Politics
Needy, Truly Needy and the Downright Greedy
So the feeding frenzy has begun. What do you expect? When the federal government announces that it’s willing to spend as much as a trillion dollars there’s going to be a lot of folks lining up with ways to put that money to good use. You know what I’m reminded of? Remember how, after last spring’s floods, people lined up at the Coggs Center on Vliet when word got out that food stamp benefits were being handed out? Remember how certain voices on the right clucked what a shame it was that these lazy, poor people were looking for handouts? Well look who’s got their hands out now? Once again, let me be very clear. There is a role for government to take steps to stimulate the economy. But I hope someone is giving thought to how to generate good, family-supporting jobs and match them with the people who need them. After all, the opportunity to get your hands on free money has been getting people in trouble for a long, long time. Just look at that highly damning indictment against the current Illinois governor. Careful, though, cause this Blagojevich dude (and his wife) are caught using some salty language. When will they learn? I mean haven’t they all seen It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World? It’s bleeping hilarious.
Dec 9th, 2008 by Ted Bobrow
Masters of the Universe
The CEOs of the Big Three American automakers are returning to Capitol Hill clearly chastened by the lashing they took two weeks ago. Back then, they apparently expected easy access to a mere fraction of the $700 billion Congress has authorized to rescue the nation’s economy during this financial crisis. One can understand their reasoning. After all, the collapse of their companies would put not only their own employees out of work but would have a devastating effect on their suppliers and thousands of other businesses. Yet their failure to appreciate Congress’s distaste for bailing them out and their inability to predict the public relations disaster that would result from arriving in separate corporate jets make you wonder if these guys should be trusted running a car dealership in Sheboygan. Nobody wants to see more people out of work. And I certainly don’t want to see labor contracts that provided job security and health and pension benefits held up as the whipping horse responsible for the Big Three’s downfall. The idea behind those labor agreements, despite the need for some common sense reforms, should serve as models rather than dismissed as a symptom of poor management. Experts tell us that the immediate challenge facing our economy, including the carmakers, is the sudden evaporation of credit and the Big Three certainly have assets that can be used as collateral for the loans they seek. But the image problem facing the bozos in charge on Wall Street and Detroit cannot be so easily addressed. Once again the curtain has been pulled to reveal these so-called “Masters of the Universe” who earn millions of dollars a year while driving their businesses into the ground. Do you remember “Bonfire of the Vanities,” the Tom Wolfe novel that poked fun at the go-go economy of the 1980s. The book was made into a not-so-well-received movie featuring Bruce Willis, Tom Hanks and Melanie Griffith in 1990 and many may feel that the story hasn’t aged well. Well I’ve got news for you. The powerful message of the book, just as relevant as ever, is that the American Dream isn’t about working hard and living within your means. That’s for chumps who can get laid off without warning or justification. The American Dream is about making a killing, either through luck, like with a lottery ticket or at the casino, or, more venally, by manipulating the system like the Michael Millkens, Jeffrey Skillings and Ken Lays of recent memory. Of course, the trick is to avoid having one’s cover blown, either through government investigation, scandal or coincidence. Because there’s nothing the public enjoys more than watching one of the privileged few get their comeuppance. That’s the power of the Fourth Estate. It can be noble and lead to the unveiling of corruption and other crimes or it can be petty and exploitative, like watching a celebrity go through the humiliation of a perp walk. So enjoy the bread and circuses as the mighty are held accountable. Hopefully, […]
Dec 3rd, 2008 by Ted Bobrow
A freshman’s time to shine; ERC ghost haunts Barrett
Pat on the back: After weeks and weeks of hearing that this was Mayor Barrett’s most difficult budget ever – and that fees and taxes had to be raised by a certain amount or fire fighters, police and libraries would be cut – the Common Council found a third and better option. Thanks to frosh alderman Nik Kovac (who happens to have a math degree from Harvard), the Council came up with the idea of moving the bulk of the fee increases from the solid waste fee (homeowners only) to the wastewater/tree pruning fee (homeowners, non-profits and businesses). The City of Milwaukee will get more money by capturing businesses and non-profits (hey, they have trees too) with the fee increases, but homeowners will actually pay less than they would have under the Mayor’s proposed budget. Not only that, but aldermen managed to restore libraries, fire fighters and police – and expand the summer jobs program to boot. The word around City Hall is that