Milwaukee Biz Blog

Editor's note: Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett delivered his proposed 2010 city budget to the Milwaukee Common Council. The following is the text of his address.

Good morning President Hines, members of the Common Council, City Attorney Langley, Comptroller Morics, City Treasurer Whittow, members of the Cabinet, honored guests and residents of our great City.
The 2010 Budget presents all of us with a new set of challenges. As with all budgets, we will struggle to find the right mix of revenues and services. I'm confident that you will continue to apply the serious consideration that you have demonstrated during my first five budgets.
However, focusing solely on the traditional budget questions this year simply won't cut the mustard. The 2010 Budget needs to include a serious examination of all our assumptions about what services are really essential and how we can deliver those services.
Less than one month ago the Public Policy Forum issued an independent analysis about City government finances. The good news is that the Forum concluded that City government is well managed and that we have avoided the level of distress that many other large cities have experienced.
Take Cincinnati for example, where the City is planning to cut 319 jobs and may have to close 20 libraries. Or, Denver where budget plans call for 176 city workers to lose their jobs. In Detroit, there has been talk of laying off 1,200 city employees with remaining employees being required to take 26 unpaid furlough days.
The bad news is that the Forum also stated that without major changes to our mix of revenue options, Milwaukee's fiscal condition will continue to deteriorate.
All of us understand the sources of our challenges. Increasingly, Milwaukee's City Budget is forced to absorb the consequences of policies that others impose without the tools needed to adjust those policies.
For example, the breakdown of the State's Shared Revenue program, which once equalized fiscal capacity throughout Wisconsin, has left communities like Milwaukee increasingly on our own. In just seven years the value of our state aids payments has fallen $60 million dollars in inflation-adjusted terms. The dysfunctional nature of the United States health care system shifts costs to responsible employers like us, while contributing to the burden of poverty that schools, social services, and public health agencies must manage. The State's labor relations mandates ignore differences in fiscal capacity and community economic conditions. And world financial turmoil has thrown our pension fund investments into a tailspin.
Let's consider how some of these recent events will shape this year and future years. By 2012, City pension contributions could be as much as $80 million dollars higher than they were in 2009. Our pension plan remains well-funded and well-managed, but we can no longer expect our pensions to be a free ride. In 2010 alone, the City's employer contribution will include almost $48 million dollars in funding for Plan benefits, including $24 million dollars and $14 million dollars, respectively, for police and fire sworn employees.
I want to thank Alderman Murphy for his leadership role in the Pension Board's adoption of a new funding policy, which lowered our contributions in an actuarially-responsible manner. Taxpayers, city employees, and retirees alike are very fortunate that the Board made this change. I also want everyone to be aware of the fact that had those changes not occurred, an additional $43 million dollars would have been necessary to balance this budget, which could not have been achieved without significant layoffs in the police and fire departments.
Health care benefits pose another structural concern for City finances. Since 1999 these expenses have increased from less than $50 million dollars annually to almost $120 million dollars in 2010. That's more than double in just ten years.
The pressure is especially intense for benefits to retirees under age 65. The rating agency Moody's has estimated that the City of Milwaukee allocates the 11th highest operating budget proportion of the 45 largest cities to retiree health care costs.
So, what do I propose that the City do about these circumstances? I will take the lead on multiple fronts to improve the City's finances so that our long-term prospects improve.

First, I will continue my efforts to diversify the City's revenues so that we can deliver services with less reliance on the property tax. My diversification proposals will insist on, at the very least, maintenance of the State's existing Shared Revenue appropriation. My specific proposals include:

• A City share of a County-wide sales tax to help address the continuing decline in the State's commitment to Shared Revenue.
• A new approach to the state's Transportation Aid formula that recognizes the importance of local streets and infrastructure in the regional economy and prioritizes the maintenance of existing infrastructure.
• Authorization of the Council's proposal to initiate a red light running traffic enforcement program, to provide for safer City intersections and enabling a non-property tax revenue source for enforcing traffic laws and regulations.

Second, I will continue to prioritize creative approaches to collective bargaining that reduce the City's ongoing structural costs. I want to thank District Council 48 for agreeing to collective bargaining settlements that can reduce our ongoing annual budget costs by almost $10 million dollars.
It is now time for all City government stakeholders - employees, who provide the services as well as residents who expect the services, to realize that we no longer can insulate ourselves from the economic forces that have battered this City. We need to be creative about service delivery, whether it's fighting crime, preventing fires, disposing solid waste, or engaging Library users.
Third, our budgets must focus on areas where duplication can be reduced, excess capacity eliminated, and new service delivery methods initiated. My 2010 Proposed Operating Budget initiates this process by reducing full-time equivalent position strength by 380 and by eliminating approximately $35 million dollars from the operating budget baseline.
Although these reductions have been difficult and certainly will have an impact, they have been made carefully and with strategic priorities and organizational efficiencies in mind The Budget does not simply “cut”; there are several examples of how changes in service delivery, investments in technology, and improved management enable us to reduce spending without compromising results.
Finally, the City will continue to do all we can to access new grant resources and to use them to improve our City's sustainability. Our recent effort with respect to President Obama's stimulus initiative is a case in point. The City of Milwaukee was one of the few applicant cities to win the maximum award of 50 police officers from the Community Oriented Policing grant program. I thank all those involved in that effort. We battled tirelessly to gain approximately $25 million dollars of state highway money for our major streets program and I want to thank President Hines and members of the Council for helping me fight that fight.
We will apply our one-time additional CDBG funding to increased local street preventive maintenance and to innovative efforts like the Diversity in Urban Forestry initiative.
Our Energy Block Grant award will be used to initiate a $1.2 million dollar Milwaukee Energy Efficiency Program, to improve energy efficiency and lower resident utility bills.
City employees not surprisingly have played an essential role in the City's necessary organizational makeover. I've been happy to see many examples of front-line employees taking the lead in helping the City save money. Just recently the Port of Milwaukee, through the leadership of Harbor Master Joe Di Giorgio, undertook a complete overhaul and reconstruction of one of the Port's cranes. Their success saved the Port more than $1 million dollars and has enabled better operations. I challenge and invite all City employees to contribute to our ongoing sustainability by creating better ways of service delivery.

