transit systems in Metro Milwaukee and the Fox Cities face steep declines in services starting in
January 2011, and job creation opportunities will not materialize.

Legislators and advocates who supported the bill earned praise from Julia Taylor, president of the
Greater Milwaukee Committee, “I applaud each and every one of those, including many legislators and a
broad cross-section of people in the community, who fought for transit legislation. We successfully increased
awareness of the ongoing funding struggles of our local transit systems and the benefits of investing in
transit, demonstrated the importance and fiscal sense for using a sales tax for transit and removing it from the
property tax, and heard the collective appeal from broad spectrum of business, labor, civic community who
pushed for the RTA for dedicated funding for transit that is critical to our future.” Taylor continued, “While
many described our efforts at the outset as nearly impossible, we received bipartisan support and made large
strides toward a dedicated funding solution for southeastern Wisconsin’s local transit systems. Despite the
disappointing outcome and an unworkably tight timeframe, we almost got there. Eventually, we will get
there.”

Roger Caron, president, Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce added, “We have missed a huge
economic opportunity. By saying “no” to local control of transit, the legislators who opposed this bill have
further reduced our ability to lift ourselves economically. We just want the ability for our local elected
officials and our citizens to be able to take a vote and make decisions on how to support our transportation
system. That’s democracy.”

Labor collaborated with business interests on the RTA bill. Southeastern Wisconsin Building Trades
Council President Gary Burns was at the Capital on Thursday and stated, “Legislators who led on the RTA
bill deserve our thanks. Labor is suffering unemployment rates as high as 50 percent. We’ve said all along
that this RTA bill is an economic game changer. Well, it’s the bottom of the ninth and we needed the
legislature to step up to the plate and drive this RTA home,” He elaborated, “Transit is all about jobs and
economic development. If we don’t prime the development pump in Wisconsin, no one is going to do it for
us.”

The RTA bill would have added to other Regional Transit Authorities that were already enabled in the
state budget including RTAs for the Chippewa Valley, Chequamegon Bay, Madison, and the limited purpose
Southeast RTA.

The situation is grave in Milwaukee and in the Fox Cities where the RTA bill would have given
communities the ability to prevent the slashing of transit service by up to 35 percent and 25 percent
respectively, which is expected to begin in just 7 months. Research by UW-Milwaukee indicates that 60,000
jobs that will become inaccessible by transit if the funding crisis is not addressed, adding to the 40,500 jobs
rendered inaccessible by transit from recent service cuts. The study found that unemployment is expected to
climb under the transit cuts. Labor, business, and political leaders stand behind additional data that shows
transit investments would create jobs while spurring economic development.

“The MMAC continues to have on its program of work the creation of an RTA that has dedicated
funding and looks at transit from a regional perspective,’ stated Peter Beitzel, Vice President of Infrastructure
and International Business at Metro Milwaukee Association of Commerce. “Transit is an important element
in the movement of people to and from jobs. The lack of passing well-crafted RTA legislation is a significant
disappointment. The transit systems, especially in Milwaukee County, are in serious financial condition. We
need leaders who can negotiate and compromise to provide meaningful transit service.”

Real estate interests have been focused on RTA bill because of the increasing importance of transit in
the real estate market. Stewart M. Wangard, president, Wangard Partners, Inc. Wauwatosa, and chairman of
the NAIOP transportation committee said, “The legislature lost a good opportunity to provide property tax
relief along with improved transit. An RTA would allow consolidation of services, an integrated transit
network, and improved transit choices that boost real estate value and economic growth. Now more than ever
there is a need for competitive and high quality transit solutions.”

Many who rely on transit to get to work and other critical destinations will feel the impacts in both SE
Wisconsin and the Fox Cities. Barbara Beckert, Milwaukee Office Director, Disability Rights Wisconsin
expressed concerns, “The failure to pass the RTA is likely to have dire consequences for people with
disabilities in Milwaukee County. Our community is already hurting because of cuts to the current transit
system - this increases the likelihood of further cuts to transit, which will result in thousands of people with
disabilities and older adults losing their independence and being prisoners in their homes. That is
unconscionable.”

Local elected leaders found the loss hard to understand. “I am deeply disappointed with the fact that
after overwhelming business, labor and community support for the issue that Wisconsin state representatives
did not take a leadership role in making this happen,” said Wauwatosa alderwoman Linda Nikcevich.
“Wauwatosa is in such precarious situation with the Zoo Interchange debacle and the fact that Wauwatosa is
the second biggest employer in Milwaukee County, yet people are tied up in dangerous gridlock on the local
streets and through the Zoo Interchange. We need action from our representatives that will help transit be the
transportation solution we need,” she concluded.

Transit Now Executive Director Kerry Thomas added that across the diversity of RTA advocates, there
is strong agreement that the RTA issue is far too important and there has been far too much gained to let it
drop. There is renewed commitment to continue fighting for RTAs that will give communities control of
decisions on how to support and coordinate their transportation system.

Sheila Cochran, treasurer and CEO of Milwaukee Area Labor Council, summed up what many have
expressed: “We are very pleased to see such a board outpouring of support from so many working on behalf
of working families. Although the outcome may not have been the most desired, it is clear that issue of
quality transportation is of great importance to all of us.”

Cochran voiced frustration at the loss of jobs, “This transit bill would have provided the means to save
hundreds of jobs immediately and create thousands of news jobs. We sincerely hope that in the very near
future, the crisis of how to properly fund our transit system is resolved. Our region and community depend
on it.”

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