Here are photos from Monday's Joint Finance Committee hearing at Case High School:
It was a great event for Racine that drew most every local leader one could imagine.
Perhaps the key moment for local residents came early on when RAMAC's Roger Caron and the heads of Racine's major employers got up and publicly backed KRM before the committee.
Rep. Robin Vos, R-Caledonia and not much of a commuter rail supporter, asked the business leaders if tax increases in the state budget were too high. But Twin Disc CEO Michael Batten wouldn't bite. He simply affirmed the business leaders' support for KRM.
More of what they had to say HERE.
Glad to know that Mr. Batten can afford new taxes for a train no one will ride.
ReplyDeleteMost of us can not.Of couse after Doyle and Obama are done taxing him and his company he may not either!
Mr Batten who is John Galt
Colt- have you ridden the train from Kenosha to Chicago? It fills up on nearly every ride. Everyday it brings workers and spending money to the stops along that route. Why would anyone not want that for Racine? I think its incredibly short sighted to think no one will ride it and even more so to think we can't afford it. I would argue that we can't afford not to. Milwaukee and Chicago will not stay as isolated as they are now, and we need to start thinking of things that way and connect to it now.
ReplyDeleteIf this is such a great thing, why are'nt business paying for this ??
ReplyDeleteThe TAX payers can not afford this toy !!
I am really getting irritated with all the negative people that live in this community. If you don't like it get out. I am a big supporter of the KRM. I feel this is something that our community really needs. Not only to help our people get to jobs that are available in the surrounding areas but it might open up Racine to people who want to live here but do not want to drive the long commute to Milwaukee or Chicago. It would be nice to see some of the negative people come up with an alternative and not the usual cut taxes. Something original.
ReplyDeleteWhat jobs someone tell me I can drive to those jobs right or are the only open to those coming off a train?
ReplyDelete10:56 I take the Metra all the time when I have the extra time to drive there get the train get a bus then walk where I need to go.
How many can afford the extra time to do so?
We sure can not afford the extra taxes
Irritated? Get out? Ive been here 53 years. All not in favor, MOVE OUT? I hope that's a knee jerk reaction. I am not in favor of KRM. Not without ALL the facts. The usual policy has been to "railroad" the public using the "fast track" method. No one has mentioned the subject or cost of issues like the realistic possibility that another set of tracks will have to be laid to accommodate this commuter rail. How do they intend to flow traffic on one track which also has increased coal train traffic for the power plant? Why not elect the RTA? Give me the pluses AND the minuses. Take the voters out of the equation? PLEASE!
ReplyDeleteCan you please post a list of those "jobs available in surrounding areas"? The train to nowhere.
ReplyDeleteDo you have a car? Drive the twenty minutes to the Kenosha METRA station (a shorter commute than many or maybe most of the Illinois METRA riders) and get on the train. Want to go to Milwaukee? Drive or get on the bus. No car? How in the heck are you going to get to the train - parasail or maybe jet pack? Maybe CATI can develop that technology and people could rent the equipment and jump off the Johnson building downtown, gliding out to the train station. OK, I guess I better not give any geniuses any ideas.
No, lets spend lots of money, build in an "independent" taxing authority, and fill the pockets of KRM friends and family with everything from "marketing" (wait, they've already made lots of $$$ on that one) to moving the dirt.
KRM - brought to you by the same geniuses who couldn't run a Racine cab service. In fact, they even screwed up their fire sale when it was over, holding out - for less money. The George Costanza bizarro world!
7:41
ReplyDeleteGood idea about folks jumping off the Johnson building.
Lets start with the Rich white elite who want to bring this KRM toy here and have others pay for it.
I cant wait for the tax payer revolt that is coming and more and more likely the rioting to protest our Marxist government.
Corporations are addicted to corporate welfare. They expect it to be a perpetual perk! The little guy pays them!
ReplyDelete