the Mayor’s Budget office is frustrated that they didn’t see the solution that Ald. Kovac and other Council members put forth. But no matter who came up with the idea, it puts Milwaukee in a much better position. Sick Day Fiasco: Speaking of putting the city in a better position, a group called 9to5 collected thousands and thousands of signatures earlier this year to enable something called “direct legislation” for more paid sick days for workers in the city of Milwaukee. (Full time workers would be eligible for nine days per year, if it is ever implemented.) Insiders say business organizations (e.g. the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce) lobbied Mayor Barrett and Common Council President Hines pretty hard to come out against the ordinance, which went directly to a voter referendum without a chance for the Council to vote it down. Only Barrett took the bait, issuing a strong statement against more paid sick days for workers. What’s really interesting is that the Mayor now has no plan for enforcing the ordinance. He pushed for it to be defeated – hoping and praying, it seems, that he wouldn’t have to deal with it – and the voters ignored him. Now, Mayor Barrett appears to be pinning his hopes to an MMAC lawsuit against the ordinance. Why won’t he just deal with the fact that the ordinance passed and must be enforced? It all goes back to the Equal Rights Commission (ERC), or lack thereof. The ERC was established during the Norquist Administration to deal with discrimination complaints related to housing and employment. It was the City agency set up to hear those complaints and enforce legal action against discriminatory businesses, landlords, etc. But there was a big blow-up when Norquist took away the ERC’s legal powers, and members of the commission resigned or retired one by one. Pratt avoided the issue during his short tenure, but when Barrett was sworn in, everyone watched anxiously to see what he’d do with the ERC. Would he abolish it? […]
Dec 1st, 2008 by Dan Corcoran
From sausages and mansion to the mayor’s pajama party
By Dan Corcoran In a nutshell: Regardless of whether Mayor Barrett’s budget is the one Milwaukee ends up with, cuts are going to happen. And somebody’s going to get hurt. It seems that there’s just not enough money to do everything and the federal “aid” recently delivered to the city to help with its impending mortgage crisis fell far short of expectations. In the meantime, Barrett has been out and about, cavorting with sausages and holding town hall meetings on a budget he’s already submitted. The Sanitation and Forestry departments have nothing nice to say about each other, but it’s probably not personal. Then there’s that Goll Mansion thing. Oh yeah, and the mayor’s car almost got towed — but, luckily, he’s the mayor. So read on, and feel free to drop me a line at dcorcoran@vitalsourcemag.com. I welcome your additions, corrections and general feedback. Federal Foreclosure Dollars: The City of Milwaukee expected $15-$20 million, but we only got $9.1 million. According to the Fed’s Housing and Urban Development Office, Milwaukee was only the 55th hardest-hit city in the nation; Wisconsin, on the other hand, was the 17th hardest hit state. Rural and suburban areas have been hit harder by foreclosures than we have, apparently. California will get a full quarter of the HUD funds – around $500 million (That’s a headline all on its own: Wall Street whines over puny $700 billion bailout; Main Street grateful for $4 billion). But the formula that HUD used hurts Milwaukee, simply because so far we’ve lagged behind in the nationwide housing slump. Now, with our unemployment rate climbing and the global markets reeling, I, along with many others, predict that next year will see far more foreclosures in Milwaukee than 2008 or 2007. Barrett spends quality time with Hot Dog and Polish Sausage: In early October, our Mayor crossed the street with the Klement’s Racing Brat to kick off StreetShare Pedestrian Safety Week, intended to raise awareness that Wisconsin State Law requires drivers to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk whether it is marked with paint or unmarked. Just days earlier, he presided over the unveiling of a giant Brewers banner on City Hall as part of the celebration of Brewers Day, so declared by his Mayorship to commemorate the Brewers’ first playoff trip in 26 years. Listening sessions: Aldermen have been having them on all sides of the city to hear how residents feel about the 2009 City budget. Now Barrett is having town hall meetings on the subject as well. Not too many folks at his Miramar Theater meeting — maybe 20 people. Maybe a good idea to get out in the neighborhoods, but he has already presented this budget to the Common Council, so there’s not much the mayor can do when he gets public comment on the decisions he already made. Oh well, better late than never. Sour Sanitation: On a recent stroll with some Milwaukee Sanitation workers, they had nothing good to say about the Forestry Department. […]
Nov 1st, 2008 by Dan Corcoran
Committee Requests Federal Government Not Re-certify SEWRPC
Alderman Bauman lead the efforts to bring forward a resolution that would have the City of Milwaukee request that Milwaukee County withdraw from the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission ("SEWRPC").
