Right On Cue, A Suburb Reveals Its Anti-Milwaukee Bias

In a newspaper story I posted yesterday about Milwaukee's segregated suburbs, a spokesman for Mayor Tom Barrett observed that regional leaders were all too comfortable with concentrating poverty in Milwaukee:

"Patrick Curley, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett's chief of staff, said the data "reaffirms that the city itself is the most diverse city in terms of race, ethnicity and economics in the state of Wisconsin. We're proud of that."

But citing statistics from [a UWM think tank] that showed Milwaukee to have 73% of the poor people in the metropolitan area - most of whom are people of color - Curley added: "The powers that be, be it legislative or suburban and exurban, are very comfortable with the fact that Milwaukee is home to the region's poor population."

Today, another Journal Sentinel story about the neighboring City of Cudahy's refusal to allow churches to create a homeless shelter proves Mayoral chief of staff Pat Curley,100% correct.

"Four congregations had signed on to host the shelter, including Nativity of the Lord Catholic Church in Cudahy. But it's been on hold since October when the Cudahy Plan Commission rejected it as inconsistent with its zoning code, and suggested Cudahy's homeless would be better served in Milwaukee."

Regional cooperation?  Hold your applause, please.