Citizens Allied for Sane Highways

FROM: David Kaiser, Jr

(NOTE: Please communicate directly with David - see email address below - if you'd like to get involved with this issue.)

hello neighbors,

i have been concearned with viable transportation means and solutions for some time. recently i learned about a group/coalition that is trying to do some good. seems as if our government is up to no good, which is no surprise, again. the expansion of the freeway system throughout milwaukee county would be devastating to all residents and especially the environment!

read recent whitney gould article for a little insight:

http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/oct02/89357.asp

-these issues have bothered me some time. coupled with our politicians blatant disregard for "us" and the "environment", i was hoping i might be able to summons the likes of yourselves, to see if we can help the cause.

i have attached my inquiry to gretchen schuldt and her response. please read them both and whitney goulds's article.

thanks a bunch,

David Kaiser, Jr.
kaiser206gt@hotmail.com

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gretchen, (noexpansion@yahoo.com)

how can i get involved with CASH movement? i'm dead-set against any type of highway expansion. we need to be efficient not wasteful!

what is your stance on alternative transportation sources/options?

thanks,
kaiser

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Mr. Kaiser --

Our stance on alternative transportation is: SEWRPC should have looked at some.

To tell the truth, the alternative transportation question is one we wrestled with at length. We finally decided that is a battle for another day and another place. CASH is a pretty broad coalition, and our members have a wide range of views on that topic. What we agree on is that the freeway expansion plan on the table is really, really, bad for Milwaukee.

As for getting involved in CASH. A couple of ideas.

1) Distribute literature to folks you know and everyone you meet. We have newsletter we put together called Beyond the SEWRPC Spin. We can get you a couple dozen copies to hand out or leave in your local coffee shop or bistro. It's been my experience that most people are oblivious to this expansion plan and the more they know, the less they like it.

2) This is what everyone says, but in this case it is very, very critical....contact your county supervisor. The Milwaukee County Board is the last to vote on this, and SEWRPC wants this vote to be a done deal before the end of the year. All of the other affected counties have voted in favor of the expansion plan. It is absolutely essential that people who oppose the freeway widening plan make their voices heard.

3) Stay informed. I help run a neighborhood web site, www.storyhill.net. We post a lot of information about the freeway plan that can help you better explain the situation to your friends and neighbors and co-workers. If you want to see what's on the site, go to the Hood Happenings page. There are often freeway stories on that page and always links that will take you to the most recent stories we have done.

4) Are you willing to volunteer? We are talking about having some fairly large-scale mailings. I'm not sure how this would work out, but would you be willing to stuff envelopes if need be, or take on some other task? Let me know. Also let me know if you belong to or know of any group that we can contact that might consider joining us in opposition to freeway expansion.

Thanks much,
Gretchen Schuldt,
co-chair, Citizens Allied for Sane Highways