Oct 28th, 2008 by Dave Reid
Wisconsin as a battlegound
Lots of people are assuming that Barack Obama has wrapped up Wisconsin. Certainly the polls suggest that Obama has a safe lead here and the fact that the Republican Party has stopped spending money on television ads here reinforce that impression. But, as we all know, the only poll that matters is the one on Election Day and we really don’t know how this will end. With that in mind, I call your attention to a video developed by the Washington Post capturing some of the diverse opinions and attitudes here in Wisconsin. It’s more than eight minutes long but I think you’ll find it as captivating as I did. The focus is on race and whether it will confound the results predicted by the polls. What I found most compelling about this video was the broad disparity of beliefs and attitudes across our state. Not that it should come as a surprise but it still makes your jaw drop. So, in a democracy, anything can happen when people go and vote. That’s why our system of government is so attractive and so difficult. You have to pay attention and take action. And that’s why that other guy from Illinois who ran for president called our country “the last, best hope of earth.” Lincoln’s words, quoted out of context, seem to reek of nationalistic hubris. But when you read the text of Lincoln’s speeches, especially the greatest one of all, his Second Inaugural Address, you can’t help but sense his humility and respect for every individual, friend or foe. “With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.” I mean does it get any better than that? Roger Johnson in The New Statesman, draws an interesting contrast between the evocation of Lincoln’s words in Obama’s speeches and the repeated references to Ronald Reagan by John McCain and Sarah Palin. Kind of makes you think. And then there’s this analysis of Lincoln by Jean Bethke Elshtain of the University of Chicago from 2002. Check out this concluding passage: More than a hundred years later, there is no point in hoping for another Abraham Lincoln. But one may hope that we have not entirely forgotten the possibilities of political and moral leadership that he exemplified. Wow. From 2002! So, remember, it’s a democracy. Who do you want as your president? And, finally, here’s a little comic relief. Washington Post cartoonist Tom Toles has a little fun with the McCain campaign’s use of robocalls. Only 11 days left. Make sure you vote.
