Priorities
Budgets are moral documents that reflect the priorities and values of our community.
Much more than numbers on paper, investments the county makes can have major impacts on the lives of residents.
Transit
A robust public transit network is necessary for economic prosperity in large metro areas. Milwaukee has less than a third of the transit services offered in the early 2000s. The lack of transit in our county means that we are locked into building car-specific infrastructure which has negative impacts on our health, safety and environment. I will stand with transit workers and fight for better pay, safer working conditions, and increased oversight into MCTS operations. I support the Transit Ranger proposal based on the Transit Safety Task Force recommendations and ATU 998 in their demand for its passage. I will work with stakeholders to rebuild county transit into a thriving network that allows people to get to their jobs, medical appointments or leisure activities in a timely, and safe manner.
Housing
I believe that housing is a human right. Partnering with community groups and advocates, we can build meaningful policy that creates a more just and equitable housing environment for all. I will work to ensure that investment opportunities are focused on communities that are most in need. These opportunities should benefit everyday people who live in these communities and not landlords, developers, or banks. Housing is more expensive now than it’s ever been and the county should prioritize keeping people in their homes, over profits for developers and landlords. Building on the work of my predecessor, I will continue to pursue robust protections for renters.
Racial Justice
In 2019 Milwaukee County set out on a mission to become “the healthiest county in Wisconsin” by attempting to “dismantle institutional racism.” The county has failed in this attempt so far. Policy decisions like overspending on policing, ignoring county jail conditions, and refusing to invest in community resources betray this goal. The county needs to invest heavily in public transit, health services, and housing that benefit Black and brown communities, and ensure that people have the resources they need to live fulfilling, healthy, and peaceful lives. This can be accomplished by focusing on equitable distribution of resources and uplifting the voices of historically marginalized and oppressed groups. The county should shift its focus from being an arm of the criminal legal system to becoming a resource to create regional prosperity and cooperation.
Public Safety
We need to reimagine public safety. Milwaukee as a county over-invests in policing. This drains the resources needed to provide services that truly support safety and well-being for residents. Perpetual underfunding of parks, transit, health care and housing services are a direct result of overspending by the Milwaukee County Sheriff. If we are to reach the goal of “becoming the healthiest county in the state,” we cannot continue to endlessly throw money at a system that provides so little return and has a negative impact on many people in our communities. Unequal and unjust enforcement of the law disproportionately affects people living on the fringes of society, people of color and LQBTQIA+ people. It is time to embrace restorative and transformative justice strategies as well as prevention instead of punitive systems.
Third-Party, Community Driven Audit
I stand with families and community organizing groups to demand a third-party community-led audit of the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office. This audit should include an impartial review of the department's policies, practices, procedures and spending. The process should be community-led, with specific questions and concerns being gathered through listening sessions and town halls. Such a review is the only path to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the people of the county.
Education
As the father of a Milwaukee Public Schools student, I support a well-funded public education system that provides a quality education for every child in Milwaukee. The Milwaukee Public School system has been drastically underfunded for years. The latest state budget leaves the district with less per-pupil dollars, worsening a downward trend that has continued for over twenty years. I support the Vote Yes for MPS Referendum efforts to secure funding for our schools to ensure that our children can continue to enjoy art, music, gym classes and libraries. These dollars will also provide for critical needs like special education.