 

The 2010 Budget will address our critical priorities. Examples include:

• $215.7 million dollars in the Milwaukee Police Department, which will allow for continuation of its data driven deployment strategies and operation of the Neighborhood Task Force. The budget also reflects the city's successful Community Oriented Policing grant, which will allow for a new class of 50 police recruits in mid-year.
• $99.8 million dollars in the Milwaukee Fire Department to enable response to fire suppression, Advanced Life Support and funding of a Fire Department recruit class next year.
• A $1.7 million dollar increase to the Department of Public Works local streets program, which will enable a 61-year replacement cycle - less than half the replacement cycle that existed when I took office.
• Funding for the Milwaukee Public Library to allow the continued operation of all neighborhood libraries, including public service hours on three of four weekday school nights and continuation of the popular Sunday hours at three libraries during winter time. I want to especially thank our City Librarian Paula Kiely for working creatively with us.
• New initiatives in the Department of Neighborhood Services operating budget and the Department of City Development capital budget to preserve the city's housing stock from the threats posed by foreclosures.
• Development of a new Unified Call Center to improve customer response, enhance management reporting of problem resolution, and replace outdated technology applications.

And let's not forget that despite our fiscal challenges, we maintain several competitive advantages.

These include:

• A world class Water Works that provides the highest quality water of any place in the world at an extremely competitive price. The economy of the future will belong to those regions, like Milwaukee, that can supply their own water in a sustainable fashion.
• A high credit rating, superior to that of the State or Milwaukee County, that helps us manage our debt in a responsible manner.
• An excellent work force that delivers services of value to all city neighborhoods;
  Strategies that are bringing down crime and improving the safety of people throughout Milwaukee. There's nothing I like more than the headline of last week: Crime down statewide, led by Milwaukee. I thank Chief Flynn and the brave men and women of the Milwaukee Police Department.
  Housing and neighborhood amenities that most communities would find to be a true bargain.

And that's just to name a few.
There is no doubt that this Proposed Budget will be the most difficult you will have had to deal with in the last six years. It is absolutely essential we keep a multi-year perspective in mind. Compromising our pension obligations, overreliance on limited reserves, or one-time borrowing for recurring operations will only postpone our necessary transformation.
As I've mentioned on numerous occasions, this budget was by far the most difficult budget I've had since taking office. It is a budget of shared sacrifice. I am pleased with our efforts to preserve City services and our efforts to be fair to our constituents who are also experiencing hardships. We asked everyone to give a little and in doing so, we have achieved a lot.
Thank you and I look forward to working with you as we move forward.

My vision for Milwaukee Public Schools is one of strong leadership, clear accountability, and successful outcomes. I see an MPS:

• That sets high world-class standards for all schools and all students and, under the leadership of a visionary superintendent, holds schools accountable for achieving those standards.
• Where the leader is empowered to focus on those goals and is not distracted by politics or unclear accountability.
• Where high quality teachers are eager to start and finish their careers, because they have the professional and classroom resources they need to support their instructional expertise; clear stable expectations; and additional incentives to tackle challenging problems
• Where parents, students, the community and taxpayers know exactly who to hold accountable.
• Where parents are guaranteed a voice in their children's education and have someone they can contact directly who can address their concerns.
• Where decisions are driven by high quality research and the district is supported by an external research entity focused solely on tracking and supporting MPS.
• Where more dollars are directed into the classroom by implementing fiscal efficiencies and consolidating non-instructional operations such as facilities and purchasing. That does not need to be compelled to improve by corrective action plans and threats of withheld funds, but is compelled by a shared goal to make every child reach their potential.
• Where more students graduate with the skills and desire to pursue post-secondary opportunities which will ensure the quality workforce we need for this city to thrive.

To achieve this vision, it is imperative that we hire a strong, effective superintendent, establish clear and high expectations, provide that superintendent with the fiscal and political support he or she needs to achieve those goals, and hold the superintendent accountable for success.

 

Unfortunately, it is next to impossible to achieve these steps under the current system, as the current outcomes in MPS demonstrate. Under the current system there isn't any clear accountability - and blame is shifted among the board, administration, superintendent and other external entities.

A strong, reform-minded superintendent - of the caliber that D.C. Mayor Fenty found in Michelle Rhee, New York Mayor Bloomberg identified in Joel Klein and Chicago Mayor Daley (and ultimately President Obama) landed in Arne Duncan - that is looking to come to a district where they can implement real reform.

Such leaders would be frustrated under the current system where they have to cater to the changing directives of board leadership. And they would certainly be frustrated by recent actions by the current school board such as redirecting $300,000 for an office of accountability that shifts key powers away from the administration to an elected board, or redirecting $250,000 to pay private lawyers to support the status quo and resist reform efforts.

It's clear, we need to create an environment where a visionary leader has the stability and support he or she needs to get the job done. As mayor, I would empower the next MPS superintendent to apply his or her expertise to develop specific strategies. In New York, Joel Klein released his Children First reform plan details several months after being hired by Mayor Bloomberg - and our community would similarly give our next leader an opportunity to fashion a plan specific to our community needs and challenges.

I will encourage our new leader to include successful reform strategies such as:

• Identifying consistently low performing schools (based on comprehensive, clear data) and implementing significant turnaround reforms or closing them so they do not continue to fail future students.
• Creating incentives to attract high-quality teachers - particularly to low-performing schools or hard-to-staff subjects and providing teachers with the professional development and classroom resources that research shows can improve teacher effectiveness.
• Partnering with an external research entity that will be established to focus on MPS to help drive important policy decisions and track key initiatives.

I will also continue to call upon other community stakeholders to support our parents and students within and outside the classroom. The specifics of these education reform strategies will continue to be refined as we engage stakeholders in this conversation and as the MPS Innovation and Improvement Council continues its work with DPI and MPS.

 

Some may argue that the reforms I have laid out could be implemented under the current system - however, the key is not in just laying out reforms but actually having a system in place where they will be implemented successfully.

The current system has been given too many chances to do so and has failed repeatedly. I haven't seen a compelling case that positive changes are sustainable. Keeping the status quo is the path of least resistance, but it is also the path that is failing our students. The stakes are too high and I am determined to do the right thing for our children and community.

Tom Barrett is the mayor of Milwaukee.

Editor's note: Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett recently sent this letter to Vice President Joe Biden.

Dear Vice President Biden,

I sincerely appreciate everything you are doing to oversee implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and to address the concerns of mayors and other elected officials through White House briefings and teleconference calls. Your guidance and advice has been invaluable.

