Westmoreland: “Bad. I mean it’s a domino effect. One business leaves, other businesses could leave. That’s the last thing we want.”
He’s hoping policy changes and the new 2% sales tax increase, set to take effect in January, can help combat the destruction.
It’s not only businesses leaving the area, which makes people want to leave the area, but also increased costs for the entire community. There’s more costs for putting in extra “traffic calming measures”. There’s extra costs for repairs to damage caused by reckless drivers. There’s loss of life. There’s increased insurance rates if you own a car in Milwaukee.
He hopes the sales tax increase can also help add more police to the force to help hold people accountable.
Hopefully!
If people keep damaging the infrastructure (for example 29 times knocking down metal signs on the bump outs) then yes, it’s an ongoing cost.
If people keep damaging the infrastructure, the infrastructure is designed wrong. Either it needs to be strengthened to withstand multiple impacts or a different change needs to happen so people stop hitting things they’re not supposed to.