A One-way Ticket To Palookaville For Franklin?

“You don't understand! I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I could've been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it!”

In 2007 the City of Franklin ranked 90th on Money Magazine’s annual list of the Top 100 Best Places to Live. In 2008, only cities with populations between 50,000 and 300,000 were eligible for the Best Places to Live List. Although a “contender” in 2009, 11 cities scored a decisive “knock-out” against the one-time, Top 100 champ-turned-bum; stripping Franklin of its title.

So now, in addition to the New Berlin School Board dropping Franklin’s Board of Education Board—on the issue of school taxes—much like Ali dropped Foreman, the City of New Berlin, a virtual sister-city to Franklin, leaped seven spots on the Top 100 List from 41 in 2007, to 34 this year.

While City of Franklin leaders from Mayor Taylor; who describes Franklin as “Magnificent” (watch Mayor’s “This is Franklin” video on FranklinNOW), to long-time Alderman, Steve Olson, among others on the common council, “talk” about the “$2 billion” Joint 27th Street Corridor Project—a BOOMGAARD-turned-BOONDOGGLE—and point to the “success” of Franklin Business Park, New Berlin’s leaders are consistently delivering results.

The statistics used in Money Magazine’s 2009, side-by-side comparison of the two cities indicates how similar they are with the noticeable exception of 2000-2008 Job growth performance. However, based upon the following headlines, 2009 is looking rather bleak for Franklin:

• Harley-Davidson to cut 1,100 jobs, most in Milwaukee area
• Franklin Sendik's succumbs to economy
• Franklin Trucking Companies' Debts Total $31 Million
• Common Council Meeting Agenda Item G.19.

Magnificent?