BarrettBypass.com

Scott Walker has launched a new website, BarrettBypass.com.

It highlights Tom Barrett's disastrous decisions and judgment.

For some, the morning commute in Milwaukee was a nightmare.

Way to go, Tom! Thanks a lot!

Wauwatosa – While thousands of commuters are waiting in traffic along the Barrett Bypass today, new electronic billboards will be greeting them at I94/Hwy 100 and on Hwy 45/Silver Spring just north of the Zoo interchange. Sponsored by the Scott Walker campaign for Governor, the signs read, “Tired of Traffic? Blame Barrett” and includes the address of a new website also released today by the Walker campaign, http://www.barrettbypass.com/.

“Thousands of Wisconsin commuters will be stuck in traffic on the Barrett Bypass today because of the failed leadership of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Governor Jim Doyle who put off work on the zoo interchange to the point it was too dangerous to even drive over,” said Scott Walker, Milwaukee County executive and candidate for governor. “In 2005, Mayor Barrett worked to delay work on the zoo interchange because '…the Zoo Interchange will stand long enough to resolve these issues’ and as a direct result of Barrett’s actions, Wisconsin taxpayers will foot the bill for $15 million in brand new bridges that will be torn down in a few years.”

Walker also that “years of raiding the Transportation Fund of over $1.2 billion to balance Doyle’s budgets and years of Milwaukee politicians like the Mayor fighting work on the East-West corridor have now led to a crisis that will have a negative impact on jobs across Wisconsin when we need them the most.”

Naturally, Barrett and his supporters are struggling to do damage control.

It's a losing battle.

Myths put out by Team Barrett are refuted by the Walker campaign.

Myth 1: Barrett campaign claims the Mayor only opposed plan to move graves at Wood National Cemetery the disruption to neighborhoods.

Fact: Barrett's 2005 letter made NO mention of the graves issue - because it has no bearing on the reconstruction of the Zoo Interchange.

Furthermore, an alternative to moving any graves for the entire freeway expansion was given in 2003 and so there was no elected official who was
going to support any plan that involved moving graves.

Myth 2: Barrett's campaign statement notes that the city spent "four times" as much as the county on roads.

Fact: According to the city, there are about 7,000 lane miles in Milwaukee that it is responsible for. In contrast, Milwaukee County has 350 lane miles that it is responsible for maintaining.

Myth 3: Barrett's campaign states "Walker supports Cutting Road Funding" citing a vote against increasing the gas tax almost 15 years ago. Typical democrat rhetoric - a vote against a tax increase is a vote, in their minds, against funding government programs.

Fact: Unlike Tom Barrett's letter opposing the start of work on the Zoo Interchange in 2005, the fifteen year old vote had nothing to do with the current issues with the Zoo Interchange.

The vote in 1995 was for a transportation budget that included NO gas tax increase. Scott was one of a handful of Republicans who blocked a large gas tax increase because our part of the state was getting nailed by the high costs of reformulated gas.

Furthermore, Scott spoke out time and time again against the $1.2 billion raids on the state Transportation Fund pushed through by Governor Jim Doyle during his four state budgets. Mayor Barrett was silent about these raids.

Myth 4: Barrett's campaign contends that the time-line for work on the Zoo Interchange remained the same.

Fact: If the Governor Doyle had not vetoed out funding for the start of engineering work in 2005 - after Mayor Barrett's opposition - initial construction on the Interchange could have been started and temporary bridges could have been constructed during the normal reconstruction process
- instead taxpayers will pay $15 million to build brand new bridges that will be tore down in a few years. Commuters will get to experience the delays again in a few years as well.

Remember, the DOT was asking for nearly $200 million for this budget because of their concerns about the structure. Governor Doyle denied all but $7 million per year - presumably because of opposition from local leaders like Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.

Myth 5: Barrett's campaign is trying to sell people on the idea that he was a strong supporter of work on the Zoo Interchange.

Fact: Other than his 2005 letter and efforts opposing early work on the Zoo Interchange, the Mayor's efforts on transportation are largely focused on rail.

While the Zoo Interchange project languished for almost five years, Mayor Barrett and Governor Doyle have focused on pushing an $810 million "high-speed" rail line when the state can't keep one of it's busiest interchanges open for travel and commerce.

Myth 6: Barrett's campaign says the Mayor is all about jobs.

Fact: The Zoo Interchange is one of the most important economic links in the state. Mayor Barrett opposed early work on it and this closure has an impact on commerce throughout the state of Wisconsin.

In contrast, Scott Walker as County Executive advocated for years that Wisconsin needs a strong transportation infrastructure because of the impact on jobs.

This Zoo Interchange debacle is sure to be trouble for Barrett.

On so many fronts, it shows that Wisconsin needs Scott Walker as governor.