2026-10-05 - Common Council

>> Good evening, everyone. This joint public hearing on the proposed 2027 budget will come to order. The city clerk please call the roll excuse excused 13 members present to excuse. Please rise for

the Pledge of Allegiance to be followed by a moment of silent meditation. Let the record reflect that. His honor. Mayor Cavalier Johnson is in attendance. The following elected officials are also

present at the front. The chair of the finance and personnel come committee Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic City attorney Evan going Key City Comptroller Bill Christian Senate. And I believe we'll be

joined later by city Treasurer Spencer Cox. The Common Council will now hold a public hearing on the proposed budget for 2027 in accordance with states that use of the state of Wisconsin and the

Milwaukee City Charter. All persons will be given the opportunity to nutty to express their views on various appropriations as established in the proposed budget. Please be aware that this is an

opportunity for the Common Council, the mayor to listen to the public and no comments or responses should be expected from either the members of the council for the mayor. But the record reflect that

the required notice of this meeting was published on 9/24/2026. remarks should be directed to me as chairman name calling profanity and personal attacks are out of order in this form will not be

tolerated. In the interest of fairness, speakership can find the remarks to no more than 3 minutes. Large groups of individuals who wish to make the same point should consider naming a spokesperson

for 2. If any person who wishes to speak has not yet registered, please do so in the chamber in the lobby of this chamber for my own benefit and ask you to write, allegedly, please, so I can now

pronounce it as best I can. I will now begin calling names of those who have signed up to speak. I will call the number of names at the time at the top one, a number of names at a time and those next

in line to gather at the lectern. I'd like to begin by sue last line next on deck to slowly sell a sting. Please make your way up to the poll podium. >> Good evening. I'm here to speak in favor of the

million dollar investment in fresh food infrastructure proposed by feed the change. I provided caregiving for my partner on the 2700 block of North 17th street in the Amani neighborhood from 2020 till

December 2025. During that time pick n Save on 35th Street closed and the Family Dollar on Center street closed, leaving a corner store on 16th and locust and the gas stations as the closest places to

buy food for those without cars. That created a situation similar to that on the northwest side. During that time, I also planted a garden cherry tree because we had a extra lot. We purchased for a

dollar in the early 1990's. I grew pumpkins winter, squash zucchini, various greens, tomatoes. It could have grown much more. I know that urban agriculture was a good idea, but it went from being

theoretical to be a really been a revelation to me how much food you could grow on a city lot, not a vacant land, an empty lot, particularly in the area of concern, present opportunities to build food

production into any plan for housing and neighborhood development. When I started going gardening, it was during the COVID lockdown. When we got our first taste of how supply chains could be disrupted

with volatile fuel prices and tariffs, worse, things are coming and we have a chance to get ahead of these things because there's lots of land available. So growing food is one part distributing

processing. Preserving are important, too. So the budget should provide for facilities to handle things that don't go directly to market but have otherwise processed. There are already plenty of

individuals or organizations with the will and expertise to design and launch these. And it's almost a cliche to point out the public health and mental health benefits, a fresh food and community

gardening. So I stand in support of fully funded in us. Thanks. Thank you. >> Lilly self-esteem and Emily Ogle Tories on DEC. >> My name is Lisa Lesson. I live in Milwaukee's West Side and I am a

student nurse at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. We are learning in nursing school that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The city of Milwaukee's proposed decrease and funding

for substance abuse. Mental health care and youth programs will put vulnerable youth at risk for mental illness, social isolation and criminal activity. At the same time, the proposed budget increase

in the juvenile justice system indicates to me that Milwaukee County is putting more stock in the punishment of crime than the prevention of it, I believe are youths should not be treated as potential

criminals, but it's human beings who need guidance and support to make better decisions in their lives by not investing in preventative programs. Now Milwaukee County will end up paying more than the

proposed budget increase in criminal intervention. For example, it's estimated that 31 out of every 100 youth will avoid re offending thanks to the credible messengers program at an average state

incarceration costs of $463,000 per youth preventing those 31 re offenses translates to a potential long-term savings of up to 14.0. 35 million dollars for taxpayers. I propose that the money it sets

to increase funding in the justice system, the allocated instead to these vital youth programs that keep our youth mentally healthy and off the streets. >> A million of that story and the show you

believe it's I believe I'm sorry. Good evening. Mayor Johnson, members of the Common Council. >> I mean, many of the touring executive director of the Morning Turner's Ville de Civic Society.

Milwaukee actually founded when the city was only 7 years old. Budget is a moral document. Many people are here tonight advocating for what is important to them and their families. 2.2, 6 billion

dollars reflects a huge amount of our tax dollars and aspirations. That's why I'm here to request that you cease all funding in support of warrantless mass surveillance of milwaukeeans, especially

flock. Another out for us. Once again, the police department as large, a slice of the city's budget pie over 15% of the total. And that doesn't include borrowing for construction of pension related

deaths. It's about a 10% increase over last year's ask while actually violent crime is going down. Milwaukee is showing up to county and city meetings tirelessly demanding an end to warrantless mass

surveillance and the sale and training of our data to outside groups. After year of group effort, we received a moratorium on 40. The flock flock is still at the city, although the county is listen to

the people misuse of flock. Surveillance systems is so pervasive that a national investigation was launched by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and not a day goes by where we don't hear one scandal

or another involving stalking hacking misuse and the sale and transfer of data pertaining to Americans to some 3rd party or another. We just learned our police department was using and sharing

technology like 14 flock for years without standardize operating procedures in place were adequate knowledge or oversight by the Common Council Fire and Police Commission or anyone else who are

protecting Stewart, the safety and interest or keys residents. We have to wonder how much of that info was shared with the ice despite your wishes. In the past 2 years, the city of Milwaukee paid

almost 7 million dollars in judgments and settlements from lawsuits involving MPD officers, MPD operations or impede the leadership. The recent flock surveillance abuse scandals are not included in

this number. And there are at least 3 or 4 the scandals that are forming a current. But the financial disparity is strong, especially as chief Norman earns $243,000 per year. While the mayor only runs