Oct 24th, 2008 by Ted Bobrow
Imagine a More Just Milwaukee
Go ahead. Take a few seconds and give it some thought. If you had a magic wand and could do anything you wanted, how would you change Milwaukee to make it a better place to live, work and raise a family? Better schools? More jobs? Improved transit? More statues of fictional characters? We all have our ideas about how to improve our city. We talk about it all the time. And that’s okay. It’s good to talk about things we care about. But you know what? Just talking about it isn’t going to change a damn thing. We’d all like to think that simply voting on Election Day and paying our taxes will be enough to insure that all of our community’s needs are taken care of. Well I’ve got news for you. It ain’t. So do something. Anything. Want to see better schools but don’t know where to start? Confused by all the news reports that say MPS schools are underfunded or riddled with waste? Here’s an idea. Wherever you live, there’s a school near by. Stop by or call and get contact information for the PTA (that’s Parent Teacher Association for those of you who just arrived on this planet). Chances are they’ll have an idea or two about what you can do to help. Mentor a student. Help raise some money. Donate some materials. Whatever. You’ll be doing something concrete and you’ll feel better for it. Need other ideas? Visit Volunteer Milwaukee and look at all the local opportunities to make a difference. Don’t want to do it alone? Well here’s a suggestion. MICAH is holding its annual public meeting tonight to recruit members and solicit ideas about improving our community. MICAH stands for Milwaukee Innercity Congregations Allied for Hope. It’s a whole bunch of folks who believe that God helps those who help themselves. Yes it’s a faith-based organization but it’s open to everyone who cares about our city. Are you tired of religion being used as a cudgel of intolerance and divisiveness? Come and see how people of all faiths can join together to do something constructive. After all, whatever you believe, you gotta believe there’s strength in numbers. So check out MICAH’s public meeting tonight at 6 pm at St. Adalbert Catholic Church, 1923 W. Becher Street. As they used to say, “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.” It’s really that simple.
Oct 23rd, 2008 by Ted Bobrow
One Question
In the run-up to this historic election cycle, VITAL asked a sampling of your elected officials one question. We deliberately chose politicians at the city, county, state and federal levels, both Republicans and Democrats, in the hope that the responses of five different people who serve their constituencies from different horizons of perspective would offer some collective insight into where we are, where we’re headed and how we’re going to get there in the next four years. Their repsonses virtually careen from fiery stump speech to party line recitation to four-point-plan. If you follow politics, not much here will surprise you, but it is a rather fascinating character study.–Jon Anne Willow Willie L. Hines Jr. Alderman, 15th District Milwaukee Common Council President Having grown up in public housing, I am well acquainted with severe struggles many residents of Milwaukee face. My nine siblings and I always knew that having food on the table was not something to take for granted. We witnessed decay and destruction up close. And we learned to be thankful for everything, in and out of season – regardless of circumstances. Those childhood lessons have equipped me with a unique perspective when it comes to government and serving the needs of citizens. I know that significant challenges present significant opportunities – it’s a belief that guides my everyday life as an alderman and as Common Council President. I’ve witnessed individuals and communities in my district overcome myriad obstacles, so I know that it can be done with the right mix of determination and sound public policy. In regard to unemployment, housing and transportation, Milwaukee can do much better. We can – and should – face down these challenges and transform them into opportunities for growth, prosperity and a better quality of life for everyone. Part of the solution rests in a word that is often talked about but seldom realized: regionalism.Just as Milwaukee has its share of challenges, so too do our suburban neighbors: New Berlin has the largest industrial park in the state, but they need employees; many Waukesha residents want to get in and out of downtown Milwaukee quickly, but our inter-transit system is anemic; Shorewood and Whitefish Bay rely on Milwaukee for their employment options, but they offer almost no affordable housing. By recognizing that we are all one community, we can leverage our mutual advantages to address our mutual shortcomings. If Milwaukee can have sister-city relationships with municipalities in China and Africa, surely we can collaborate with our suburban counterparts. Recently, the topic of regionalism was fiercely debated when New Berlin came to Milwaukee seeking a deal for Lake Michigan water. This was not a surprise; as soon as the Great Lakes Compact was signed, we new that New Berlin would be the first candidate on the docket to be vetted for full connection to Milwaukee’s world-class fresh water infrastructure. Some have said that the New Berlin/Milwaukee water agreement offered an example of regionalism. But I say regionalism has to be a twoway […]