I am writing today to address an issue of serious concern to workers in Milwaukee and across the nation – the disturbing trend of businesses relocating from one area to another location in a different community or state. As you are well aware, there is tremendous competition among communities for new plants and other business expansions, and state and local governments are doing everything they can to attract new businesses and retain existing businesses.

In today's tough economic environment, these actions may be necessary in order for a business to maintain a competitive edge or survive. However, I strongly oppose business relocation activities that have been partially subsidized or underwritten with government funds that fuel job losses elsewhere. It has been documented that some states and localities have used federal funds to steal jobs from other areas, a practice commonly referred to as "job pirating."

This issue was first brought to my attention when I was a member of Congress. In 1994, it was revealed to me that Briggs & Stratton would close its engine manufacturing plant in Milwaukee, resulting in 2,000 workers being permanently displaced. This devastating news was compounded by the subsequent discovery that these jobs were being transferred to plants that were being expanded in two other states. To add further injury and insult, the company used $850,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to subsidize the expansion.

Anti-piracy provisions were in place in 1994 at the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). However, they were not applicable to the HUD CDBG program at the time. That is why I introduced the Prohibition of Incentives for Relocation Act along with Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold to ban this practice at HUD. The third White House Conference on Small Business, convened in 1995, included this legislation in its recommendations of the most important issues facing small businesses and forwarded it to Congress and the President for action. It was finally enacted into law in 2005.

I raise this issue today because there are federal agencies responsible for administering billions of ARRA dollars not governed by anti-piracy laws. Although the EDA, SBA and HUD have to abide by anti-piracy regulations imposed by federal statutes, there is nothing to prevent other federal agencies from intentionally or unintentionally allowing ARRA dollars to be used to support job pirating.

While it may be appropriate to use ARRA funds to preserve jobs and retain existing businesses in a particular community, it is totally inappropriate to use ARRA funds or any federal dollars to lure jobs from one area to a different community or state. Any action to do so would violate ARRA's clear intent to preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery while assisting those most impacted by the economic downturn.

I, therefore, ask for your help in providing formal White House guidance on this matter because the importance of this issue remains a critical one to this day for Wisconsin as well as other states with a high concentration of labor intensive industries. Workers in Milwaukee and across the nation would rest much easier knowing that they have the weight of the White House behind them and that no ARRA funds will be used to take their jobs away.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Tom Barrett
Mayor of Milwaukee

Last October, Gov. Jim Doyle and I sought a comprehensive independent review of the finances and operations of Milwaukee Public Schools. The results of that review were released Thursday. Click here to read the report.

The data is sobering. MPS faces serious long-term financial problems because of increasing expenses, declining enrollment and the financial impacts of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program. The long term financial issues compound the district's serious academic challenges.

 

In response to the review, Gov. Doyle and I will partner with State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster and lead an effort to drive innovation, school improvement and fiscal responsibility in the Milwaukee Public Schools.

We will jointly implement an MPS Innovation and Improvement Initiative. This initiative has five main tenets:

• Create a MPS Innovation and Improvement Advisory Council that will guide the reform work and put MPS in the best position to improve student achievement and compete for federal dollars.
• Develop a comprehensive, district-wide school improvement plan that promotes innovation, accountability and results.
• Develop a state corrective action plan for MPS. 
  Strive for fiscal responsibility and transparency through financial and performance management oversight.
• Compete for American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding.

I am committed to reforming MPS, and believe this initiative is a step in the right direction. I hope that you will join my drive for reform in the coming months.

 

Tom Barrett is the mayor of Milwaukee.

Editor's note: Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett today delivered his State of the City Address at the Harley-Davidson Museum. The text of his speech follows in a special edition of the Milwaukee Biz Blog.

Fellow Milwaukeeans and special guests, I am pleased to stand before you to present my fifth report on the State of our City. Thank you, Gail for that welcome and introduction, Harley-style.

Welcome to Harley-Davidson's world-class attraction and welcome to the Menomonee Valley. When I took office in 2004, the Harley-Davidson Museum project was at a standstill. I immediately committed my administration to moving forward with the plans and together, with Harley-Davidson and the Common Council, this incredible cultural asset rose out of an old public works yard.

We also saved the taxpayers money by consolidating two public works facilities into one. These projects are never easy, but they are certainly worth our efforts. Thank You Harley-Davidson for your commitment to Milwaukee.

I chose this venue not only because of the Harley-Davidson story, but also because of the story of the Menomonee Valley. I hope when you drove here this morning you took Canal Street, and if you didn't, I strongly encourage you to drive through the Valley soon.

What you see today is in stark contrast to what you would have seen just five years ago. What was then the City's biggest eyesore has become home to growing companies and first-rate attractions. It's an invigorating drive, and during a time when the economic news is not good, it's a great example of what forward thinking can achieve.

It is because of the collective efforts of all our Valley Partners that The International Economic Development Council recently recognized Milwaukee with an award for its achievement in redeveloping the Menomonee Valley. The Valley was recognized as one of the world's 25 best economic development projects. Drive through it, and you'll see why. The Harley-Davidson Museum rightly deserves all the praise and press it receives. This company has survived the Great Depression, the economic turmoil of the 1980s, and other difficult times. What hasn't grabbed a lot of headlines is Harley's commitment to its historic west-side neighborhood. It's there where you'll find the Harley-Davidson Targeted Investment Neighborhood strategy at work. The targeted investment initiative dedicates public and private resources to improving quality of life and strengthening the neighborhood. Working with the City, Harley employees and residents around its headquarters have worked to address nuisance properties, improve public safety, clean up litter, and make home repairs. In fact, 48 percent of neighborhood residents participated in this effort.

I am confident Harley-Davidson will continue to be one of the most successful brands associated with the City of Milwaukee. We are all facing difficult and uncertain times. But just like Harley-Davidson,

Milwaukeeans are resilient. I am fully confident that Milwaukee will withstand the current economic downturn. We will make smart investments, continue to build strong partnerships, provide training to our workforce and improve our public schools. We WILL emerge as a stronger and more competitive city.

Even during this economic downturn, we see signs of optimism. In late 2008, we transformed a brownfield into a success story. We used a remediation strategy to help a central-city business expand in its current location. Medovations, a medical products company, embarked on a $3 million expansion, maintaining its current workforce and adding 12 additional jobs. This is the first physical expansion of this company and we are thrilled to put a brownfield back to use. Equally exciting, the company hires nearly all of its employees from the central city, and provides on-the-job training.

