City Boosts Illegal Dumping Fine To $5,000

Illegal dumping near N. 25th St. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

The City of Milwaukee is stepping up its fight against illegal dumping.

Led by Alderwoman Andrea Pratt, the Common Council unanimously voted to increase the minimum fine from $1,500 to $5,000.

“I have over 38 spots that have illegal dumping that I monitor every week,” said Pratt to the Public Safety & Health Committee on April 8. “This is a means to make it even less desirable to do illegal dumping.”

She’s previously challenged Department of Public Works to expedite its cleanup of alleys and other public areas hit by illegal dumping.

She’s not the only one frustrated by illegal dumping.

“Tire dumping is an issue that affects every neighborhood, some more than others,” said southwest side Alderman Peter Burgelis.

Pratt said she was upset to see an individual who was busted for dumping thousands of tires in her district only receive five citations totaling $3,800.

“He still made a profit of over $17,000 even after paying the penalty,” said Pratt.

But the offender, Dennis Bowen, didn’t even get initially ticketed by the city. He was busted by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources wardens and issued citations for $771 each. Body camera footage captures the incident.

The City of Milwaukee has an open small claims case against Bowen, who didn’t disclose to the DNR where the tires are coming from. He took $2 a piece to “dispose” of them in a city-owned lot.

After the dumping occurs, the city and those dumped on are left to pick up the tab.

Pratt said she is looking at ways to prevent private entities that get illegally dumped on from being left having to pay the cleanup costs.

“It’s heartbreaking,” said Ald. Scott Spiker.

“It costs over $5,000 to remove the tires each time,” said Pratt of Cousins Subs on W. Villard Avenue that had hundreds of tires dumped on it twice.

Pratt is also pursuing Ald. Robert Bauman‘s idea of a tire bounty, which would pay individuals to pick up loose tires and bring them to the Department of Public Works drop off centers.

“I have become the tire lady, unfortunately,” said Pratt with a laugh.

But on Tuesday, she scored her first policy win on the matter. A work group could soon follow.

Individuals can report illegal dumping to the Department of Neighborhood Services.

The issue is nothing new for Pratt’s district. In 2021, her predecessor Ashanti Hamilton threatened to pitch a tent in front of a city-owned house because of inaction on cleaning up the frequent dumping.

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