Who could possibly argue with cleaning up and redeveloping a brownfield, while creating up to 1,000 new jobs at the same time?The state of Wisconsin has issued an $800,000 grant to the city of Milwaukee to help pay for the cleanup of the former Tower Automotive site in Milwaukee in preparation for redevelopment.
Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett announced the Blight Elimination and Brownfield Redevelopment grant from the state Department of Commerce Friday.
Renewal of the industrial site is expected to attract new development that could potentially create 700 to 1,000 new jobs.
"State investment in this project will help to transform a highly distressed property into an economic engine and symbol of hope," Barrett said in a press release.
Team Walker, that's who.
They apparently like the guy who can't make up his mind about stimulus dollars, was so bad at job creation that he had the Private Industry Council taken away from him, and thought a good way to create economic development was to abolish the whole thing, but only after his campaign staffers proved to be incompetent.
Could the choice be any easier?
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Wow. For them to take issue with redevelopment of the 30th Street Industrial Corridor is scary as this is a truly critical project for Milwaukee. Yikes!
ReplyDeleteYou know, Capper, that Walker has had a clear and consistent message on stimulus dollars since January when the generated "stimulus position" first game out. He laid out a three-step criteria for either accepting or rejecting federal dollars.
ReplyDeleteI think he stayed loyal to that formula. And unless you can show that he hasn't, you should probably refrain from suggesting that he hasn't. Just my two cents.
Aaron, just go to the search box on the top left of the page, enter "stimulus" and you will see that I have done that time and time again.
ReplyDelete1000 green jobs at the Tower place? Yeah, right.
ReplyDeleteWho is going to do the cleaning up? City of Milwaukee employees?
Dan,
ReplyDeleteI seriously doubt that the city has the equipment, or the trained personnel, to clean these sites up. They will be contracting the work out.
Aaron,
Another thought...How do you reconcile Walker WSJ post saying that the stimulus dollars won't create jobs, then his budget speech saying how he is using stimulus dollars to create jobs, and then tweeted that stimulus money doesn't great jobs?
Capper,
ReplyDeleteWalker's article in the WSJ journal conceded that stimulus dollars can create jobs, e.g., construction jobs, but he also said that these jobs aren't sustainable because once the stimulus money runs out, those jobs are lost.
And even that being said, Walker is not against "jobs that aren't sustainable" as long as they don't require financial commitments by the county - in other words, strings attached.
In his budget speech, Walker talked about "creating an environment to retain and attract jobs". And although he also said that accelerating construction work in Milwaukee County in first 16 months will create 1,000 jobs, you have to keep in mind that it's not costing taxpayers anymore than past budgets when you average out the government spending over the budgetary cycle.
Aaron, do you get dizzy from so much spinning?
ReplyDeleteHis budget speech was the height of hypocrisy, since he didn't have a choice on using the stimulus dollars. The County Board made it the policy that he was obliged to follow.
And now he has tweeted several times that stimulus doesn't create jobs, despite the proof to the contrary. My argument still stands.
Capper,
ReplyDeleteI wasn't spinning. You make references to specific op-eds, which I obliged you with actual quotations from Walker.
I think you want Walker to make categorical statements about refusing stimulus funding as a matter of principled conservatism because it's easier to take shots at him. The fact of the matter is that sometimes stimulus funding is good, but it has to be used the right way.
I think that Walker's conservative philosophy makes him hesitant to accept federal money, but he also knows that there are times when accepting outside help is a good thing.
Would you be cautious if I offered to help you campaign against Walker? Would you want to know what was up my sleeve if I made the offer? Just like with everything, be careful who you accept help from because they may expect something in return that is more costly than the help.
I have to give you credit, Aaron. That was seriously the best argument I have ever seen from you. Really, very well played.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, Walker's rhetoric doesn't match your well-reasoned and balanced argument.
He said that he wasn't going to take the stimulus money in his WSJ column. Then he would take it. Then he wouldn't. Then he would, but with conditions.
When it was all said and done, it didn't matter what he said, because he didn't have a choice. The Board made it for him.
Then he has the audacity to crow about taking the money (despite the fact that it didn't meet his so-called criteria).
Now he is saying that is doesn't create jobs, which is the same as saying he isn't creating the jobs he claimed he was creating.
Even if I liked Walker, this would scare me off from him.