The City celebrated the ninth groundbreaking in the Valley with Charter Wire's new facility, a facility that will be home to 115 employees. Elsewhere in the Valley, the Canal Street Commerce Center, the Harley-Davidson Museum and Derse have all opened for business, and the Potawatomi Casino has expanded.
Through the development of more than a dozen projects, more than 2000 jobs have been created.

I'm proud to say that one of the first new businesses in the Valley is already exceeding our expectations. Palermo's Pizza now has 400 employees and is strongly committed to my Summer Youth Jobs Initiative. In an effort to replicate the success in the Valley, the City has invested $6.4 million in assisting businesses in the 30th Street Industrial Corridor. Through the use of our TIF financing tool, we assisted DRS in upgrading its facility. In 2009, we plan to tackle three of the worst brownfields in the 30th Street Industrial Corridor.

The old tannery on 32nd & Hampton will be part of the Bishop's Creek development.

Further south, we have our sights set on the former Tower Automotive plant, and we're going to clean up the former Esser Paint factory on 31st & Galena. Great progress is being made on Milwaukee's south side in the Airport Gateway Business Improvement District. I'd like to thank Alderman Terry Witkowski for his leadership. We couldn't be more pleased with the progress on the Brewery Project. This $205 million redevelopment will be the first 'sustainable' LEED-certified neighborhood. The city assisted with a $29 million TIF to fund demolition, environmental cleanup, new 'green' streets, sewers and sustainable public improvements.

The Keg House was converted into the Blue Ribbon Lofts. And, we celebrated when the newly-converted Boiler House welcomed it first two commercial tenants. I'm grateful to Joe Zilber for his continued civic philanthropy, and I look forward to working with him for many years to come. One of the keys to a stronger neighborhood is a stronger workforce. I want our workforce development to be the best in the nation in helping those most in need find family-supporting jobs. Since taking over Workforce Investment, we've created a more demand-driven and customer responsive system with activities to connect employers with employees.

The Workforce Board has identified key new partnerships with City employers, such as Supersteel on the Northwest side. Through its customized welding and manufacturing skills training program, the Board helped meet Supersteel's need for an additional 26 trained employees. Growing and attracting green industries is central to my vision for Milwaukee.New green technologies create jobs and lower costs. A 2008 sustainability survey ranked the 50 largest U.S. cities based on water quality, recycling and energy efficiency efforts. Milwaukee ranked 12th, up from 16th in 2006.

And we're not slowing down.

At the current rate of water use, the U.S. will need 16 trillion additional gallons of fresh water per year by 2020. This is equal to one-fourth of the combined outflow of ALL the Great Lakes. 1.2 billion people worldwide suffer from a lack of clean water. 2.6 billion people lack adequate sanitation, primarily due to water conditions. Milwaukee must grow its water economy. Here in Milwaukee, our companies have developed cutting-edge research and technologies associated with treating water and preserving water quality.

We're also home to companies that invent and produce water-quality related equipment. I'm not talking about selling our water. I am talking about growing and selling our expertise with treating freshwater. Water WILL be one of the largest economic growth sectors in the world over the next few decades. And Milwaukee can be the hub for freshwater technologies and research if we do something NOW to plan for our future.

That's where the Milwaukee 7's Water Council comes in. It has a membership of more than 100 water technology companies. Combining that business innovation with UWM in a School of Freshwater Sciences AND the research of the Great Lakes Water Institute is a shared goal that must be realized. Governor Doyle has authorized the school in his budget. Now, we must work to ensure that the financial commitment is there at the end of the state budget process. Imagine a School of Freshwater Sciences with a front door on our incredibly beautiful lakefront.

On the near-south side, we will have the School's freshwater research facilities and a water technology business park. We can and must accomplish this. I want to thank Badger Meter's Rich Meussen, UWM Chancellor Carlos Santiago and GMC President Julia Taylor for their leadership in shaping and pursuing this goal, and I pledge that I will do all I can to make the school and the water technology park a reality. Innovations in the way government delivers services will also improve Milwaukee's competitive standing.

Over the past few months, I have been in discussions with MMSD over its annual $14.6 million natural gas bill. We think it's time for a less expensive option. Just yesterday, I announced that Veolia Environmental Services and MMSD will proceed on the construction of a 17-mile methane gas pipeline that will capture landfill gas in Muskego and deliver it to the Jones Island Water Treatment Facility. Presently, the landfill gas is flared off at the landfill. That's money going up in smoke.

The methane gas will be transported through the pipeline and then converted into a fuel source to heat and dry Milogranite. With the installation of five new methane gas turbines, MMSD will be able to meet its electrical needs and eventually produce excess electricity to put back on the electrical grid. This project will result in lower customer bills for families and businesses, especially our businesses that use a lot of water in production...think Miller beer.

This is a great win-win for businesses and the environment. I want to thank MMSD Director Kevin Shafer, Commissioners Preston Cole and Alderman Ashanti Hamilton, as well as the staff from MMSD and Veolia. This pipeline is also ripe for federal stimulus dollars and we're going to do all we can to get the funding for this and other job-producing projects that help to improve our infrastructure.

I know there are critics of President Obama's stimulus plan. I am not one of them. Congress and the President have made the decision to spend the money. Since our taxpayers are going to help pay that money back, I'd much rather have that money spent in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, than Milwaukie, Oregon.

Since last November, I have been working with Congresswoman Gwen Moore, Congressman Dave Obey, and Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold to make sure Milwaukee's needs were addressed in the bill. Last Friday I met with President Obama and members of his cabinet. I want to also acknowledge the leadership that Common Council President Willie Hines has brought to this issue. The Council and I understand that spending wisely and putting Milwaukeeans to work is paramount. Thank you, President Hines. We have the opportunity to invest in our infrastructure and our workforce. In these difficult times, we have to do all we can to build upon both. Improving our local roads is good for residents and businesses alike.

Attacking lead poisoning lowers health care costs. Weatherizing our older housing stock reduces energy bills and improves the value of City homes. Leveraging federal funds for our police department helps keep our streets safe.

Repairing and improving the KK River channel will enhance the value of nearby neighborhoods and add to the City's green space. Cleaning up the environmental problems at the old Tower Automotive site will lead to future development, more jobs and an increase in the City's tax base. Investing in high-speed and commuter rail will enhance Milwaukee's standing as the state's center of commerce and a national destination. These are the types of activities I want to pursue for funding. These are investments that will pay off in the future and investments that are worth making. We must continue to grow Milwaukee.

