Legislative setback for commuter rail

BY MICHAEL BURKE

Friday, June 1, 2007 2:12 AM CDT

Journal Times

MADISON - Republican legislators on Thursday rejected the leading funding proposal for a Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail line.

The car rental fee which the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Transit Authority approved - and which was born from Republican minds - died in the legislative Joint Finance Committee on an 8-8 tie. All eight Democrats voted for it, and all eight Republicans, including Rep. Robin Vos, R-Caledonia, voted against it. The tie means the committee will not add the measure to Gov. Jim Doyle's budget.

But state Sen. John Lehman, D-Racine, afterward predicted the measure still has a chance of winding up in the final state budget.

"Don't write it off yet," he said.

The proposed KRM would extend Chicago's Metra line 33 miles from Illinois to downtown Milwaukee, with stations along the way including stops in Racine and Caledonia.

The RTA approved a $13 increase in the previous $2 car rental fee, in the three counties involved, to fund both the local capital and operating costs. But it will die unless the Legislature authorizes that funding mechanism.

After Thursday's vote, Lehman predicted the state Senate will add the measure to its budget version. Because the Republican-controlled Assembly is unlikely to do the same, the matter would be settled in a legislative conference committee.

"What (Republicans) have in mind is uncertain at this point," Lehman said. "I'm a little disappointed, but I did expect it."

A car rental fee in this part of the state, he said, would have no effect on the state budget: "It's only a funding authorization (for these three counties)."

Referendum?

Thursday's vote left Racine Mayor Gary Becker, a huge KRM supporter, "slightly disappointed," but not surprised. He gave the car rental fee about a 50-50 chance of making it into the final state budget.

However, Roger Caron, president of Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce, said he was still optimistic despite the vote, because of the support of Lehman and Rep. James Kreuser, D-Kenosha.

"The next step could be the right one around this anyway," he said.

The deadlocked vote was expected partly because Vos, through whose district KRM would run, has insisted the car rental fee should go to referendum. He had rebuffed efforts to persuade him to get commuter rail moving, despite the fact that business interests are among KRM's biggest backers.

Thursday he repeated his position that citizens should make the final decision on what would be a new fee. He suggested vote could be held next February, for example, during the presidential primary.

Vos also said a car rental fee - calculated to pay both the capital and local operating costs of KRM - would at best be a flat funding source, and the train's costs would rise over time.

Rail supporters

Businesses want commuter rail so they can tap into a larger pool of skilled workers. Municipal officials generally support the idea because commuter rail lines help bring urban renewal and development, particularly near the stations. Commuter trains also foster higher employment by giving workers another way to get to jobs.

Lehman noted that the car rental fee came from discussions between Racine County Executive Bill McReynolds and Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, both Republicans.

"A lot of people renting cars are corporate folks," Lehman said, "and they've said they're going to pay for it. The demand for rental cars is very inelastic. You've got to have one, or you don't."

Lehman said a few Republicans on Joint Finance voiced support Thursday for the concept of commuter rail. "They're just saying, 'The funding source concerns me.' "

"As far as I'm concerned, we don't have another funding source."

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