Council, Mayor At Odds On City Lobbying

Milwaukee City Hall. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

One of the strings attached to Milwaukee’s proposed new sales tax is poised to come not from Republicans in Madison, but members of the Common Council.

And it’s coming partly because of how the GOP strings, including restrictions on diversity efforts, limits on streetcar expansions and onerous penalties for failing to meet minimum public safety spending levels, got attached to the revenue bill.

As a result of feeling like it was left in the dark, the Common Council is moving to assert substantially more control of the city’s lobbying team.

Mayor Cavalier Johnson and Department of Administration director Preston Cole have agreed to shift one of the three positions within the Intergovernmental Relations Division to the council, giving the legislative body two positions.

But the two sides aren’t in agreement on how changes get made to the city’s “legislative package” and exactly what a legislative package is.

“We are at an impasse, and that impasse looks like who ‘who has the authority,'” said Cole to members of the Judiciary & Legislation Committee on Wednesday.

Council President José G. Pérez, the lead proponent of the change, said he won’t let the issue drag into the council’s August recess. But there was internal miscommunication between the two sides that will likely continue the discussion until later this month.

And in announcing the delay, Pérez picked up even more support.

“I believe I authored this change 10 years ago,” said Ald. Robert Bauman, who signed on to join Pérez and Mark Chambers, Jr. as co-sponsors. Alderwoman Larresa Taylor also signed on as a co-sponsor.

Bauman said his proposal got watered down, but did result in the council getting its own part-time lobbyist. Brenda Wood held that role until stepping down in December. Justin Moralez, a former Cudahy alderman and school choice lobbyist, was recently hired into what was reconfigured as a full-time role. Bauman cautioned Pérez and his colleagues not to allow the proposal to get bogged down again.

“I just want to get it right,” said Pérez, noting the current configuration dates back to 1966. When the proposal was first discussed on June 26, during a meeting that focused on the sales tax and other policy issues, Pérez said the division needs accountability.

“I want to get on the record there is a lot of work to be done in that division,” said the council president.

“It was abysmal,” said Chambers of the bargaining process. “The communication wasn’t there.”  Bauman credited Pérez with stepping in to save the city.

Jim Bohl, a former alderman, leads the administration’s lobbying team and serves in a cabinet position required by state statute. Jordan Primakow is his deputy, while the other position is currently vacant.

Cole said Pérez and Johnson might need to sit down to hammer out the differences. He said one of the sticking points includes how last-minute modifications get made to the legislative package.

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Related Legislation: File 230358