In order to grow Milwaukee, we will need to capitalize on partnerships at all levels. Governor Doyle and I recently formed a partnership with the Milwaukee donor community to study the finances of the Milwaukee Public Schools. I'm expecting the work and findings to be completed within the next few weeks. The Governor and I will then present a report and prepare legislation to be taken up by the State Legislature. I can tell you that the briefings I have had on the schools so far are some of the most sobering and difficult meetings I have had since becoming mayor.

The fiscal challenges facing MPS are serious and will require both short and long-term solutions. There are a number of factors that drive the district's financial bottom-line: enrollment, excess facilities, district spending and state school aid formulas. As you know, for years I have been fighting to fix the flaws in the funding of the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program. No matter how you feel about school choice, the fact is Milwaukee property taxpayers pay a disproportionate share of the program's costs.

These costs get attached to the Milwaukee Public School levy, drive up our property taxes, and decrease the amount of money that flows into our classrooms. I am hopeful today that this scenario is about to change. Governor Doyle has included in his budget a provision that phases out after five years the property tax burden caused by not including school choice program students in the calculation of school aids for Milwaukee.

If this provision is included in the final state budget - and I strongly encourage all of you here to contact your state legislator and tell him or her to support the provision - Milwaukee taxpayers will receive $38 million in property tax relief once the phase-in is fully implemented. In the first year alone, we will receive $10 million in tax relief. This is a huge step forward and I want to express my thanks to Governor Doyle. Fixing the school aid funding flaw is only one piece of the puzzle. Unfortunately, there are a lot pieces and not all of them fit together nicely.

As we have worked through the fiscal review of MPS, the issue of school governance has naturally risen from the discussion. I said a week or so ago that it is time for this community to have a very frank and serious conversation about the future of our schools. I don't believe that I'm alone in asking if the structure we have in place today is the best structure to address the issues facing Milwaukee Public Schools now and into the future.

The review of school finances does not address the governance issue. It is the district's finances and performance that raise the governance issue. I have the responsibility to do all I can to ensure the growth and stability of our great city. That responsibility includes doing everything I can to improve the Milwaukee Public Schools. Hiring and retaining great teachers, getting more dollars into the classroom and preparing our students for a bigger and more competitive world are what I want - what most of us want. Improving our schools will not be accomplished with any magic potion or any quick fix. That's why now is the time to have that very frank conversation about the future of MPS. It's a conversation that should be conducted with civility and reason. Teachers are dedicated public servants. A career in the classroom is significant and one involving a great deal of personal sacrifice. Parents rightly want the best education possible for their children and our students should always be our main concern.

Unfortunately, City government is not immune to the international economic downturn. I will prepare our next budget so that it's balanced and doesn't over-burden our residents and businesses. There will be tough cuts.

Not surprisingly, the City's finances are closely related to the condition of the economy. During my first five years in office the City's budget has balanced City services while dealing with declining State aid in a fiscally responsible way. That trend will continue as we address our priorities in difficult times. Governor Doyle's budget contains relatively modest shared revenue cuts. The cuts could have been deeper and I appreciate the Governor's efforts to maintain a funding freeze in 2010.

Nevertheless, the City's budget picture is very cloudy. It is more important than ever that the Mayor and the Common Council address these serious fiscal issues as collaboratively as possible. To that end, I am moving forward on a suggestion offered by Aldermen Michael Murphy and Nic Kovac that we implement joint fiscal planning discussions, which will also involve the Comptroller and representatives from the private sector. In addition, the reconstituted Capital Improvements Committee has the potential to provide serious and well-informed discussion regarding our budget priorities for infrastructure and public buildings. I've also directed my cabinet to continue developing partnerships that will produce efficiencies and tax savings.

From the day I first took office, I have made public safety my top priority. With scarce municipal resources, I still put more cops on the street. The cooperation among police officers, the clergy, community agencies and individuals has led to some very gratifying results.

Homicides of young African American men plunged 65 percent last year-from 54 in 2007 to 19 in 2008. That's still too many homicides and we have much work to do, but it is an astonishing one-year drop. Violent crime is down in all categories.

I am grateful to all the men and women of the Milwaukee Police Department for their hard work. The City funds numerous activities that help to reduce violence in our neighborhoods as well. From the City Attorney's office and the Department of Neighborhood Services, to the Health Department and its focus on family violence prevention through the Commission on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, we are making a difference. There is a shared desire in Milwaukee to make our city safer and stronger by reducing crime.

My Office of Violence Prevention has been bringing community stakeholders together. I offer my appreciation to the Homicide Review Commission, our partners in the District and U.S. Attorney's offices, neighborhood groups, and members of the clergy. It's people like Elder Ruben Madison Jr., block club captain on the 3100 block of N. 21st street, who are helping to make the difference. He's teamed up with others to rid the neighborhood of nuisance properties and drug dealing. And with the help of his community liaison officer, enlisted many allies who have worked tirelessly to take back this block. They've done it so well, they're now moving on to the next block and will help the residents there organize their own improvement effort. I'd like to recognize Elder Ruben and the other individuals for contributing to the success of this effort. Please stand and be recognized. Adam Stephens of the City Attorney's Office... Ron Roberts and Matt Dama of the Department of Neighborhood Services... Jake Corr of the District Attorney's Office... Taleeba Mateen and Al Hegwood of Safe & Sound AND, Ray Robakowski, of the Milwaukee Police Department.

I also want to recognize Tina Chang of Syslogic and Don Layden of Metavante for stepping forward and responding to Chief Flynn's request for computer technical support. The department's focus is on data-driven policing, making its IT systems critical to its crime-fighting strategy. Tina is with us today and on behalf of city taxpayers, I thank you.

While crime is down, unfortunately, foreclosures are up. Currently, there are more than 1,800 bank-owned foreclosed properties in the City and more than 4,700 foreclosure filings. Families are being disrupted and our most vulnerable citizens are being impacted. Tenants in foreclosed homes are being evicted with little or no notice. Vacant and boarded-up homes can undermine a neighborhood. They also impact the City's tax base. We're meeting this crisis head on - with strong partners. I convened the Milwaukee Foreclosure Partnership Initiative to help. This group assisted us in developing a coordinated strategy to address the foreclosure issue. More than 100 volunteers representing a broad range of community interests answered the call. I thank them all for their efforts. The partnership developed a plan to intervene with homeowners currently at risk, stabilize neighborhoods and prevent foreclosure issues from developing in the future.