Oct 1st, 2008 by Jon Anne Willow
Behind the Scaffolding
There’s a lot going on in City Hall right now – not that you’d know from Milwaukee’s broadcast news and daily paper. With increased coverage of suburban issues – Shoplifter at Large in Glendale! – the most important issues of the day for the region’s economic and cultural hub are largely left untouched. That’s why VITAL Source is making space for this column. To give you the inside scoop on what’s going in City of Milwaukee government. Hopefully it will be both enlightening and entertaining. Let’s start with the 2009 city budget. About two weeks after posturing as an anti-tax guy (read: afraid of talk radio) and vetoing a much-needed “wheel tax,” Mayor Barrett introduced a host of increased fees – from snow removal to “solid waste” removal – in his new budget. (That latter fee is your garbage collection, in case you were wondering what constitutes “solid waste.”) Here’s the key difference between the wheel tax, which passed with 11 cosponsors, and all the new fees that Mayor Barrett is trying to implement in the budget: the $20-per-year wheel tax is actually replacing the street assessments, which totaled thousands of dollars, saving money for property owners. Barrett’s new budget fees replace nothing – they’re just new fees. Advantage: aldermen. (And alderwoman – can’t forget Coggs.) Whether libraries are closed, fire fighters are cut or sanitation services are consolidated, times are tough for the City of Milwaukee. Watching the committee meetings, you get the sense that the department heads are scrambling to make ends meet. Milwaukee should have a long-term plan for progress, but it seems like everything is addressed at the 11th hour. I don’t think the heads of Manpower, Harley or even VITAL manage their funds this way, so I don’t know why it doesn’t bother the mayor. Captain Jim Harpole, who was in the running for MPD Chief and has been at the helm for the District Three Police Station – in the heart of the central city – is being promoted to Assistant Chief. The promotion got little attention from the Journal Sentinel and nothing from the TV stations, but it could have far-reaching ramifications. City Hall insiders – and those who pay attention to crime statistics – know that Harpole has worked wonders at D3, so his replacement will be key. Alds. Murphy, Bauman and Hines are sure to be especially nervous. Another Mayor-Common Council conflict of late is how to deal with Milwaukee’s foreclosure crisis. In August, President Willie Hines wrote a letter to Barrett, asking that he consider hiring a full-time Housing & Foreclosure Policy Advisor, as many other cities have done. The mayor has granted that request, but it seems like the new advisor will only be a low-level manager, not a cabinet-level adviser, as Hines requested. My next column will focus more on the nuts-and-bolts of the departments behind the scenes, as I interview the people who actually fill potholes (hopefully), board up houses and weigh babies (public health nurses) for […]
Oct 1st, 2008 by Dan Corcoran
Milwaukee celebrates
Holy cow, the Brewers are in the playoffs and their fans are ready to par-tey!!! Well, I’m glad. Truthfully, I would have liked the Mets and Brewers to have won yesterday to force a game between the two teams to decide which one moved on. You see, I’ve always been a Mets fan but that’s another story. But how can you not be happy for Brewers fans? The 26 year drought without an appearance in the playoffs is over!! Finally, the city can stop looking back nostalgically on a seventh game loss in the World Series. Big time thanks to Mark Attanasio, the kid from the Bronx who grew up rooting for the Yankees before making a fortune which allowed him to rescue this team from the cursed Seligs. This guy had the courage and commitment to open up his checkbook and bring CC Sabathia to town. Baseball fans can reasonably disagree about lots of things but there is no chance that the Brewers would have made the playoffs sans CC. How exciting it must have been to watch the Brewers win at Miller Park and then stay to cheer as the Mets fell to the Marlins. Me, I was home watching the Packers lose while on the phone with my brother who was providing me with a play-by-play of the Jets game. Clearly, this is not the day to talk football and relive the Brett soap opera but give me a break? Aaron Rodgers has played great and he may be the future of the team but if he misses a single game due to injury, boy will the Packer brain trust get an earful! So I will be totally and completely rooting for the Brewers against the Phillies and, hopefully, against the Cubs or the Dodgers, and, yes, against the Red Sox, Rays, Angels, Twins or White Sox in the World Series. Sure it’s a long shot but that’s why they play the games. Oh, and one last thing. Back in 2000 when I had just moved to Wisconsin I went nearly insane with excitement when the Mets and Yankees met in the first (and, so far, only) Subway Series of my life. Did anyone here care? Who cares about baseball, I was told. The Packers season has started! Well, folks, whaddya know? It’s October (almost) and baseball still matters in Milwaukee. Whoo Hoo!