169,000, please don't add another dollar to warrantless mass surveillance in this budget, investing community wellness and prevention, mental health and housing instead. Thank you. >> A show a shell

ballroom and on deck is pegged to Schroeder. >> Hello, chair person and members of the Common Council. I applaud the 12 members seeking to place restrictions on flock. I wonder why not just eliminate

them completely. Let's learn from another universe where warrantless mass surveillance prevailed. We want to present the evil Lord Sauron from the Lord of the Rings. Greetings Human Council. I

understand that the proposed budget continues. The city's funding, the AI powered automatic license plate readers. Well, Dawn, I applaud government surveillance. Your state of the art system will

enable me to track my targets in Milwaukee. Back in Middle Earth, I had to touch encompassing power. And now in Milwaukee. I am lurking in the shadows. I can always bypass your Lindsay restrictions.

When the time comes, you will be bonds in my army and you and we will hunt down defectors and anyone who challenges my authority in Middle Earth. I was wrong. I misjudged the capabilities of the so-

called free peoples of the world and they narrowly defeated me. I've learned my lesson and I am back with a vengeance with your sophisticated surveillance system. I will try in Milwaukee. My rain will

be on the potent and everlasting. Thank you. Thank you. >> Hank Schrader and on deck. This crystal Keller. >> Good evening, Mayor Johnson and the members of the Common Council. I'm Peggy Schroeder,

the president of the League of Women, Voters of Milwaukee County. And I urge you to strengthen the proposed 2027 budget for the Milwaukee Election Commission. The proposed budget is approximately 3.5

million, which is about 1.8 million below the 20 6 adopted level and roughly $400,000 pillow. The Election Commission requested or 2027. Well, 2027 may have fewer elections them in 2026. A quieter

election year should not mean we we can the year-round capacity to run elections accurately securely excessively and transparently and election is not built in a single day. Reliable elections depend

on work that happens. Year-round maintaining book Florida records recruiting and training poll workers securing and testing equipment reserving in preparing accessible voting sites, damaging absentee

ballot procedures, planning for emergencies, educating voters and ensuring clear public communication when those functions are adequately funded, they help event avoidable problems, long lines, ballot

or supply shortages delayed reporting overwork staff, inconsistent procedures and communication gaps just as important is well read Resource Election Commission document. It's were clearly and respond

quickly when questions arise. Election Administration is not an expense that begins and ends on election day. It is essential civic infrastructure just like sees streets. Emergency response and public

health. It protects every walker were Waukee voters right to cast a ballot and have that ballot handled properly. I respectfully ask the Common Council to restore and where warranted increase the

election commission's funding to at least the level necessary to meet its documented operational needs in particularly in particular. I encourage you to protect us, stable year-round staffing,

election worker, recruitment and training, balance supply and equipment, readiness, cybersecurity and contingency planning accessible voting options and transparent public communication for Waukee

should not wait for preventable failure. And avoidable delay a public controversy to discover that it's election system needed greater capacity. We should invest now in the professionals and systems

that allow every election to be conducted fairly securely and transparently. Thank you for your consideration. And 2 crystal Keller. >> And on deck, that is Amanda, all of those. >> Hello, thank you.

I'll keep this brief since I have guests and thank your closes at 6 foot. I just wanted to reiterate some of what the other speakers have stated as well. Please get flock in any other mass

surveillance cameras out of my city. Okay. I don't want my grandson here to grow up in an America and in my hometown where he thinks mass surveillance is normal. It's not. Again, I'm gonna keep this

brief. Some of you may have read George Orwell's 1984. This is supposed to be a work of fiction. Instead, it's a warning and it seems like its facts wrong now and I don't want my taxes so he paid for

this. We need to get the flock out. Thank you. >> And although most and on deck is Nicholas Authority. >> That evening. >> Mayor Johnson, members of the Common Council. Thank you for being here. My

name is Amanda Avalos and I probably live to Milwaukee for 18 years. As many of you know, budget season is my favorite season. I appreciate you for taking the time to listen to the people of our city.

