Milwaukee County Department of Transportation Executive Director Joe Lamers Statement on the Milwaukee County Executive's 2027 Recommended Budget

MILWAUKEE - In response to the introduction of the Milwaukee County Executive's 2027 Recommended Budget, Milwaukee County Department of Transportation Executive Director Joe Lamers released the following statement:

"I want to share my resounding support for the Milwaukee County Executive’s 2027 Recommended Budget. The County Executive is a champion of public transit, and the funding proposed in this budget demonstrates his commitment to protecting and strengthening the services that keep our community moving. If passed, critical public transportation services will be sustained for another year for the sixty-six thousand bus and paratransit riders who use our services every day for work, school, and medical care.

"The one-time appropriations introduced in this budget will provide important stability through 2027 for the people and businesses who rely on our services. This will allow the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) to complete the MCTS Forward system redesign process and provide more time to advocate for sustainable transit funding.

"I want to thank the Milwaukee County Executive, the Office of Strategy, Budget and Performance, and the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors for their ongoing support. I also want to thank MCTS’ administration for their efforts to improve internal processes and find new efficiencies within their organization. These efforts have been critical to restoring public trust and preserving resources.

"As we move this work forward, we still need to be mindful of fiscal challenges ahead: flat state revenues, at-risk federal funds as the BUILD America 250 Act is under consideration, and an ongoing structural deficit. It is important we remain focused on state and federal advocacy efforts while also providing time for thoughtful completion of the network redesign project."

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