After the election

Yesterday was an election day. Seems fitting that we would vote on April Fool's Day.

I tried to keep myself abreast of the important positions and the issues. Yet no matter how hard you try, there are always votes you will cast for people you have never heard of that are running for a position that you didn't know existed. Of course, those people are usually running unopposed.

Why are they running unopposed? Is it an unimportant position? Are others like me, and didn't even know said position existed? Does that position pay well? I wonder if I could get elected to a position that I knew nothing about just because I got my name on the ballot?

I took a simple approach to my votes. Anyone in favor of not cutting back on the city transit system or was against raising the fare was not going to get my vote. In a time where every city in the U.S. had ridership on the rise because of gas prices, people in Milwaukee are avoiding the bus. So with costs rising and riders declining, the most logical solution is to find the routes that have low ridership and cut back. Saves money on a number of fronts. But some politicians believe that cutting back is bad, that we need to keep all routes intact no matter how much the budget bleeds. And don't you dare raise the fares. They are among the highest in the country already. Instead, let's hit the tax payer and make the subsidize others. No thanks.

I was disappointed to see my favorite alderman and local jail resident, Michael McGee Jr., did not get reelected. I congratulate the people of his district for ensuring their representation and kicking out this crook. But I will miss the ongoing saga of an alderman doing his job from the cellblock. Guess he wasn't able to buy enough votes this time around.

Otherwise I was content with the election. Our County Executive will continue to fight the County Board on projects that the county just doesn't have money for. I am sure the board will continue to ignore his proposals and spend like crazy. At least someone is trying though.