As you know what we invest in as a statement of what we value, what we prioritize as a democratic socialist. I'm asking you to take action on 3 requests. First fund, a feasibility study on using

chapter one 97 of the Wisconsin statutes to replace we energies with the publicly owned utility. We pay a monopoly. The answers to shareholders of prioritizes their profit. Public power can mean local

accountability, stable rates and faster clean energy investment. We shouldn't guess whether it can work here. We should find out and build a utility run by and for the people. Second give city workers

a desperately needed to dollar an hour raise. The proposed budget includes a 2% increase for general city employees and not until the late in the 1st quarter of 2027. For someone who earns a for

someone who earns $25 an hour. That's only $0.50, rent, groceries and utilities. Keep climbing. These are the people that in our community who answer emergency calls plower streets, staff our

libraries and keep our water running. If we under P then we lose them and residents pay the price and less services. And thirdly and the city's flock contract and stop any further implementation of

automated license plate readers. The system's lot the movements of every driver and build a surveillance database that can be misused, shared and breached. Cities across the country have already

canceled similar contracts over privacy and immigration enforcement. Concerns for members of our Common Council already called it a systemic oversight gap rather than an isolated failure. And I

believe they're right in my years serving as the vice chair of the fire and police commission. We took actions that make people safer while protecting the rights of and civil liberties of our

committee members. Real safety comes from investing in people in the neighborhoods. Not from tracking everyone who drives on our streets. Milwaukee shouldn't pay for it to a system that has already

turned against them and the contract. Thank you. >> It cost already in on deck is Christie Farm. >> Greetings, Mayor and Common Council. My name is Nicholas Exploria now serve as the cuff and mass

incarceration coordinator at the Milwaukee Turner's. As we all know, budget reviews, priorities. There was a time when walk upright or prioritize human needs. It was known as the Milwaukee Socialist

experiment. At the time Milwaukee was called the best-run city in the country. They accomplished this by improving infrastructure city services and crime prevention, not more policing and it worked.

And then black people migrated to Milwaukee looking for freedom from state-sanctioned oppression, racialized tear and sadly Milwaukee abandoned what work and progress to become one of the most

impoverished and segregated cities in the country. In recent years. In recent years, Milwaukee has been among the top 10 most dangerous cities in the country. According to Spectrum News in 2023,

ranked top 3 for most violent cities which shows that over policing does not and will not work. I noticed a restricts changes to the police budget and e**** well, but we can still focus on harm

reduction. We can reduce the harm caused by over-policing by redistributing the budget for mass surveillance, particularly flock cameras and other automated license plate reading technology. Milwaukee

is a majority. Non-white city and surveillance has historically and could temporarily harmed communities of color. Flock cameras are uniquely dangers they have caused harm all over the country.

Officers are being arrested for stalking women and the federal government is using the data for racialized violence and tear. The company itself can't be trusted because they have been known to lie to

law enforcement to city governments and officials as a result over 2 dozen other Wisconsin communities can still fly as elected officials. You said represent us and our needs and wants its clear. We

do not need flock in ARCA and our city. They're bad for our society. Please reflect this vital concern in the 2027 budget and reinvest the money. That's something that improves Milwaukee like housing.

The county is doing it. Why can't to thank you for listening. >> Chrissie from announced that his Alex Larson. >> Good evening, Mayor Johnson, members of the Common Council. My name is Chrissy Fung

and I'm a proud resident of Milwaukee's Aldermanic District 3 and Milwaukee Turner. You're probably used to hearing too much for me around our city's public safety departments. So with my few minutes

tonight, I'd like to emphasize the importance of properly funding the administration of our elections. Milwaukee's 11 year-round full-time staff dedicated to election administration pales in

comparison to similarly sized jurisdictions. Detroit has 115 full-time employees dedicated to Election Administration. And Baltimore has 50. I have so much respect for election work. I first became a

poll worker at age 16 and have worked in 2 states and for municipalities, including as a chief election inspector in Waukesha leading a bipartisan team at a site where we also have to process absentee

ballots. We faced observers and even a poll worker attempting to undermine public trust by raising bad faith questions and conspiracy theories in front of voters. Over time we earned the trust of our

skeptics by narrating our processes out loud, making ample time for observer questions and being transparent about how the system worked in excruciating detail. I joined a coalition of non partisan

observers at Milwaukee Central count for the 2024 presidential election and have continued to work their sense. Also offering our new central count training. Milwaukee is a whole other ballgame from

the scale of observers and media at central count to the complexity of administering absentee ballots. Early voting sites and 177 polling locations. Milwaukee's election staff worked incredibly hard,

but additional year-round staff would allow for more sustainable systems and contingency plans creating a budget that works is difficult and I don't envy you, but our budget also has to meet the needs

of Milwaukee voters who need robust voter services to ensure public trust in elections. I will close with these words from Rick Hassen, the director of the safeguarding American Democracy Project. We

need to understand the unique point. We are in American history where the greatest threat to the integrity of American elections is the federal government. We know that Milwaukee selections will only

be facing for scrutiny, more challenges and more attention from the federal government than ever. The time is now to invest in an election commission that is best positioned to withstand the tests to

come. Thank you. >> Alex Larson and on DEC has joined a few minutes. >> Good evening, mayor and members of the Common Council. I mean, we should make such want to expand upon what others have said

about federal relationships with your guides to mass surveillance because there's a piece of this that you all should be cognizant of as in the Finance committee each year, the high to grant comes

through and it's past 4, a federal judge fence of the one I have in my hand right now, is that what next year from the 2026 congressional report that details, how a basic requirement of being a part

of this program, which MPD is it requires different forms of intelligence and information sharing across state and local partnerships. Now, when you couple that with the letter that the DOJ sent to

the mayor and city attorney in July when the ice all mask ban was passed, where the DOJ said, well, we're just going as the supremacy clause and we don't care. But whatever protections are guardrails

that you place upon us. Now, when you combine these 2 things to me, it seems like there's either one of 2 things will not either. There's a massive amount of ignorance with regards to how these

federal relationships, you know, time with MPD or your constituents are being put intentionally misled. Because as being part of this program, they have to share intelligence with federal survey out.

