Our Parks
Chris Larson is running to make sure our park system is fully funded.
"I believe that Milwaukee's park system is the best in the nation. The city was designed around it a hundred years ago and in order to keep this part of our legacy alive, we must make it our first priority. With the recent cuts to parks, we have all seen the parks go downhill. The idea of shutting down our public pools next summer is a big step back for our quality of life here in Milwaukee. I will work to keep the pools open and I will work to make sure our parks are fully funded."



Transit
Chris Larson is running to fix our public transit system.
"Public transit should be affordable and easy for all those who use it regularly and for folks who are looking for an alternative to driving every day. The recent bus fare hike from $1.25 to $2.00 per way impacts those who rely on it tenfold because they are the people who can afford it the least. Cutting bus lines and raising the bus fares is not a way to encourage use of public transit. This leads us in the wrong direction to more and more problems. We need to take a closer look at other cities that have successful public transit systems and revamp the system so it works for riders, taxpayers, and our city."


Full time Dedication
Chris Larson will work full-time to represent his constituents in the 14th district.
“County government needs someone who is dedicated to the job of putting us back in the right direction. With the problems we’ve seen with declining park quality, a growing number of assaults at the Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex, and the scandals of the last decade, we can’t afford to have someone not committed full-time. I will work to put Milwaukee County back in the right direction, I will be available for my constituents when they call, and I will keep them updated with newsletters and community meetings to keep them informed on what I am doing on their behalf. It’s unfortunate when people treat it as a part-time job, making it hard to move Milwaukee County forward. The job of County Supervisor pays like a full-time job and when elected to the Board, I will treat it like one.”


Health Services
“In the first month of knocking on doors and talking to my neighbors, I was stopped by two different workers at the Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex. They both invited me in and told me their concerns about the state of disrepair. They were both very similar, very real stories of what happens when County facilities start feeling the budget cuts. ‘The funds aren’t coming in and people aren’t paying attention. If we don’t take care of the mentally disabled, it’s a step back to the dark ages.’ Some people may not think this affects them but when those in need aren’t taken care of, it affects all of us. I will work to make sure that the Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex gets the funds it needs to hire additional staff and provide a safe environment for the workers and patients.”


Tax Fairness
“Milwaukee County residents have become frustrated when they see county services cut while their property tax goes up. Because this has been the case for so long, some people welcome the call for ‘no new taxes’, regardless of the loss of service. But there is another story here: while property taxes have gone up for residents, corporations that operate out of Milwaukee have been able to get by without paying anything. When this happens, the tax burden falls on the shoulders of homeowners and regular residents. There is a non-partisan group, the Institute for Wisconsin’s Future, working to bring light to this inequity. If the corporations that call Wisconsin home treated it like home and paid just the national average, it would completely pay for the annual budget of Milwaukee County Government.” “The other big place Milwaukee County residents feel the pinch is when Madison mandates certain county services be provided (the courts, services for the disabled) but then does not supply the funds to pay for these services. Milwaukee County has been funded at the same level since 1990 while the requirements for what they do with those funds has risen steadily. The difference is either passed on to residents as a property tax increase or the funds are taken away from other parts of county government, like the parks. We need to work with our state legislators across Wisconsin so they recognize that Milwaukee County is the economic engine that moves Wisconsin forward. We need state government to pay for what it mandates in order for the rest of the state to thrive."







Paid for by Friends of Christopher Larson, Joseph Hastreiter, Treasurer