Now that the Harley-Davidson bikes have been put away and the convening Governors have flown back to their home states, Scott Walker returned to his comfort zone: sticking it to Milwaukee.
He turned down a request from Mayor Barrett to match with state funds a $500,000 city boost to the police overtime account so a spate of gun violence in the city could be stemmed with a targeted, on-the-ground response.
Walker had earlier declined to add grant funds to the state budget so Milwaukee could better utilize gunshot tracking technologies.
Walker talks a traditional GOP/Tea Party law-and-order game, but won't lift a finger with funding support for actual crime fighting.
This move is in addition to the tens of millions of dollars in shared revenues that Walker has cut from Milwaukee in the last 2 years, as well as major cuts to public education, which trickled down to MPS. And also remember that Walker actively lobbied against a voter-backed sales tax that would have made up for some of these cuts, and the cuts thrown onto Milwaukee is previous years.
ReplyDeleteBut when would Republicans ever take responsibility for the conditions their anti-Milwaukee policies cause? They'd rather see the city decline so they can feel superior about their mediocre lives. The disdain that suburban GOPs have for the state's largest economic engine and tourist destination is horrible policy, but fitting of this self-absorbed crew.
Respectfully Jake, it isn't just that they want to see it decline. The GOP wants to pass legislation similar to that passed in Michigan so they can boot out the Mayor and appoint a financial manager to sell off prime assets to Walker's sponsors at bargain basement prices. Think Milwaukee Art Museum and lakeshore parks.
ReplyDeleteAgree that emergency manager legislation and selling off assets is part of the plan. You can bet that the ALEC meeting in Chicago this weekend will have plenty of discussions on how to rig up "emergencies" to get these stooges in place.
DeleteSo barrett went to the media again to whine. Barretts whining is hurting the city. When he spends most of his time bitterly ranting about how evil this Republican Party is, and how corrupt Walker is with residency paybacks, why would anyone do him any favors? Barrett can do more for Milwaukee by retiring after this term.
ReplyDeleteHmm, blame Barrett for telling the truth about what WisGOP anti-Milwaukee policies have done. Interesting....
DeleteI wish your suburban cesspool was given a fraction of the handcuffs the City of Milwaukee has had imposed on it over the last decade. The screaming from you folks would make a 5-year-old sound like an adult.
When he spends most of his time bitterly ranting about how evil this Republican Party is
ReplyDeleteYou mean POINTING OUT how evil the Republican Party is?
Speaking truth isn't a flaw.
But commenting anonymously is.