So this whole notion that guardrails can be used to block federal access to our surveillance technology that we have in the city does not make any sense whatsoever. Leslie, I just want to wrap up

with, you know, this is a ongoing part of a much larger national conversation. And you hear some folks that are in favor of surveillance. They say this thing. Well, if you've done nothing wrong, you

have nothing to hide. And I thought about this know, ironically, I agree with that sentiment. But in a different way, if these tools have done nothing wrong and there's nothing tied, we as the public

should be able that know how they're being utilized and the full dataset of how they're being deployed. We as the public should be able to have an up down vote through our elected officials to have

these contracts be discussed publicly instead of just through. So source contract waivers where they just get amended and you keep adding to the systems. Lastly, the FOX contract needs to be canceled

for all these reasons because this is just the tip of the iceberg. With regards to all the surveillance apparatus is that the Milwaukee police operate throughout the city. Thank you for your time to

care. >> Joanna, he menace and on deck is Vaun Mayes. >> Good evening, everyone. I'm President Press Mayor Johnson and all elected officials. Thank you for this meeting tonight. I'm going to make a

short today. I'm really here say thank you. Thank you to Mayor Hahn Mayor Johnson for stashing the year of housing. We're continuing to support the vital programs that the city offers support in our

community, such as a down payment assistance program. Thank you to the Common Council and the Finance Committee before, you know, being with us to continue to increase homeownership. Our I'm sorry,

I'm joined a few minutes at an office at that, but I'm with the community Development alliance and our alliances, resident lead. And what we've been hearing from residents is that home ownership is

one of the foundations for better health and better community and better outcomes, especially for for black and Latino residents of our great city. Your collective work with our alliance and others is

creating an impact. We we are seeing an increase in homeownership for black and Latino homeowners, residents in our community. And so I'm here to again say thank you and to ask you to continue to

support the programs like down payment assistance, strong homes, homes, K E and others that are already in place and to continue to think outside of the box was trying to come up with new ideas of how

we can that's utilize the resources, the limited resources that we have. I thank you for your tireless work and on behalf of their lions, just keep up the great work in. We continue to fund our

programs that are helping our communities. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Vaun Mayes and on deck as Bernie will ditch glitch. >> Good afternoon. Vaun Mayes. Thank you for hearing us all today. I am here

in support of the decisions to fund our libraries, investment, more investment in our great Milwaukee Fire Department and of course, the investment in the work of the CWS. I've been a consistent

supporter of each of these regardless of who has led the office now the department. So this is not due to my team or anybody I know directly benefiting from that investment. However, as activists who

did this work for free long before there was any titles pay raise ecosystems are blueprints associated with the the support that comes from that investment such as not only the victims and families. I

am it work with every day who are affected by gun and other forms of violence allows people yours like mine to do more in our individual efforts to affect and prevent those crowds proactively. A

public poll was done and prevention ranks second in priority to people in a city. So they have spoken on where they want and appreciate their tax dollars going. Maybe we can also add to something like

the participatory budget initiative that you guys have as well. That leads me to my last point when we talk about what folks appreciate their tax dollars going to many people you will hear and see

tonight as well as most people across this nation have spoken in unity when they when they have them and the staff to Flock. Appreciate our county board of supervisors and county, exactly their

leadership in taking action on this issue recently. And I also understand how technology can be useful in assist in solving crimes incidents as we have seen. But I've also both to myself directly and

unfairly targeted by law enforcement. Most recently we have all seen both locally and nationally, that cases that have been revealed in a farm. The concerns of people where law enforcement has abuse

that technology, regardless of the pros, your residents have made clear their position that their rights and privacy are too high, a cost to pay and they demand their tax dollars go somewhere else.

Thank you. >> Brittany Volitich and on deck is nakedly. >> Good evening and thank you, Mayor Johnson and the city, Milwaukee Common Council first Opportunity PRI public comment. My name is Brittany

Village and I am the Wisconsin senior campaign manager. At all voting is local action and advocacy organization dedicated to advancing policies that expand voter access, protect our elections from

partisan interference like all public services. The city of Milwaukee provides ministry elections requires money from printing ballots for each precinct, supplying postage for absentee ballots,

training and compensating. In 2000 poll, workers securing nearly 180 compliant plan locations and purchasing up to date election equipment and software. And yet the Milwaukee Elections Commission Mac

remains grossly underfunded and understaffed year after year, especially when compared to election ports and similarly sized cities as was previously mentioned, for example, in 2025 Detroit allocated

nearly 20 million dollars to his Department of Elections and employed 115 staff compared to MAX 3.2 million dollar budget and 10 employees. That means the city of Milwaukee expects Mecca to carry

nearly the same load as our neighbor. That was one 6th of the budget and one 10th of the staff. This discrepancy is not just unacceptable. It is irresponsible in a time when our elections are under

local and national scrutiny. I urge the mayor and Common Council to per ties fully funding our elections in this budget season and every one after that. Thank you again for the opportunity to speak in

for making a commitment to protecting our elections, our neighbors who run them and the voters who participate in them. Thank you. >> A Godly and Angela Lang is on deck next. >> In the president for

as Mayor Johnson, all those not a city personnel. The name's not godly living green do come to the city daily to work shop it aimed to see friends for Ky hit his start on a whole. We're ahead of the