Here are a few of the steps we're taking as a City: Milwaukee will soon launch a Homeownership Consortium that will enhance homebuyer education and financial literacy efforts. We are moving forward with a Court Appointed Mediation program that will bring lenders and borrowers to the table. Similar programs in other parts of the country have achieved considerable success. Thank you to Catey Doyle and the Legal Aid Society for spearheading this program. Alderman Joe Davis and I have been working to secure funding to launch this effort. I'm pleased to announce the City will be contributing $100,000. Thank you, Alderman Davis for your support. And just yesterday afternoon, I spoke to Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen who indicated that his office would contribute a significant amount to the mediation effort as well. In addition, the City has received $9.2 million of federal funding to help address the foreclosure problem. Our plan for using those funds has already been approved by HUD. The funding will be available in a few weeks and we are moving forward to help homebuyers, responsible landlords and developers put foreclosed homes into use. If we are to become a thriving economic engine fueling others, then we will need to build on our regional partnerships. The time is now with the federal stimulus on its way, and the opportunities are exciting.

We need to support and pass the Regional Transit Authority legislation. Our region is much more than interstate highways. An RTA that funds and operates transit will be an asset to Milwaukee and to the region. With an RTA in place we can reverse the death spiral of the current County-operated transit system, expand transit services so workers can be connected to regional jobs and extend commuter rail from Kenosha to Milwaukee. I'm asking all regional leaders to join me in supporting the high-speed rail initiative. There's $8 billion in the stimulus package for this and it has Milwaukee and Wisconsin written all over it. It is also time for regional leaders to join together and demand that federal and state transportation officials recognize that transportation is more than widening highways. It's also about local roads and mass transit.

The first action we should take is to re-direct the state's $21 million appropriation for the construction of the Pabst Farms exit. That money should go into local roads. Let's put those dollars to work repairing potholes and paving local roads that are heavily traveled right now. In tough economic times, we really do need to appreciate what makes Milwaukee such a great place. For example, in 2008, we tied for the second lowest number of fire deaths in well over 50 years. Thank you, Chief Doug Holton and the brave men and women of the fire department. The Health Department formed a partnership with both the Boys and Girls Club and the Fire Department to provide immunizations to Milwaukee citizens. During 2008, the Health Department provided more than 30,000 vaccinations to children and adults representing a 14 percent increase over 2007. Thank you, Commissioner Baker and the staff of the Milwaukee Health Department for your hard work. Thanks also to the many people who are working to help students through the I Have A Dream Milwaukee Program. We officially started our program this past September at Clarke Street School. Last year, we saluted the Kellners' for their generous contribution to cover college tuition costs for the entire first grade.

This year we salute the Brady Corporation for taking on the entire second grade. CEO Frank Jaehnert from Brady is with us today. Thank you, Frank. Thanks to all of you who have participated in my summer youth jobs program. We all need to help build the skills of Milwaukee's future workforce and provide hope in the lives of young people. That's why I'm asking you again to join the Earn and Learn Team. I'm very pleased John Kissinger of GRAEF is the co-chair of this year's program and is with us today. Thank you for your partnership in this very worthwhile endeavor.

Finally, I want to follow-up on an announcement I made at last year's State of the City address. In tough economic times, with less money for family vacations, what better way to spend a summer weekend than to watch the Great Circus Parade.

Yes sireee, step right up. On July 12, Milwaukee will once again host this national treasure. Please join us as we celebrate. There will be many more details coming soon.

We are facing economic challenges not seen in this country for generations. It's important that as we leave here today, we remember the difficulties and challenges our parents and grandparents faced as they made their way through the most difficult economic time our country ever confronted. They were optimistic and confident, and that attitude went a long way. I am confident that Milwaukee will weather this economic storm. I believe in the strength of our community and that the progress we've made will continue through successful partnerships with businesses, unions, and community groups. We do not stand alone; we stand and rise together.

I ask you to be optimistic, to be part of the positive change and to join the progress that's happening in our City. I look forward to working with all of you. Thank you for coming.

Tom Barrett is the mayor of Milwaukee.

Editor's note: Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett wrote the following letter to U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.):

 

Dear Congressman Kirk:

I understand from news reports that the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago recently released the largest combined sewer overflow into Lake Michigan ever recorded.

While no one wants to see sewage overflows occur at all, there are times when the sewers are overwhelmed and it is necessary to have overflow into waterways to prevent sewage backups into homes and businesses. This was likely the case during recent heavy rainstorms in the Chicagoland area earlier this month.

What concerns me is the amount of the overflows reported by the Metropolitan Water
Reclamation District of Greater Chicago which were estimated at 99 billion gallons. To provide some comparison, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Sewerage District (MMSD) overflows since 1994 when our deep tunnel went online is 18.7 billion gallons.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago estimates do not even include the amount (1.8 billion gallons) of sewage released to the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers during the same storm.
So, in this one September storm alone, Chicago released five times more combined sewage than Milwaukee has released in 14 years.

Additionally, Chicago is perhaps the only community that can have overflows that go both east and west into different watersheds (Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River) at the same time.
Chicago has dozens of combined sewer overflows every year into the Mississippi basin -the source of drinking water for millions of people. Chicago is also the only city on the Great Lakes that does not disinfect its wastewater.

Without question, both Milwaukee and Chicago have a very strong commitment to protecting Lake Michigan. As government officials, our respective citizens expect us to do everything we can to ensure this precious resource is healthy for generations to come.

I believe we can get more accomplished if we work together. Everyone on the Great Lakes needs to do better to reduce pollution. We have a common problem that will take an enormous amount of resources to address. It is my hope that we can join forces to attract the resources so desperately needed to revitalize the Great Lakes.

Sincerely,
Mayor Tom Barrett

Unfortunately, the Common Council voted to significantly increase the tax burden on City of Milwaukee residents by passing the so-called "wheel tax," a $20 increase in the motor vehicle registration fee.

In a press release earlier (Wednesday), Council President Willie Hines and Alderman Bob Bauman incorrectly categorized the increase as revenue from the state Department of Transportation. That is wrong. This is a tax on City of Milwaukee residents and will increase the cost of registering their vehicles from $75 per car to $95 per car - a 26-percent increase for every vehicle in a household.

While I agree with the need to increase our investment in local streets, I am opposed to a funding scheme that is totally financed by city residents while businesses, not-for-profits and non-city residents - all generators of traffic on city streets - pay nothing.

