The LARSON REPORT - July 29, 2011

Senator Chris Larson - 7th District, Milwaukee, WI

This week Senator Larson reports on:
 Milwaukee Streetcar Project to Continue
 Milwaukee County Faces Another Transit Setback
 Vote on Unemployment Scheduled for Monday After Two Week Delay
 Debt Ceiling Deadline Days Away

As a strong supporter of the Milwaukee Streetcar project, I was happy to see that the Milwaukee Common Council voted 10-5 this past Tuesday to move forward with the project. This project has received strong support from Milwaukee business and community leaders alike and is a positive step towards improving our community's transportation infrastructure and economic prosperity.



I submitted to the Milwaukee Common Council in support of the Milwaukee Streetcar project.

This project is a direct investment of $65 million in the future success of Milwaukee. The immediate benefits of approving this plan will be the creation of over 300 new construction jobs. Many of these jobs will go to family, friends and neighbors in our community who have been struggling to find work due to the economic downturn.

Furthermore, it is estimated that over the next 20 years the economic development potential within the quarter-mile buffer of the initial route and extensions of the Milwaukee Streetcar could generate approximately:

-- 20,500 new jobs (23% increase)
-- 1,000,000 square feet of new occupied retail space (31% increase)
-- 4,000,000 square feet of new occupied office space (28% increase)
-- $3.35 billion in new tax base
-- 9,000 new housing units (63% increase)
-- 13,500 new residents (55% increase)

Establishing this successful initial streetcar system will allow for practical expansions in the future as funding and market demand dictates.

For copy of letter sent by Senator Larson, Senator Taylor, Representative Sinicki and Representative Richards, go to:
http://legis.wisconsin.gov/eupdates/sen07/Milwaukee%20Streetcar%20Letters.pdf

AND,
the Streetcar Website, go to:
STREETCAR

We will share additional comments from Senator Larson's Newsletter over this weekend.
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