Milwaukee turn as a legal observer program and speaking to this evening to ask you to put me out of a jolt. Well, not really because no cuts in police funding will completely do away with the need for

community defense of civil liberties and oversight of law enforcement by reducing the police department's bloated budget. And I don't getting more to social improvements such as housing, mental health

care and community programs. You can reduce the incidence of negative police interactions with community members, reduce the risk of officer misconduct and reduce the need for a brazen vigilant,

volunteer observers to be out in the pub of this quite often. And in such numbers in particular, one substantial enforcement expenditure you could redirect funds from it is the use of surveillance

technology. Mpd really looking to be the last agency in the state to retain flock cameras. So many other agencies of ended the contract recently. And so many community voices have been raised against

flocking of them surveillance at the scene meetings and other forms. It's only do we know that there's a continuing risk of officer abuse. We also know that the federal government will always find a

way to access and be days folkenflik data, even after the department's recent revision of its internal data sharing rules and the very nature of flood data collection. According to a federal judge in

that well-known liberal bastion, Oklahoma constitutes a 4th Amendment violation. The the Flock, Northam surveillance technologies actually improve safety and certainly not as effectively a social

spending that others have mentioned. Please prioritize safety in society over surveillance and your budget decisions. Thank you. >> Angelo and next is all set like. >> Good evening. Thank you to

Common Council, President Perez and Common Council members and to community members that chose to show up tonight and make sure that their voices are heard. I am Angela laying on the CO executive

director of bloc black leaders organizing for Communities. And I want to talk about safety, specifically public safety. As you've heard tonight, you've heard what community members want to see

invested in. We want libraries access to food and access to mental health resources. And what is clear that we don't want is more increased surveillance, especially at the expense of our basic needs.

We want funding for election Commission who right now is doing the lord's work in making sure that our democracy is safe and accessible for everyone. We want an end to anti flock cameras and license

plate readers. Other cities and Milwaukee County have chosen to end their contract with flock and we need to do the same. And quite frankly, it's embarrassing that we haven't yet and we continue to be

behind. We know what keeps us safe. It's not mass surveillance is investing into basic needs, making sure people are whole to have thriving communities. We want an end to not only flock all license

plate readers and I want to end by saying that budgets are moral documents and you need to act and vote as if they are. Thank you. I'll set right. And next will be Tiffany start. >> He's as big today

because I see 2 issues before that may appear different. But at their foundation they are connected by one principal self determination of the self determination means more receive an investment more

than receive an investment funding services or programs. It means building a lot of capacity and ownership incorporation stewardship, trust and unity necessary for people to have meaningful control

over their own lives and communities. That is the press. While bringing 4 when I speak about the fee that changed a lot. I support healthier food, dignity, food just as low car ownership, community

gardens, farmer markets and neighborhoods with greater control over their full system. But also at a deeper question, are our solutions actually build the self determination? Money can help build

infrastructure, but money alone does not create self determination. Not that to the discipline and the ownership, the cooperation, the stewardship, the U.S. our community is made up of individual or

household. When families learn how to grow, preserve, prepare compost, safeties, reduce waste and make informed decisions about what they consume. That creates capacity that allows directly to the

people. That is the difference between the pens. He entered the pandas. So when government invest in our community, I believe we should act more than that. We spend the money we should act. Did that

people become more capable? Then we create lasting capacity. Do we create ownership? The restricted families and neighborhoods? Did we build something that can sustain itself? Because unity is

infrastructure. Knowledge is infrastructure. Discipline is infrastructure. Trust is infrastructure. House hoke, half of these infrastructure community relations, our infrastructure and the same for

the Oval Office to meet the brains. Me to the second issue. I am here to address flock cameras and automated license plate readers. Surveillance self-determination. Isabella Technology may see my 2

completely different subject. But I see the connection. Self-determination means the people retain meaningful control over the conditions of their lives. That includes what we eat. That includes what

we grow. That includes how we build our communities and it includes how much power is that should have to watch track record and a lack of movement of the people. I speak today for community where

safety and freedom can exist together. I support public safety. I love my community. I want people protected. But I also know that safety without freedom, transparency, accountability and human

dignity is not the kind of safety I want to build a camera make after like to play. But when technology allows us to choose to collect the and and analyze patterns of movement, we must act deeper

questions who has access, how long the information retain who can start to prevent issue who are just system. What happens when innocent people are slipping to an investigation? What protections exist

for people exercise their constitutional rights and autumn Ali, who watches the watchers. See these questions to my own experience with institutional authority. I've experienced situations in robber.