I do not want Milwaukee to become a "tax island," and I think it's unfair for residents to carry the sole burden of street repair when so many others benefit from those repairs.

I have proposed an alternative that increases the level of street paving at significantly less cost to residents. My alternative includes payment from commercial, manufacturing and tax exempt properties, all of which are not subjected to the wheel tax.

I will veto this proposal because it is unfair to raise the vehicle registration fee from $75 to $95 for only City of Milwaukee residents. At a time when residents are already grappling with increases in food and fuel prices, a 26-percent increase in city wheel taxes is not the road to go down."

Tom Barrett is the mayor of Milwaukee.

Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker says he is looking for new federal dollars to bail out the County's struggling bus system.

This is strange because Milwaukee is already sitting on $91.5 million in federal money to enhance and upgrade transportation in our community.

My plan to use that $91.5 million would provide the county with about the same amount of money Walker says he needs from the feds for buses, and use the rest to introduce a starter rail system to Milwaukee.

Scott could have millions for buses today, yet he has rejected my plan. He has also turned down my repeated offers for him and I to simply agree to disagree, split the $91.5 million, and go our separate ways.

The reason for these odd actions is clear, and has nothing to do with buses. County Executive Walker is vehemently opposed to rail in our community, and he seems content to leave $91.5 million in federal money for Milwaukee tied up forever to ensure he kills rail.

This makes no sense, because right now rail transit is triggering billions of dollars in economic development, business growth and job creation in cities of all sizes and types from every part of the country.

It's time for Milwaukee to break from the old, reflexive anti-rail thinking of yesterday. It's time for Milwaukee to get over its rail-phobia, move boldly into the future and reap the massive benefits of rail - just like these other cities:

• Portland, Ore. - $2.3 billion in private investment and development in areas served by the city's first streetcar line.
• Denver, Colo. - $4 billion in private investment in downtown and nearby neighborhoods thanks in large part to modern transit system.
• Dallas, Texas - As of 2003, $1 billion in new development around Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) rail stations.
  Charlotte, N.C. - 7,000 new housing units planned along the city's Blue Line, and ridership now stands at 13,000 riders daily - 4,000 more riders per day than previously estimated.
• Minneapolis, Minn. - 12,000 housing units and 1 million square feet of commercial space built, under construction, or proposed within a 1/2-mile radius of Hiawatha rail line stations.
• Little Rock, Ark. - $300 million in new construction since city's streetcar line was built.
  Indianapolis, Ind. - Features a downtown rail system and currently considering a downtown streetcar system as part of a comprehensive transit plan very similar to the Barrett plan.
• Phoenix, Ariz - The new rail system is not yet completed, but already it has sparked $6 billion in development as new housing, offices and mixed-use buildings are being built along the rail line.

Buses are essential, and we should absolutely invest to keep the bus system viable.

 

But different modes of transit accomplish different things, and rail is better at sparking economic development. In the words of Greg Hnedak, who planned Memphis' highly successful streetcar system, "Buses are cheaper, but when you put rails down, you have made a permanent commitment, and developers can see that commitment. Rail lines become development corridors."

And rail attracts more riders. "People who wouldn't ride a bus will ride a streetcar," says Michael Burns, general manager of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA).

As a result, rail systems make a city more attractive to open or relocate a business, more appealing to talented workers searching for a place to live, and they make a city more attractive and friendly to visit - all of which will create jobs up and down the socioeconomic ladder.

So the next time someone tells you that buses can accomplish what rail can, think about this summary from Paul Weyrich, a noted conservative activist and researcher, no less:

"Rails are a must. You cannot turn a bus into a streetcar for the same reason you cannot make a sow's ear into a silk purse: the original material always shows through."

Milwaukee needs a strong bus system, and we should invest part of the $91.5 million in buses.

But it's also time for Milwaukee to move past its rail-phobia and develop a rail system that will generate enormous economic development for our community.

Tom Barrett is the mayor of Milwaukee.

From Denver to Charlotte; Portland to the Twin Cities; Indianapolis to Dallas; Chicago to Little Rock, Ark.; cities across the country are reaping the vast economic benefits of rail transit.

Right now, no less than 27 major cities across the country are considering new or expanded rail systems. In fact, virtually every important American city that is growing features this technology in its transportation system.
Rail can do for Milwaukee what it has done for cities of all types and sizes in every corner of this country: spark literally billions of dollars of economic growth and development. Without it, Milwaukee is missing a critical opportunity to propel our community forward.

The question is, what is the best way to introduce rail to Milwaukee?

My transit plan splits $91.5 million in federal transit money designated for Milwaukee, investing about half in Bus Rapid Transit to help the county’s struggling bus system, and half to create a new starter streetcar system called the Downtown Circulator.

Here is why the Downtown Circulator is best way to start rail in Milwaukee:

A strong downtown is crucial to all of Milwaukee. According to Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2008, the strongest U.S. markets are those that make their urban centers "…magnets for corporate headquarters, business elites, the best and the brightest of the workforce as well as the largest share of investor dollars."

No one believes downtown is more important than other neighborhoods, but downtown development is historically a major factor in business decisions to stay, relocate, or expand in a city, as well as an important part in retaining and keeping young talent. Rail makes Milwaukee more attractive for businesses and workers alike.

And downtown development sparks economic growth in surrounding neighborhoods.

• Major economic hub. Downtown is home to many of Milwaukee’s most important businesses and more than 78,000 jobs - including 18,000 (23 percent) service and blue collar jobs. And this doesn’t include many part-time and seasonal employees who work downtown. Plus the Circulator will do for Milwaukee what rail has done in countless cities across America - develop the economy and create more jobs.
• Major destination point for area residents and visitors. Entertainment districts, concert venues, the Lakefront, arts and culture attractions, sporting events, shopping, festivals – people come downtown from across the region and around the state. Future developments at the Pabst Brewery and in the Park East will only increase the demand for rail in this area.
• Fast growing neighborhood. The Downtown population now stands at 15,000 people and rising, and more than 200,000 people live within a 3-mile radius of downtown Milwaukee.
• Multi-modal, fully integrated transit vision. My plan links the Downtown Circulator with two new Bus Rapid Transit express routes, KRM commuter rail, Amtrak service, and the County’s local bus service, and connects it all at the newly-renovated Intermodal Station. The Circulator would be accessible to everyone.
  Fiscally responsible. My plan utilizes part of $91.5 million already set aside for us – without massive new spending.
• Critical first step. Getting a rail system in the ground that will clearly demonstrate its tremendous value is the best way to introduce rail to Milwaukee. The Circulator is the perfect starter system to serve as a first phase, and we can responsibly and smartly expand the Circulator into neighborhoods across the city in the future.

