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The Senate approved the budget last night and has adjourned. Senate Majority leader Fitzgerald has told the Senators they should hold their calendars open for a special session that might take place next week to vote on the arena funding package.

The only way that session happens though is if some Milwaukee area Democratic legislators publicly come forward and support the funding plan. To date, none have. We predict if a few key ones would come forward, the floodgates would open and this project would quickly be approved with a bipartisan majority.

We aren’t sure where this political game of chicken will lead us, but it might lead the Bucks to Seattle.

We’ll need your help tomorrow calling your legislators as you’ve done but also calling the Milwaukee based State Senators. For many of you, they are one in the same as you live in Milwaukee or Milwaukee County.

Focus on calling:

Sen. Chris Larson (608) 266-7505

Sen. Lena Taylor 414-342-7176 or 608-266-5810

Sen. Nikiya Harris Dodd (608) 266-2500

Sen. Tim Carpenter 608-266-8535

Based on today’s calling efforts, these folks are starting to realize many of you want this project approved before everything runs off the rails and legislators head home for the summer. They are hearing you and your calls. But perhaps we need another day of it.

Be polite, be respectful, but let them know you don’t want them playing politics with something that will be a huge economic success for Milwaukee and the State of Wisconsin. We frankly do not understand how a $1 billion dollar economic redevelopment project that will be constructed with union labor and Milwaukee labor is being allowed to flounder like this. The Park East has sat vacant for years and now we have the new Bucks ownership group who want to come in and develop it.

We also do not understand how the the Milwaukee legislative contingent will explain their lack of arena plan support to thousands of children in the city who are fans of the team and future stars such as Giannis and Jabari, should the team leave. More importantly, we want those children to grow up in a thriving Milwaukee community with business and jobs, things this project will contribute greatly to.

Let these Senators know they can be the hero and save the day for us all. If they wanted to hold out for more State funding, unfortunately we don’t see that happening. Governor Walker tried to get the entire thing funded. That got push back to the point where the best option on the table is the current plan, which by the way a majority of GOP legislators in both houses support, just not a large enough majority to pass the bill.

If the Milwaukee area Senators want credit for coming in and saving the day, yes, we CAN and will do that! We aren’t asking you to compromise your values but rather embrace a rare bipartisan win-win project. Leave the other battles for a different day.

For our SaveOurBucks.com supporters, after you’ve made your calls to your reps and the Senators above, then find two friends or family members who support the arena and the Bucks. Have them read our tutorial (link here) on how to call your legislators and guide them through the process. If each of you can get just TWO more people to call their reps, you’ve increased your influence on the process massively.

Thank you for all of your work. This isn’t easy, but worthwhile things never are. You’re crushing it, and we’ll need you a few more days it looks like. We’ll get there.

Go Bucks!

Your SOB Editor