Is Legislature At War With Milwaukee? My Eight-Ball Says "Yes"
What the Journal Sentinel Sunday poses as a question - -
Is the GOP-run state Legislature at war with Milwaukee? - -
This blog Friday had stated as a fact - -
Why Do Republicans Batter Milwaukee? Because They Can
And because it feels so good.Chalk up the reporting difference to the freedom of blogging, though the evidence that Walker and his allies are politically and personally jamming city taxpayers in ways that ultimately hurt a state that needs a successful, big city is on full display in both accounts.
Walker and his GOP legislative allies continue to politically batter and budgetarily squeeze Milwaukee with right-wing policies and full-on partisan retribution for Mayor Barrett's two gubernatorial challenges and big anti-Walker votes in city wards.
An anti-Milwaukee agenda weakens Wisconsin statewide, but plays well in the GOP's suburban and out-state strongholds - - so helps keeps gerrymandered Republicans embedded in their safe seats.
Leaving Walker and anti-urban legislators free to interfere in the Milwaukee economy and local landscape through city worker residency rule manipulations, a strangled bus system, derailed local, commuter and regional train initiatives along with their lost development potential, local spending limits made worse by drastically-cut public school budgets.
It's a coordinated attack on Milwaukee and local control with elections, partisan payback and punishment in mind - - gleefully predicted by righty WISN-AM talker Mark Belling on November 3rd, 2010 a day after Walker was elected in Governor and the GOP took control of the Legislature.
The warning was so succinct and ominous that I'd posted it:
"They can do whatever they want."
20 comments:
Be honest.
Has Milwaukee prospered, seen less violence, more community, less drug and gang activity, less crime, less poverty, better public education, more college graduates, more employers, more jobs, people moving into the city, less taxes, increased property values?
It's time for change.
So the answer is to starve the schools and the transit system and encourage middle-class public employees to move to Tosa or Franklin or Brookfield with their fully-paid city benefits?
Yes, Yes, Yes! Of course they have, because they do not fit their right agenda
Is it at all possible that Walker is setting up a Benton Harbor-like takeover (by decimating Milwaukee's schools and tax base) for the ultimate payback, or am I being a bit too paranoid about Walker's underhandedness?
I think Emergency Manager is the long-term endgame, with a lot if Bradley Foundation contributors getting a lot of the power.
You can't be too paranoid with this crew. FUBARing Milwaukee and tying its hands is absolutely part of the plan.
What IS the answer? Please - we need a solution to end the cycle of poverty in Milwaukee.
Blaming someone else for a different approach to curing a cancer is not a cure. It's an admission of failure.
How about allowing Milwaukee the freedom to raise its own revenues and get the level if services it wants and needs? This includes giving it the freedom to raise its own sales taxes, and allowing it the ability to fix its infrastructure.
Instead, 262 Republicans tie Milwaukee's hands behind its back, then point and ask "Why aren't you doing any better?" Then again, that allows Mikwaukee to decline, which keeps the 262 from having to work harder and improve. So the cycle of mediocrity continues for an area that's got a whole lot to offer, if it was ALLOWED to prosper
"Please - we need a solution to end the cycle of poverty in Milwaukee"
1. end GOP interference with Milwaukee's efforts to address the problem.
2. run a transit system that will reach jobs in the suburbs.
That's a good start.
And the big payoff for rural Republicans in this war against the cities is the long awaited return of gravel roads. Enjoy!
"Anonymous said...
"Please - we need a solution to end the cycle of poverty in Milwaukee"
1. end GOP interference with Milwaukee's efforts to address the problem.
2. run a transit system that will reach jobs in the suburbs.
That's a good start."
Been there done that on #1 - Dems had control under Doyle. We see the results.
#2 - A mass transit system won't replace an education. With Milwaukee's H.S. drop out rate, who's going to hire someone to work for them if they don't have the initiative to complete a basic education?
Anon 8:40 - That response is dishonest in dealing with the Milwaukee's failings.
"
Been there done that on #1 - Dems had control under Doyle."
Oh, did they? Shall we list the predations on Milwaukee's home rule that long predate both Walker and Doyle?
".
#2 - A mass transit system won't replace an education. With Milwaukee's H.S. drop out rate, who's going to hire someone to work for them if they don't have the initiative to complete a basic education?"
The service sector hires HS dropouts all the time. But they don't hire people who can't reach the jobsite.
Home Rule has nothing to do with self reliance. A community of under-educated high school dropout minimum wage earners who never aspire to anything greater is a society of poverty, violence,disproportunate drug and gang violence, high crime, a failing public educational system, less employers, less jobs, people fleeing, higher taxes, and decreased property values.
And why aren't those service sector jobs in Milwaukee? Milwaukee has mass transit.
The Wisconsin GOP are the snotty sibling grabbing Milwaukee's arm and yelling "Stop hitting yourself!"
Home Rule has nothing to do with self reliance.
Cool. Let's just take all the property taxes collected from Milwaukee and Madison properties, then, and spend them solely within those districts. How does that sound to you?
A community of under-educated high school dropout minimum wage earners who never aspire to anything greater is a society of poverty, violence,disproportunate drug and gang violence, high crime, a failing public educational system, less employers, less jobs, people fleeing, higher taxes, and decreased property values.
Fuck you. I live in Milwaukee, work in Milwaukee, own a business in Milwaukee, our son graduated from one of the best public schools in the State (of course, MPS) and one of his friends is in college in Harvard. Don't tell ME what my community is.
"Don't tell ME what my community is."
Hey, if you're proud of the direction Milwaukee has been headed under socialist rule, Forward Milwaukee! Zombie for Mayor.
What's your solution for breaking the cycle of poverty in the City of Milwaukee? I'll forward your suggestion to the GOP with a straight face.
Yeah. you just go one demonizing the City, Nonnie Muss, and using scare words like socialism in an effort to re-ignite the communism scares of the fifties.
I am proud of Milwaukee and the way it has managed to cope with the endless screwing from the Republican Lege, as well as the criminal mismanagement by the former County Exec.
and I find criticism from anonymous trolls who don't have any firsthand knowledge of the city to be laughable. Oh, just go on mindlessly repeating the gobbets of wisdom handed down by Charlie Sykes.
Do you have a property tax bill Zombie?
If you do, perhaps you should read it.
83% of my tax payments stay in my district for Schools district municipalities. About 16% goes to the county and most of the remainder goes to the Tech School.
So, 99% of my property tax does stay in my district.
@Zombie 9:07
The Republicans haven't controlled the legislature forever, so your claim of "endless screwing" is laughable.
The criminal County Exec? Are you referring to Tom Ament? And exactly how much control does a county exec have really over the city, more so than say... ahh... perhaps the Mayor?
Continuing to blame everyone else, but failing to look in the mirror is not a viable solution to fix all of Milwaukee's problems.
Your denial and lack of realization that Democrats are more a part of the problem than any republican governmental figure or body is in fact the real root of the problem.
But, you can continue to blame everyone else if it makes you feel better.
our denial and lack of realization that Democrats are more a part of the problem than any republican governmental figure or body is in fact the real root of the problem.
Really? You want to use the "I know you are, but what am I?" defense here, PeeWee?
You might have a point on property taxes, if property taxes were the only taxes people in Wisconsin pay.
You were the one who stated at 8:34 "all property taxes," not me.
If you are going to change the parameters, fine. Although, I find it humorous that you the one talking about others always moving the goalpost?
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