WAKE-UP Milwaukeeans - This is your time for Stewardship

L-R row 1: Supervisor Russell Stamper, 5th District; Supervisor Deanna Alexander, 18th District; County Comptroller Scott Manske,
L-R row 2: Supervisor David Cullen, 15th District; Supervisor Steve F. Taylor, District 9; Supervisor David Bowen, 10th District
L-R row 3: Alderman Jose Perez, District 12; City Comptroller Martin Matson; City Treasurer Spencer Coggs

MILWAUKEE(MPA) - One Week ago, there was the completion of 1 of at least 3 elections this year. The year of surprises and BIG CHANGE.

City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County
As a result, we have a BIG change in 3 positions in the government of the City of Milwaukee. It is the two top Financial Officers (Treasurer and Comptroller); and, an Alderman of Latino heritage in the 12th District.

At the County level, we have 6/six changes - Milwaukee County Comptroller and all NEW supervisors. They are:
- Comptroller -- Scott Manske (position mandated by state legislation)
- District 5 -- Supervisor Russell W. Stamper, II (Social Development Commission official)
- District 9 -- Supervisor Steve F. Taylor (ex-Franklin Alderman)
- District 10 -- Supervisor David Bowen (Urban Underground Manager)
- District 15 -- Supervisor David Cullen (WI State Representative)
- District 18 -- Supervisor Deanna Alexander (Milwaukee County Fiscal Assistant)

To help orchestrate good operational procedures that call for better city-state-county government; the city gained a seasoned state-level senator; and, the county gained a seasoned state-level representative.

What a good start for us to begin to "re-define", "re-brand" and "UN-TRAP" a population of over a half-million people - 3/4 of the population is made-up of People of Color. Therein lies opportunity-after-opportunity for INNOVATIVE changes that include INCLUSION of "hidden talent" at the neighborhood level and bottom-up engines for a HEALTHY economy in the City of Milwaukee.

Too often, there is an election and the "status quo" is continued by elected-appointed-hired-volunteered and donor for hire representatives. It is continued because we ALLOW/allow mismanagement of our mega funding annually; and, We, the People, are not informed and not organized at the neighborhood level.

We have not/are not taking part and guiding the use of funds from our coffers and sanctioning the appropriation of programs and activities that affect the quality of life and economics that grow sustainability in our neighborhoods.

We have not been GOOD STEWARDS-neighbors-citizens-Milwaukeeans of our assets - People, Land Use, Water Use and government support for quality of life and economic development changes.

The record (s) are clear and repetitive of what the track record is - generation-after-generation and decades-after-decades of unprecedented DISCRIMINATION and "by design" disparity.

Surprise. WE GET ENOUGH MONEY to be one of the best cities in the Midwest and/or the country. Yes. We do. However, when it filters down from the U.S. Treasury to the state and then to local government of disbursement, the politics and devil in the details run amuck. It is our responsibility to not allow federal dollars given on behalf of those who have been "trapped" and/or not on par to carry their share, to be given to every Tom, Dick, Harry, Sue, Sally and Jane; without our strongest scrutiny.

During the past eight years, the iconic City of Milwaukee has been "train-raped" in the public square with:
-- TIF/tax incentive financing
-- bundling to finance real estate pet projects (i.e., Manpower, Harley Davidson, Roundy, Discovery World, Zilber, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Marquette University, Mandel, Grunau, Irgens, Gorman and CG Schmidt)
-- acquiring city and county land - building corporate offices and research parks (i.e., UW-Milwaukee Innovation Park in Wauwatosa)
-- multi-layering with multi-million dollar government funds to prop up corporations in the Milwaukee area threatening to leave and threatening to lay off Caucasian workers (i.e., Harley Davidson)
-- guaranteeing federal funding with special deals with a low hanging promise of JOBS-JOBS-JOBS (aftermath, jobs for Caucasians, people outside of the city and Milwaukeeans get increased POVERTY and less quality of life)
-- Department of Labor WIRED program shifted/outsourced to other neighboring cities but Milwaukeeans continue to flounder with "disjointed makeshift programs" and bogus promises.

Open for Business
Charity begins at home - We should be Open for Business; but the business can not be based on lobbyists, real estate barons, contributors to election campaigns, donor for hire pet projects, well-connected and well-known individuals with conflict of interest, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee Caucasian-based profiteers.

We must hold a higher standard of accountability, transparency, contractual arrangements and principled-centered leadership.

We must send clear and quick messages to those we elect that to violate the Code of Justice and forget who elected them is immediate reason for removal, un-ending demonizing and where appropriate, law suits.

We have allowed the lawlessness to be in a State of Hog Wild - deeply muddied, distasteful, discriminatory and big hogs get all by virtue of size.

Partnership
We must have a moratorium of Partnerships at the Neighborhood level for at least ten (10) years to reshape the foundation and set our city for the 2020 competitiveness challenge. We have the wherewithal, let's use it.

We will work with others, but it must be based with our own stake- and stockholders sustainability in mind.

We may not know all the issues, but those we know are at the CORE of our problems and if we step-up and form an Agenda that takes into consideration our unique and varied circumstances that WE know exist in our families, in our neighborhoods, in our schools, in our government and in our business making environment (good and not so good); we can galvanize our city and take it where it has not been before in PRODUCTION, PRODUCTIVITY and INNOVATION.

We invite our NEW LEADERS to constantly update themselves to new ideas and training so that they can be effective in their unique position.

We strongly recommend knowledge and implementation of the JOBS Act (Jumpstart our Business Startups Act) and STOCK (Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge) signed by President Obama last week.

The STOCK Act is primarily for the U.S. Congress; however, we know that lobbying and inside information is also a "trade" at the local level for whatever the interest is.

We are to start with an AUDIT at the city and county level.

We must support the Prism that is INCLUSIVE (top/bottom/sides) of Milwaukeeans, our human resources that are waiting for the GO SIGN.