Restrictions are record an attempt to put hands on me. Investigation isn't concerned. All all rise and the Conners were caught complaints in and it and finding and not to say that experience matter

because they say Powell look at a system that gives institute of even greater access to information about the people. I know what it feels like one accountable to become difficult to reach. That is

why I speak about 5 point flock cameras. Now the Constitution and not a peep disappear because technology advances. The 4th Amendment protects security against unreasonable searches and seizures. The

First Amendment protects expression assembly petition, the exercise of conscious. You are right for school, recognized dignity, privacy, liberty, freedom of movement, freedom of association and

participation in society. These principles matter because behind every license plate is a human being. A person may be going to work. A person may be visiting family. A person may be attending a

religious service. A person may be meeting an attorney. A person may be attending a protest. A person may be exercising political spees. A person may simply be living their life there. They difference

between seeing a vehicle in public and create a system, capable reconstruction, a person's movement. There's a different between investigate a specific incident and normalizing part of a list of an

unmarked police wrap up that this thing says matter and this is where our billing it. Bree and the principles of my my are we this represents true balance. Comedy writers. This order and justice power

must balance authority must have accountability. Taking technology must have responsibility. Information of us have stewardship and the 2 says must remember the humanity of the people they serve. When

powers grow without accountability, balances to start with the surveillance expands without meaningful transparency balances the star. What people feel that their e ordinary movies can't the monitor

without their meaningful participation. Now, this is the star. I also look to the scripture. Progress tells us to open our minds and speak for those who rise. These defended Isaiah can dance on just

the present. The deprivation of Justice 5 called upon those with authority that fanned of on a brand new justice. Most legendary run down as waters are watching this as a mighty stream. And Micah

reminds us to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with. I got these press will do not allow the U.S. our houses of worship. They belong in our communities. They belong to a government. They

belong to police and they've a lot of technology. They belong where everyone he would be exercise power over another. The Magna Carta also carries a in to replace rep up to no one. Will we sell to no

one. Would we deny or delay right or justice and a declaration of independence by some government. The writing is just powers from the consent of the governor. So I wear them enough. A voice of the

people when technologies capable of tracking our movements are introduced into our communities. Where is the transparency where the accountability where the ballots where the bills the for the people

to say this has gone too far? I believe we can do better just as we should build to systems that increase the capacity of families rather than create dependency. We should be a public safety says with

that increase community trust rather than normal life, perpetual surveillance. That is bill relationship before Savella that is built trust before suspicion that is built not as before dependency.

That has to be accountability for institutions. No expansion. Let us build community capacity for another system up intro because to self determination mean that people become more capable, more

informed, more connected and more in power. It means government investments to strengthen people. It means technology ceasar people in these institutions should remain accountable to people. And it

means who maybe is mostly rent remain at the center of every system we create. I know I see I speak. I love I do. I feel I am I am a human being. I part of this community obvious possible for what I

see are responsible for what I speak. I am because we are time them and the time is up. >> Tiffany Stark. Liza next up is Lisa Yang. >> Hello, my name is Tiffany Stark. I am a community activist, also

a part of Milwaukee Alliance against Racial and political repression and also in social worker. I am a firm believer that raises should be based on self evaluation. This is how my employer does it and

many others to not a whole and everyone gets the same raise in times of financial distress raises should be thought out and be fair as the constituents who are serving our strolling as well as in the

and we are going to be paying for this. Some constituents you serve are not even getting a raise at all. I would say 6 of you deserve a raise and the rest of you don't. My child's father, Anthony

Higgins was injured on June 9th 2024 during a vehicle pursuit chase and was paralyzed from the neck down for 16 months later died on 10/24/2025 from his injuries. We worked long and hard with the fpc

and recommendation was made to change as a P 6.60, and S P 5, 7, 5, on August. I mean, excuse me. April 16th to staff not to stop a to restrict some of the vehicle. Police pursuit as many innocent

people have died in prior years and where for seamless and slid 3 reasons of just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. And there were no violent crimes combating reckless, cracked, reckless

driving with more reckless driving is not keeping the community safe, however, because of act 12, this has become political and the process is change where its first up to Chief Norman and now the

City Common Council has the final say, even though this was not voted on by the full Common City Common Council nor even hurt by this entire City Common Council. What makes me most upset is the

incompetence surrounding act. 12 lack of communication in disrespect by some of the alders. The recommendations for the FTC went in front of the public safe. He and Health Commission committee excuse

me a new one. So I tried to contact those alders on this committee has not every all there is on this committee. And after attending at the scene meetings per straight for 10 months straight, I wanted

to share the important information in confirmed this information was received and many of the alders have not attended any of the fpc meetings where the information reports were made such as and why

you DOJ, etc, which is a new process would act 12. I contacted the 5 offices and committee members got no call backs or you're not in my district. But my older may not be on the committee and year to

make important decisions. And I wanted to make sure that you have the information to do so. But instead I was disrespected. What happened in one district effects all more key. I actually had to wait

for some staffers to go through e-mails to find my e-mail as it was never read. So on June, 11th, what I feared would happen when the recommendation went in front of the public health for the Public

Safety Health Committee happened. A lot of factual information was asked and it was apparent many elders did not have the information that was forward to them by the FTC. One, all they're actually

asked when the information was what that where the information was another. All they didn't even understand what was even being proposed to the changes and was rushed through in voted anyways. One all

there who who sponsored this was the only one that voted in favor and the rest voted it down on the 31st of July Alder that co-sponsor sponsored this made a motion to have it. This recommendations is

heard by the entire City Common Council that this would not include a vote passage. Please wrap up. Thank you. What an embarrassment that when I got there on the 31st, it took 40 minutes for you every

one to conclude to get in their seats. It was a very another Alder basically said, oh, well, we should be having on things coming in front of the whole City. Common Council wants are eating voted down

in committee. What makes me upset is also there was a rebuttal by alderman after the decision, not even for it to even be heard and made a comment in the public media but didn't even acknowledge or

give any condolence to my family who grew up in the uptown area of Milwaukee born and raised and his mother still lives there and nobody could even say, oh, I'm sorry for your loss and before the fact

