Shell Game? Probably

“That’s a fast $3.75 million!”

Is it possible that City leaders in Franklin and Oak Creek, along with State Senators and Representatives are playing a shell game—an infamous short-con—with taxpayer dollars in order to fund the Oak Creek, I-94 Drexel Avenue Interchange and end-run the Wisconsin Deprtment of Transportation, under the guise of furthering the Joint South 27th Street Corridor Project?

I have attended a number of 27th Street Steering Committee Meetings, read the 19-page transcript of the June 29, 2009, Oak Creek Common Council Meeting more than once, the six-page Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two cities, and numerous news stories related to this controversial, new interchange, and the best answer I can come up with is—probably.

I say probably, because of the evasive, largely non-responsive answers from Franklin Alderman Steve Olson and other elected officials on both sides of South 27th Street, have given to questions regarding the inter-governmental MOU and the Oak Creek Common Council Meeting transcript.

I say probably, because of the Wisconsin State Senate's recent "coincidental" insertion of a $3.75 million grant in the state budget to help cover the proposed development of a new Oak Creek, I-94 Drexel Avenue interchange, despite the fact that WISDOT considered the proposed interchange unneeded, and because such projects usually require a 50 percent local match.

I say probably, because although Oak Creek officials committed $3.8 million in tax incremental financing (TIF) funds for the interchange (about 25 percent of the project's cost) or half of the required local match, Franklin officials were rightfully unwilling to contribute to the local share of the Oak Creek interchange.

And I say probably, because state politicians were probably working in the shadows to drive the MOU and the $3.75 million handout.

According to Franklin District 1 Alderman Steve Olson,  who also happens to be the Chairman of the Joint South 27th Street Steering Committee, State Rep. Jeff Stone, State Senate District 7 Sen. Jeff Plale, and State Rep. Mark Honadel, all had their hands in the “broth.” Apparently, Sen. Mary "Traffic Reporter"  Lazich didn’t get the memo (no doubt an honest mistake, or was it?).

Call me skeptical, cynical, disbelieving, doubtful, doubting, unconvinced, incredulous, uncertain, distrustful, dubious, questioning, or all of the above, but with all due respect, I honestly do not believe that Mayor Taylor, Mayor Bolender, or any Alderman in Franklin or Oak Creek could explain—in terms that any high school senior would understand—paragraph VI. on page 5 of the MOU, which appears to summarize the interchange’s modified funding plan and is clear as mud. Here’s mud in your eye!

VI. In the event that the State of Wisconsin 2009 – 2011 Biennial Budget provides funds for what the Wisconsin Department of Transportation has designated or requested to date to be a fifty percent local share of the costs of the construction of the Drexel Avenue Interchange at Interstate Highway I-94, such Budget funding shall reduce equally the City of Oak Creek and the City of Franklin commitments for enhanced high-quality Roadway Lighting costs set forth under Article IV, above; any amount of such Budget funding from $1,000,000.00 to $3,800,000.00 shall understood to be retained by the State for use by the Department of Transportation in the construction of the Drexel Avenue Interchange at Interstate Highway I-94; and any amount of such Budget funding in excess of $3,800,000.00, shall the reduce the City of oak Creek commitment to a local share amounting to twenty-five percent of the costs of construction of the Drexel Avenue Interchange at Interstate Highway I-94, referenced under Article V, above; all of the foregoing in the order, to the extent of such Budget funding.

CONTINUED...

Nevertheless, on June 29, 2009, a Motion to accept this inter-governmental MOU—paragraph VI. And all—was carried 5-1 by the Oak Creek Common Council, and about two weeks earlier on June16, 2009, a Motion by Alderman Olson to accept this same document was carried unanimously (G.10.) by the Franklin Common Council.

Evidently our local leaders are taking their cue from the culture of corruption in Washington, believing that actually reading and understanding legislation is some “old-fashioned” notion?

So, call me old-fashioned, because I believe that it is the most fundamental responsibility of elected representatives to know and understand what they are voting on and how their vote will affect the lives of their constituents.

Like I said; I honestly do not believe every Franklin Alderman or Mayor Tom Taylor, could explain paragraph VI; but that's just me...

Comments

[Bryan Maersch]

Fred you are skeptical, cynical, disbelieving, doubtful, doubting, unconvinced, incredulous, uncertain, distrustful, dubious, and questioning.

Well you told me to!