Those who might oppose my plan because they want a larger, more expansive rail system have failed to explain how to pay for it, and such systems are typically very expensive. And my plan puts Milwaukee on the pathway to a greater system in the future - in a smart, planned, and responsible way.

To reject rail outright is a failure to recognize its enormous economic power, and will cause Milwaukee to lag behind virtually every other major city in America.

Splitting $91.5 million in federal funds between the Downtown Circulator and Bus Rapid Transit to help the County bus system is a real compromise and will move Milwaukee forward.

Tom Barrett is the mayor of Milwaukee.

2008 Inaugural Address of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett
Delivered Tuesday, April 15, 2008

 

Thank you all. I will make my comments brief or else it'll be time to start on the next
inauguration.

Fellow Milwaukeeans and special guests, I am honored to stand before you today as I
begin my second term as your mayor.

Serving as Milwaukee's 40th mayor - your mayor - has been the greatest honor of my
life. I want to thank my wife Kris and my children Tommy, Annie, Erin and Kate for
being here today and for their support. I also want to thank my brother John and my
niece and nephew who are also here with me.

When I took office four years ago, I gave you my promise to make Milwaukee a safer,
stronger city for every resident. I promised to address our issues head on - from
economic development to public safety - and to lead regional cooperation efforts on
issues such as job creation and protecting our environment.

Together we've made incredible progress. I'm proud of the accomplishments and strides
made over the past four years. From the 11,000 jobs we've been able to leverage to the
public spaces we've reclaimed for our neighbors, Milwaukee is growing stronger every
day.

We are making differences in the lives of Milwaukeeans block-by-block. And our efforts
have just begun.

Public Safety
I've worked hard to build partnerships among law enforcement, community groups,
residents and businesses to reduce crime in Milwaukee's neighborhoods. I've said it
before and I'll say it again: For anyone who wants to work to address the issue of public
safety in our city, there is a seat for you at my table.

Last week I called for a special session in Madison to address the issue of violent crime,
specifically to request action on the issues of illegal guns, tougher sentencing and
resources for prosecutors. Action on these items is critical to our efforts.

• How many more children will be at either end of a gun?
• How many more officers will be shot at?
• How many more funerals will there be in this city before action is taken to stem
  the tide of illegal guns in our city?

We have got to have stiffer penalties for felons and others who think little of selling,
carrying or using illegal guns to terrorize our residents. We must find out where these
guns are coming from and give law enforcement, prosecutors and courts the resources
they need to get the illegal guns and the people who use them out of this community.
And we must do so soon. We cannot wait.

Jobs and Economic Development
As we work to make our city safer, we must make sure that there are family-supporting
jobs for every resident. And we simply must do a better job of ending the poverty that
afflicts too many in our community, including children.

That is why we will continue to tailor job training and placement through the Milwaukee
Area Workforce Investment Board and to make strategic use of our available land to
grow and expand business opportunities in the City that will create more jobs.

I want to mirror our success in the Menomonee Valley in the 30th Street Industrial
Corridor. I want to continue the progress in the Park East where we currently have the
“bookends” – the new Manpower Headquarters and the Flatiron Building to the east and
the Brewery Project to the west.

I want to continue to grow our Youth Employment program because as adults we have a
moral responsibility to create hope in the lives of our young people. And I will continue
to look to create more green jobs so that residents for generations to come will have
gainful employment opportunities in Milwaukee.

 

Property Tax Relief
With gainful employment comes economic prosperity, including the opportunity to have
a piece of the American dream - home ownership.

We have kept our promise to hold the line on property taxes - our annual levy has
increased less than the state average and less than Milwaukee County in recent years.

But still, City of Milwaukee homeowners are paying 20 percent more of the property tax
burden than they were 30 years ago.

I know that there are budget problems at the state and federal level but it's time to look at
options besides raising taxes and fees on our own residents to pay for municipal programs
and services.

I will continue to do my part and fight for Milwaukee taxpayers.

We were finally able to pass state legislation to stop paying fired police officers charged
with crimes - a practice that was costing Milwaukee taxpayers millions of dollars. Now
we can focus on the best of the best in our Police Department, not the worst of the worst.

We must do the same and finally fix the school choice funding flaw, which is currently
costing property taxpayers in Milwaukee about $200 more a year. No matter your
feelings on the merits of the Choice program, there is no question that the financing of it
has brought additional undue burden to homeowners in Milwaukee.

This is not about school choice, it's about equitable funding for education and REAL
property tax relief. It is time to do right by our residents and fix the funding flaw.

We have so much going for us, but we have many needs. We must look outside
government to fund those pressing needs. There are a great many individuals and
foundations prepared to invest resources to strengthen our community. For months I
have worked behind the scenes with these entities.

My mission is to mobilize them with good ideas, strong proposals and the promise that
our shared commitment to our great City will yield positive results. In the coming weeks
we can expect announcements on significant private investments in Milwaukee.

 

Education
Never before in our city's history has education mattered more than it does today.
Last week I was at Masterlock where I was told that within five years, one-third of its
workforce will retire.

A competitive Milwaukee demands a ready, prepared workforce that can meet the needs
of the companies already located here and those we wish to bring in the future. We need
to do a better job ensuring our young people are prepared to fill those positions if
Milwaukee is to thrive in a competitive, global economy.

We have some really good schools in Milwaukee with dedicated teachers committed to
creating a better future for our students. But we can't sugarcoat the situation. Too many
students are not progressing as they should be.

We already have a high MPS property tax levy. There is a fundamental question that
needs to be addressed about how MPS and other large systems fundamentally adapt and
serve educational needs that are far different today than they were 30 years ago.

We also have to do a better job of working with parents to provide better, more
supportive households for children. We need stronger families and a clearer moral
compass. That means reducing teen pregnancies and getting fathers more involved in
their children’s lives.

Conclusion
As we move forward today, each of us must commit ourselves to a better, stronger
Milwaukee. This is the best job I’ve ever had. It is the most rewarding job I’ve ever had.
But it’s also the most challenging.

Serving the men and women of this community - my home and the city I love - is an
honor and a privilege.

Thank you for your trust and your partnership in moving our city forward.