that you guys want a raise. That's great. But you guys to start answering your phone calls, reading your e-mails, entering the Rays. And if this isn't the job for you, maybe you need to go and

reflecting come back in, find a different job or get it, get it together or you'll be voted out. So I'm not saying this is for all of you but the communication. >> It wasn't the point that this got

didn't get passed. It was the communication of not having information and being disrespected and you guys should do better. You work for us. We don't work for you and you need to stop being some of

you stop being self-serving. Thank you. >> Lisa Yang and our team. You have less false next. >> Lately saying this west was on DEC. >> Hello, everyone. My name is Lisa and I am a youth worker. I am

here in support of the healthy food establishment fund. I'm a long time resident of the northwest side in a predominately black neighborhood alongside him on and Latino neighbors. I've heard that the

city is very eager and bringing more residents to Milwaukee and green the economy up yet. I am curious to what more can be done for families and kids to keep them from being pushed out of the city.

I've watched families leave in large numbers while living here for over 2 decades. And my local audi's, however, has a long crowd in mind that never cease to the very long. Yeah. Thankfully people

felt neglected, disconnected alone and overwhelmed. Maybe you also similar to. But I feel like life has been about morning people who are dying too soon from double the health conditions. While prices

of food are rising, we are losing vital community members from heart attacks, kind of conditions and other things that are induced by our system. So this is why I believe in fee the change and the

work that they want a bill with their families community, let access that directly goes to residents, accuse families feeling connected, staying rooted and wanting to build their lives. Here in

Milwaukee, a warm meal visited by her kids quickly gave my mom strength changing how she recovered from a stroke. That was simple. It was just a meal, right, pantries and garden sharing. Help me grow

more connected to my neighbors. So many awesome things I know is already happening in Milwaukee on and off the record from mobile markets to community owned grocery stores and people want more. They

don't just want crumbs. And so I I think we have so many talented people. Even if you have a conversation with someone and elder who knows how to can a kid who was so interested in picking fruits and

vegetables. There's so many stories. So many people ready inactivated to have a good life in Milwaukee. So if the food is medicine and it is connection, what can a city budget of 1 million for healthy

food establishment do? It can do a lot. It can to quadruple what I just shared with food. So please do what is right by supporting expanding and unwavering food system, a local one when that that this

nation can see Milwaukee has that promotes house and longevity and that is led by black Northwest side families. I firmly support this as a youth worker and a resident that lives there as well. Thank

you. Rta Westfall and on DEC is Vince Tony. >> Good evening, Mayor Johnson and Comicon. So staff. My name is our Tanya Westfall and I am a corporate chef here and my mission today to speak about the

mission. 4 feed that change is that currently over the last 7 years have been working with partnerships and I have my daily bread, mobile kitchen. I live in the 15th this trick all tournament scampers

district. And what I've done over the last 7 years is pick up repurpose food from different corporations, repurpose them and change them in to help emails and deliver those healthy meals to people on

the northwest side as a business owner and as a a personal representative of what I see on a daily basis about food insecurity, it's important for this fund to continue and for you to support the

mission of my daily bread, mobile food kitchen. Now, as you're listening to me, speak after I've done up to 14 hour day of cooking for corporations. Everybody in here is hungry. People that don't have

access. I will bring that access especially to the 15th district. I am also here representing FYI, the change, FYI. The change is essential because it will put direct healthy access meals into

communities that are underserved the children, the seniors and multiple institutions that do not have direct access to food, somebody that is very important to me and guided me here today as my step

mom, Gwen Moore, I stand behind what I was speaking about and I ask that this is a fun date because it's necessary for health. It's necessary on the northwest side and it's also necessary to feed the

change. Thank you. >> Vance Tony's up next in blue. A blue pill I can. It is on deck. >> Good evening events, Tony. I spent 4 years in the United States Navy and I spent 4 years and civil service

serving his country overseas. You know, I come back here to this country and it's a catastrophe. I've been down here last week and 4, 5, 6, times I've been down here. I can't get any call backs my

neighborhood. I was in the Philippines and those in the late 70's and I went to the Philippines to 3rd world country. My neighborhood looks like a 3rd world country with all the garbage and everything

that's in there. And it's it's a catastrophe. It's an emergency and no one's responding to it. I'm here also to speak on the budget proposal in reference to the million dollars that's requested for

the Office of Safety, Wellness and Safety. I think we need to defund that office and create an office of job creation. I've had 5 Sunni Drs moved to Menominee Falls Eaton Corporation. When you move in

and out of the falls on astronomical move to creek, he's been that's over 1000 livable wage, paying jobs to the left, the city in the garden homes area. We have nothing to replace that. We need a job

office of job creation with that. The garbage situation. As long as we treat our can you treat your constituents like animals are going to act like dogs and that's why everything is going in. The city

is happening. Also in reference to the the money does propose for the the fix potholes right now. Whatever reason we've got a ton of bump-outs and humps in Milwaukee, I think that construction project

needs to end is dangerous, especially for elders. And I've noticed that the closer you get to areas that are more populated by Caucasians, the bump outs dimensions are different in our community. When

you hit the bump out, it's the sort of dementia you go straight up. You go straight down in the areas in holyrood. It's a nice smooth transition. The lighting around the the bump outs on the side.

