Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Streetsblog

Wisconsin Gov Scott Walker: Let Them Drive Cars

Walker cartoon
false

Remember just a few months ago when Scott Walker was just a little-known gubernatorial hopeful from the Cheese State with an inexplicable hatred for trains?

It was no secret that he had some unusual ideas, his fanatical opposition to passenger rail being one of them. But who'd have thought that very same man, just a few months into his governorship, would be catapulted into the national spotlight as his state legislature devolved into chaos?

There were ominous signs, as James Rowen from Network blog The Political Environment points out. For example, back when he was the executive of Milwaukee County, Walker had some pretty interesting ideas about transit. Rowen recalls:

It was nearly four years ago to the day that Scott Walker told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial board that he wanted to grow the economy so much that poor people would be able to buy cars and leave the bus behind.

Walker's outlandish ideas about transit appear to have carried over to his controversial state budget proposal. The same document that has ignited a collective bargaining battle and captured the nation's attention also includes catastrophic transit cuts totaling $46 million.

Rowen continues:

So as we prepare for deep state revenue sharing cuts to local transit systems ("we're broke, we can't afford transit...") and perhaps the ending of some federal transit aids if Walker's budget-repair bill strips bargaining rights from local system employees, remember that he was mouthing his marketplace talking points years before he had a chance to translate them into real-world service cuts.

Also on the Network today: Greater Greater Washington reports that a pair of anti-livability bills making their way through the Virginia legislature have -- thankfully -- been laid to rest. We reported earlier that these two bills would have required that highway construction take priority in Northern Virginia and that all transportation projects be evaluated first-and-foremost for their effect on congestion. The legislation was championed by an interest group representing construction, real estate and business interests and was a major threat for Arlington County, which boasts one of the most progressive county transportation departments in the country.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

SEE IT: Cops Violently Arrest Teen Riding Citi Bike in Alphabet City

Three cops slammed a teenager to the ground, pulled his hair and knelt on his head — for allegedly riding a Citi Bike "in a reckless manner."

August 29, 2025

‘Pedestrianize’ the Financial District, Lower Manhattan Council Member Says

Downtown Council Member Chris Marte says the city refuses to launch a $500K downtown pedestrianization study funded by his predecessor.

August 29, 2025

Friday Video: The Problem With … ‘Friday Video’?!

The urbanism YouTube sphere is thriving — but who's getting the views?

August 29, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: Parking Madness Edition

A single new block of green-painted bike lane makes illegal parking by cops from the 114th Precinct even more illegal. Plus more news.

August 29, 2025

Talking Headways Podcast: The Menace of Prosperity

Daniel Wortel-London on his new book, "The Menace of Prosperity: New York City and the Struggle for Economic Development, 1875–1981."

August 28, 2025

MONEY TALKS: Business Interests Call the Shots in Eric Adams’s New York

Forget the bribery charges — you don't have to break the law to buy influence in the Big Apple.

August 28, 2025
See all posts