A statement from Alderman Terry L. Witkowski following the March 22 special Public Safety and Health Committee meeting
March 22, 2019
Sometimes well-intentioned efforts can do harm. Efforts by FLAC presented at a hearing before the Public Safety and Health Committee this morning turned up little new information other than that the credibility of the organization’s data and facts were suspect and unsupported. The fact of the matter, as testified to by physicians from the Milwaukee Health Department, the State Department of Health Services, and Children’s Hospital, is that the greatest problem to be addressed in preventing childhood lead poisoning is lead paint and dust.
It was mentioned that some residents don’t want to allow the Health Department to do lead hazard evaluations in their homes, saying they heard lead in the water is really the problem. What may be a well-intentioned group is now causing problems to worsen. No one is saying that lead in water is healthy, but it is a far less significant problem than lead paint is in the city of Milwaukee.
In my opinion, if you are inciting people with false or inaccurate information, you are the problem. If you cry wolf, there had better be a wolf around. The statistics testified to by city and state public health officials show a positive trend in addressing childhood lead poisoning in Milwaukee.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Lead Crisis
- Congresswoman Gwen Moore Statement on Milwaukee Designation as Workforce Hub - U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore - Apr 26th, 2024
- Biden Announces Milwaukee As New “Workforce Hub” For Lead Pipe Removal - Jeramey Jannene - Apr 25th, 2024
- Senator Baldwin Delivers Nearly $2 Million to Keep Wausau Families Safe from Lead Contamination - U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin - Apr 12th, 2024
- IRS Rules that Homeowners Won’t Have to Pay Additional Taxes for Subsidized Replacement of Lead Pipes - Milwaukee Water Works - Feb 29th, 2024
- Milwaukee Makes It Far Easier To Replace Your Lead Service Line - Jeramey Jannene - Dec 18th, 2023
- Congresswoman Gwen Moore Praises Biden Administration Effort to Remove Lead Pipes in 10 Years - U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore - Nov 30th, 2023
- Biden-Harris Administration Announces Partnership with 10 Wisconsin Communities to Accelerate Lead Service Line Replacement as Part of Investing in America Agenda - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Nov 2nd, 2023
- Evers, DNR Announce $402 Million Funding to Improve Local Drinking Water - Henry Redman - Oct 24th, 2023
- How EPA’s Proposed Lead Dust Rules Would Impact Wisconsin - Farrah Anderson - Aug 30th, 2023
- City Regulators Can Require Fixing of Lead Hazards — If They Can Find Landlords - Farrah Anderson - Aug 29th, 2023
Read more about Lead Crisis here
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It’s encouraging to see someone who offers a breath of fresh air and objectivity rather than just blow hards who are causing more damage while arguing they are “here to help”
themselves apparently