Governor Evers: Oppose Inequitable Funding Formula for Support of Brewers Baseball Stadium

September 27, 2023  |  Topics: Issues

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Preserve Our Parks Calls on Governor Evers to Oppose Inequitable Funding Formula for Support of Brewers Baseball Stadium

Press release and photos courtesy Preserve Our Parks

Preserve Our Parks (POP), the primary non-profit advocacy group for Milwaukee County parks,

today urged Gov. Tony Evers to oppose a plan to provide financial support to the Milwaukee

Brewers for maintenance of American Family Field.

POP advocated for dedicated funding for parks in the last biennial budget of the state and local

Budgets and, while we were disappointed it was not included, we instead looked to the new sales tax that pays pension liabilities and local law enforcement to free up county tax dollars for support of local public parks. That support has not been forthcoming, and our parks suffer.

POP is alarmed that Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is now proposing a funding formula that would further drain city and county coffers for the benefit of American Family Field given that the original funding formula included five counties shouldering the burden. Vos’s proposal is inequitable, burdening only Milwaukee, and all the while our local county budget continues to pay $4 million each year on the Fiserv Forum mortgage.

“More people use our parks than attend Milwaukee Brewers ballgames,” said Jim Goulee, co-chair of POP. “For the benefit of Milwaukee County and all of Southeastern Wisconsin, we hope Gov. Evers will kill the Vos proposal and create a funding mechanism for our parks.”

POP has been building a coalition of parks, environmental and waterway groups to advocate for

dedicated funding of our beleaguered park system. The park’s deficit is well-documented by

Wisconsin Policy Forum study, “Sinking Treasure.”

“Our parks have a documented capital deficit for repair and maintenance of parks infrastructure—including trails, roads and pavilions—of over $500 million,” said Patricia Jursik, co-chair of POP. “We cannot in good conscience allow our parks to deteriorate. It is our responsibility to the people of Milwaukee County and future generations to keep our parks a vital part of our quality of life.”

POP does not support burdening either the City or County of Milwaukee for funding of American Family Field. Milwaukee County is the economic engine of the state. It already provides more funding for the state than is returned locally.  POP strongly urges Gov. Evers to kill any formula that allows a private sporting franchise to usurp funding badly needed for our local parks.

For more information about the funding proposal go to Urban Milwaukee.

Preserve Our Parks, a nonprofit advocacy organization, battles to keep Milwaukee area parks open and green, resists incursions for non-park uses, and fights for funds to properly maintain one of the County’s greatest treasures, its parks system. All photography by POP board member Eddee Daniel. The Natural Realm blog and A Wealth of Nature are POP projects. The featured photo at the top shows the Brewers stadium through autumn foliage in Wood National Cemetery.

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