Milwaukee earns a dubious ranking while the Mayor basks in streetcar fanfare
Statement from Alderman Joe Davis, Sr. February 20, 2015
This week the City of Milwaukee again received a national ranking, but not for the image that is beneficial for the city’s long-term economic growth. The City of Milwaukee’s poverty rate is unsustainable and our unemployment rate among the minority community is staggering.
The month of January saw 15 Milwaukee homicides and I have tried to ring the alarm to city leaders and publicly stated that our city is broken, while others continue the same direction of concentrated investment and remain silent with a status quo approach. I cringed as we approved the recent Streetcar project with so many related unresolved issues with the project, such as land acquisition of the Couture developer, final completion of the design for the entire system, making the taxpayer pay for the relocation of the utilities for the project, and most importantly, no definitive answers on how this Streetcar project will reduce poverty and attract investment in the areas of greatest needs in the City of Milwaukee (areas that have the highest concentrations of impoverished Milwaukeeans).
But once again, we did not blink on the magnitude of the investment made while other parts of the city deteriorate. While the Mayor immediately signed this piece of legislation for the Streetcar funding at a huge fanfare event at the Pabst Theater, HIS city is now ranked as the 2nd poorest major city in the nation. I’ve heard the leadership of the city, including the Mayor, comment that “we don’t want to become another Detroit.”
Well after this CBS News report, we are well on our way to exactly what he and others say the City of Milwaukee should not be.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
Recent Press Releases by Joe Davis, Sr.
Deadly joyride takes another young Milwaukeean
Nov 24th, 2015 by Joe Davis, Sr.Statement of Alderman Joe Davis, Sr.--November 24, 2015
Let’s settle police and fire labor contracts first
Oct 30th, 2015 by Joe Davis, Sr.Statement from Alderman Joe Davis, Sr. October 30, 2015
Prosecution is a step toward justice for Laylah
Oct 21st, 2015 by Joe Davis, Sr.Statement of Alderman Joe Davis, Sr. October 21, 2015
