ARPA spent on soccer, Amtrak ridership numbers, Badger on the airwaves Viewpoint The poor, powerless casualties of Wisconsin’s school choice lawsuit By Patrick McIlheran In the lawsuit bankrolled by the Minocqua beer marketer, Kirk Bangstad, who’s trying to kill school choice in Wisconsin, his lawyers make an icy admission: They know it will “impact tens of thousands of children” to throw them out of their schools. They’re asking the state Supreme Court to hurt those kids anyway. It’s fair to ask, then, what sort of kids would make this sacrifice. If the resort-town beer baron manages to kill school choice, 82% of the children put onto the street in Milwaukee will be African-American or Hispanic. By definition, all come from low-income homes. In other words, exactly the ones progressives tell us we must be most concerned about: the marginalized, the poor and the powerless. Read More Tracking the Trillions Years after pandemic, Evers spending ARPA money on soccer and a railroad museum By Mark Lisheron After Gov. Tony Evers announced last week he was diverting $36.6 million in federal emergency pandemic funds for, among other things, a soccer stadium, a sports center and a railroad museum, state Sen. Duey Stroebel tweeted, “I struggle to see how any of these projects relate to pandemic relief.” Evers opened himself up to a whole lot of questions that have nothing to do with the public’s fondness for the beautiful game or old trains. Such as: Why is the governor still doling out pandemic money years after the pandemic is over? How much of that pandemic money is still waiting to be spent? And why is he the only person in the state of Wisconsin who gets to decide how to spend it? “This is Tony’s little game, to keep us guessing,” Stroebel, R-Saukville, told the Badger Institute. “If we (the Legislature) had something to say about it, we’d do this in a prudent manner. But this is Tony’s slush fund for him to splash around in, to buy love and to buy votes.” Continue Reading Badger in the News Article: Good riddance to the ‘one way of teaching’ Media: Meg Ellefson welcomes Pat McIlheran to discuss the role of parental choice in public education Listen   Article: Evers administration seeking Wisconsin Amtrak expansion Media: Jeff Wagner comments on Amtrak expansion in the Badger State Segment begins around 39:13 Listen   Article: Steil tries to save City of Milwaukee from further waste and embarrassment Media: Mike Nichols highlights The Hop’s latest taxpayer wastes on WSAU’s Morning News Listen   By the Numbers Ridership on Amtrak’s ‘Hiawatha’ By Patrick McIlheran The Evers administration is vying for federal money to expand existing Amtrak service that runs from Milwaukee to Chicago. The administration wants to add Amtrak trains from Milwaukee to Madison and to Green Bay. While federal money would cover track upgrades and new equipment needed, state taxpayers would be on the hook for any operating costs not covered by ticket sales. You can read more about that proposal here. The underlying numbers The annual ridership on the existing Amtrak “Hiawatha” service between Milwaukee and Chicago had been rising slowly prior to the pandemic, rising about 18% over the 10-year period up to 2019, when ridership hit a peak of 873,537. Ridership declined sharply amid COVID lockdowns, and Amtrak replaced rail service with buses for several months in spring 2020. Ridership in fiscal year 2021, which began in October 2020, amounted to 241,600, about 28% of the 2019 figure. In the fiscal year that just concluded on Sept. 30, ridership had revived to 635,000, about 27% below the 2019 peak. See the Data Weekly Survey: Do you support the expansion of Wisconsin’s Amtrak service? Answer below! Yes No   Previous Poll Results: Invest in the Badger Institute The Badger Institute, formerly known as the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute (WPRI), has long been at the forefront of the fight for school choice, right to work, welfare reform, tax restructuring, limited government, civil society and so much more. If you appreciate the Institute’s legacy and want to support free markets, opportunity and prosperity, please consider donating today. Your support will help the Institute continue to advocate for conservative principles now and in generations to come. Support Freedom   The Institute never has, and never will, accept government funding. We gratefully welcome your online donation or email Angela Smith, Executive Vice President. The Badger Institute is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization funded solely by the generosity of foundations, companies and individuals. Badger Institute | 700 W Virginia St, Suite 301, Milwaukee, WI 53204 www.badgerinstitute.org Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!