Sep 29th, 2008 by Ted Bobrow
The Scorecard
John McCain is not having a very good couple of weeks. His campaign has been in free fall ever since last week when he called the fundamentals of our economy strong, He quickly tried to reposition himself on all this economic stuff by insisting he was talking about the American Worker and Small Business owner and we were, in fact, facing a crisis. Nearly every day since has been an adventure as McCain has unleashed a barrage of prescriptions as if he was engaged in a very public focus group test. “Establish a bipartisan commission,” “Fire SEC Commission Chairman Christopher Cox,” “Hire Andrew Cuomo,” “Suspend the campaign and postpone the debate.” I don’t know about you but these rants do not inspire confidence. Don’t take my word for it, look at what George Will has to say. His decision to cancel his appearance on David Letterman may have seemed a good idea at the time but it may prove to be his most egregious error yet. By insisting that his time would be better spent returning to Washington to focus on the nation’s economy, McCain has invited the wrath of a man who controls five hours of network television a week. Letterman was hilarious and ruthless in his attack of McCain last night. And, it turns out, McCain didn’t rush down to the Capitol but merely headed over to another CBS studio which enabled Dave to share with his viewers the shot of McCain having makeup applied to his face across from Katie Couric. Ouch! Grade: F Meanwhile, the President’s remarks last night fell short in a number of respects. The people who cared enough to watch were looking for an explanation of why this is happening and how the proposed plan will help. The tone and rhetoric needed to convey urgency while demonstrating that the government’s primary concern was with the average American and not simply bailing out the wealthy. And it wouldn’t have hurt for him to accept some of the blame for the crisis. The real purpose of the speech was to apply pressure on Congress to move swiftly. A leader with the nation’s welfare at heart would have been willing to share responsibility in order to spur action. What I saw and heard was a man who was on automatic pilot. He placed blame on everyone but himself. Foreign money flooded our markets. Consumers bought homes they couldn’t afford. Some on Wall Street got greedy. And the solution wasn’t of his choosing but it’s what the experts say is necessary. And, by the way, Congress needs to act quickly or average Americans are going to be even more screwed. Did he really say that the rescue was important so people can buy new homes and cars? This are the concerns of the well off. What about the people worried about keeping their jobs, staying in their current homes and putting food on the table? This guy is so out of touch it’s incredible. Is there a […]
Sep 25th, 2008 by Ted Bobrow
Commission Approves Expansion of BID 21
In stark contrast to the previous City Plan Commission meeting, this meeting featured no heated debates but it did see the approval of two resolutions aimed at improving downtown Milwaukee. Resolution 080617 proposed the expansion of Business Improvement District (“BID”) 21. This expansion has been in the works for the past four years and went through a lengthy process of approval within the BID membership. The expansion includes Schlitz Park, The Brewery, Manpower, East Point, the Park East and two other tax exempt areas. Although these properties currently don’t represent a large addition to the BID tax base, these additions were made looking to the future. Additionally, Beth Nichols, the executive director BID 21, explained that in order to bring more retail options to downtown Milwaukee the BID has recently hired a retail strategist and will be adding a retail coordinator soon. This resolution was approved and will now go before the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee. Resolution 080515 proposed creating the first Neighborhood Improvement District in Wisconsin. It was explained that the key difference between a Business Improvement District and a Neighborhood Improvement District (“NID”) is that the NID can include residential properties with eight units or more whereas a BID can’t include residential properties. This NID would include The Brewery neighborhood and would pay for, the upkeep of pocket parks, streetscaping, alleys, the Pabst sign, and storm-water management facilities. This resolution was approved and will now go before the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee.
Sep 18th, 2008 by Dave Reid
