Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Public Works Projects to reduce the Jobless Rate

During the April 4th, 2007 Community & Economic Development Committee meeting Professor Marc Levine spoke about the jobless rate for black males in Milwaukee being close to 50% and his solutions to lower the rate. Basically he argued for large public works projects to put people to work because his research has shown these projects can have the most immediate impact. Long term things like Emerging Business and Resident Preference requirements are good but large public works projects have the most significant and immediate impact.

Now his first suggestion was building out a large Light Rail system which would solve two problems at once. First it would put people to work on a large scale and secondly once complete it would allow workers to get to the jobs. Unfortunately as we all know in our current political environment this isn't a very likely possibility in the short run. Though in the long run this is a must have so I'll leave it as option one.

So here are a couple of project ideas that could improve the overall quality of life in Milwaukee and work to reduce the jobless rate immediately.

1. Light Rail System

2. Remaking of MacArthur Square
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=12591807&postcount=1013

3. Burying I-43 and creating another large public park that could tie the city together.
http://www.governing.com/articles/1parks.htm