By Darryl Enriquez
A new state law that reduces the leverage cities or villages have over construction in adjacent towns will spur developers’ interest in approaching towns about potential projects, according to a Milwaukee-area developer.
J. Michael Mooney, chairman of MLG Commercial LLC, Brookfield, said open land and high-traffic intersections make towns attractive to developers. But until Gov. Jim Doyle signed the new law this week, incorporated areas such as cities or villages could effectively kill some projects in adjacent unincorporated areas such as towns.
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By Paul Snyder
A bill that would mandate green building standards for public projects still faces resistance despite clearing the state Senate and Assembly.
The bill‘s sponsor, state Rep. Louis Molepske Jr., D-Stevens Point, said Monday he is discussing the proposal with officials from the Wisconsin Department of Administration and the University of Wisconsin System.
“There isn’t any waving a white flag of defeat,” Molepske said. “It’s going to be a change, and there are some people in the state set in their one particular way of doing design work.”
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The Milwaukee County Transit System is celebrating the 150th birthday of public transit in Milwaukee on Friday. To mark the event, the system is offering free rides (sponsored by Northwestern Mutual) all day on Route 15 in honor of the first route, which operated on a portion of the current Route 15. County Supervisors Marina Dimitrijevic and Chris Larson and other transit advocates will help celebrate the birthday by riding the bus and participating in a breakfast downtown. Transit officials also will unveil the new look for the 90 new clean-diesel buses that will be arriving this summer.
That’s all good, and we wish the system and the workers who have provided and continue to provide a great service a happy birthday.
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BY JOE POTENTE
jpotente@kenoshanews.com
The Legislature’s lack of action on a regional transit bill last week left transit backers in southeastern Wisconsin waiting at the station, likely at least until next year.
For now, advocates say they’re determining how they’ll proceed. “It’s still alive,” said Kerry Thomas, executive director of Transit Now, a non-profit advocacy group. “And I think what’s happening now is people are just kind of regrouping and assessing all of the various components and the best way to go forward.”
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While your calls helped spur the assembly to pass RTA legislation, the state senate killed the legislation by abruptly adjourning without taking up the bill.
Senate majority Democrats also killed the Clean Energy Jobs Act and provisions that would have saved energy, invested in healthy communities and created jobs.
While we are deeply disappointed by the actions of the state senate, we are not about to give up on our efforts to expand RTAs throughout Wisconsin. We made great progress over the past year. Dane County, the Chippewa Valley and the Chequamegon Bay area now have the authority to set up RTAs.
1000 Friends will use this progress to make sure that communities in Wisconsin will have the option to create an RTA if it is in the interest of their community. With your help, we will extend transit options in Wisconsin.
A special thank you to State Representative Penny Bernard Schaber (D-Appleton) who gave an impassioned speech that helped win Assembly passage of an RTA for the Fox Valley. Though the Senate didn’t act on her bill, she demonstrated the tenacity and courage it takes to make progress.
We will see an RTA bill pass in the near future!
The state Legislature could give Wisconsin’s celebration of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on Thursday a real boost by approving the latest version of the Clean Energy Jobs Act. The bill is aimed at reducing the state’s reliance on fossil fuels and encouraging the growth of green technology and green jobs. A recent analysis by the state Public Service Commission says the measure will result in lower costs for energy consumers in coming years.
Given the threat posed by the reality of climate change and the opportunity to start creating jobs in a new industry, it’s clearly a bill that deserves passage. The same threat and opportunity also should spur Congress to finally move forward on meaningful climate change legislation.
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By Patrick Marley and Jason Stein of the Journal Sentinel
Madison — Major pieces of pending state legislation are essentially dead, including bills to boost the state’s green economy, create regional transit authorities and allow people to register to vote online, Senate Majority Russ Decker (D-Wausau) said Wednesday.
None of the bills is on the Senate agenda for Thursday, the last day of the legislative session.
“I would say that any Senate bill that’s not scheduled . . . is not going to have a chance to get through both houses,” Decker said Wednesday.
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By SCOTT BAUER
Associated Press Writer
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A proposal designed to make Wisconsin a renewable energy leader appears to have run out of gas in the Legislature.
The state Senate does not intend to vote on the bill Thursday, the final day of the legislative session and coincidentally the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, dooming the energy bill.
The Assembly was supposed to vote on passing the measure that requires 25 percent of the state’s energy come from renewable sources by 2025 but delayed action until Thursday. The measure must pass both houses before being sent to Gov. Jim Doyle, a major backer of the bill.
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