Northwestern Mutual CEO puts Franklin on notice regarding RTA: Get with the program

Did my colleagues on the Franklin Economic Development Commission read the Letters to the Editor in today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel?

I speak of:

1. Commissioners who thought ridiculous my assertion that Franklin should begin to plan in earnest for the rail line that will eventually run through neighboring Oak Creek (that is: Reassure the business community that Franklin understands the importance of commuter rail and will provide and plan for the vital "last mile connection"), and;
2. Commissioners who regularly insert anti-transit materials into the EDC meeting packets (the last of which was an opinion column by George Torres, at the time an employee of county exec Scott Walker and head of Milwaukee County's shambolic transit system);

My fellow EDC Commissioners should now know that Franklin corporate citizen Northwestern Mutual is led by a man who gets it - - and will expect us to get it as well.

RTA should be sales tax-funded

I am writing to express my support for the creation of a three-county Regional Transit Authority and a viable, dedicated funding source for transit and Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail. As CEO of a major business in Milwaukee County, I know dedicated funding for transit is critical to the future success of my business.

The local business community in Milwaukee is solidly behind the current RTA's recommendations to shift funding for transit to a dedicated sales tax. Many opponents of this transit proposal argue that shifting transit from the property tax to a sales tax is anti-business or will drive business away. That is categorically untrue.

Northwestern Mutual has two major offices in Milwaukee County and employs a significant number of residents of Wauwatosa. Our current transit system is so inadequate and obsolete that my employees cannot get from our downtown office to our Franklin location on the Milwaukee County Transit System. The lack of available transit in this region has a much greater impact on my company than a shift in how we pay for transit.

Of the top 50 most populated U.S. cities or regions, only seven do not have or are not developing rail transit. Wisconsin is already behind other regions in this regard, and without a stable bus transit system - much less improved transit and commuter rail links connecting Milwaukee to other regions - southeastern Wisconsin will be left behind as the state's talent pool is attracted to other developing regions. Those remaining in Wisconsin cannot get to their jobs.

Please tell state legislators that a vote for a fully funded, three-county RTA is a vote to support business in southeastern Wisconsin.

Edward Zore
CEO, Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co.
Milwaukee