There's there's no indication. So at night there's no street lights and especially for our eldest to drive through there and to be damage to me. I think a lot of my cars, the damage is spent $600 to

get my Iraq's fix and alignment. And that's from these these roads, potholes, the whatever you guys are proposing with these with the tar, whatever unpacking the Dow, it doesn't work. Our streets

needs to be fixed. You need to stop this bump out of the home. So what are you doing in the city? They don't deter anything just as much speeding is the same. I think I was down here a couple of weeks

ago and I was told by all the person that her words, we refuse to work with you because you keep bashing us. Well, you don't have to work with me. You work for me. We pay your way just to our tax

dollars. >> So we we expect the level of devotion to the community. >> But you guys we can pay for. I think you're asking for 8% raise and you're getting in the people in the city is not getting

anything but a lousy work or nothing and no responses to our concerns. So if you guys need to step it up or just turning your resignations and get to pick up out of here. >> Through public and on deck

is and earthquake. >> Well, again, Mayor Johnson, Common Council, it is a privilege to be able to speak in front of you once again. Usually I'm here to talk to you all about tenants Rights Council in

a fiction, free Milwaukee. And how this program is, you know, going to help so many people stay in their homes. Thankfully whether it be something I said or someone else got through when MS and Mayor

Johnson thankfully put it on his proposed budget this year. So I don't have to talk about that means I get to talk about other things. Got about 3 minutes and about 3 different things that I want to

talk about so much to try and keep them brief. But we'll see where we go. First things first, the people that work for the city, they are the glue that holds this project together, the bricks that

built our walls. And if you're a little bit of a science nerd that the mitochondria of the cell, that is Milwaukee today, they're asking for a $2 raise. They deserve a h*** of a lot more. That's what

they're asking for. So I hope this body today gives it to them because they deserve it. And if we want to still this city, we got to treat our workers with the respect and care that they give our

city. We as Milwaukee ads are being held hostage by the energy monopoly known as we energies. This energy giant is our only power and gas and were forced to pay whatever they think is right. I know we

have the PSC. They're not doing enough. We've seen continuously increased rates for nearly a decade and a half at this point. Nobody can afford it anymore. We're out of money. We can't do this.

Thankfully our state legislation has the answer. Municipal Code chapter one. 97 allows for any Wisconsin municipality by vote of their Common Council or equivalent body to replace any public utility

with it. Any private utility with a public option. Alderman Broward's amendment to provide a fund is to put together a feasibility study to make sure that we can actually do this on the physical level

is the first step to solving this problem. So today I ask each and every one of you to be part of that solution and vote for this amendment finally and systems like it or a clear and present danger,

not just to our own privacy to our safety. That data is not secure. It can be viewed by just about anybody. You give me enough time and I could hack into that system. I'm not the most tech, not

literate person in the world thus far and PD and our other a Marine and a time and PD has been using these systems without the consent of the people and with almost no regulation or standard operating

procedure. This is a major risk not just to our CE privacy, but to our safety as a city. Anybody can access this data. I know we have a lot of different security things in place. They're not going to

work and not enough. This. The company that runs the system's doesn't care about our privacy. They want our data to sell it. So I asked each and every one of you don't put our data and our privacy and

our safety in the hands of a for-profit private company. All they care about is money. They don't care about us. They don't care about their safety. They don't deserve a dime of our money. Thank you

very much. >> And or weigh in on deck is Jason Donald. >> Good evening. I'm Amanda Merck. Way policy director for the ACLU of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Resident Waukee Surveillance Infrastructure is a

sprawling panopticon. In addition to Flock, Genentech and Axon LP ours and peace or veils us with cell site. Simulators are stingrays, gunshot detection, microphones, drones, open source intelligence

tools scraping the Internet for personal data and geo fencing, including data extracted from the dark Web. Her reporting on the contract and amputees community connect integrated public and private

surveillance camera network through an AXON product called few says 1225 live. Few cameras blanketing the city that MPD can perform. Ai-powered image recognition searches within a particular radius.

Most of this dystopian technology, including Flock, was acquired through no-bid. So source contracts that bypassed Common Council approval without Milwaukee residents knowledge let alone consent.

There's a pattern of flock regularly misleading or even try even lying to local governments about its business and privacy practices, safety records and efforts to protect the vulnerable populations,

including in Sheboygan and Oshkosh and Boston, where the Boston police discovered that a flock data sharing function had been unable despite a clear contractual agreement prohibiting its use. Despite

assurances to the contrary, we've seen how lpr to cause significant harm across the country. In addition to officer abuse of flock to stalk people lpr to repeated the cause, dangerous wrongful stops

at gunpoint due to software miss reason. Erroneous inclusion on hot lists, ICE and CBP of repeatedly you side door access to flock to go after immigrants without warrants. Mpd even acknowledge federal

agencies like ice may have accessed MPD flock date. In the past. The growing number of Wisconsin jurisdictions that have defunded flock or cancel their contracts include Appleton, Ashlynn should tech

Clark County Cottage Grove Dean County to peer Fitchburg Fond du Lac final act County FOX Crossing Grand Chute. Kenosha, Kaukauna Lake Mills UW-Madison Manitowoc Marinette MacFarlane Menasha UW

Milwaukee Man known in the North Fond du Lac work on a mock Oneida County, Oshkosh, UW, Oshkosh, Racine, Racine County, Rippon Sheboygan Stevens Point Student Sergeant Vincent Prairie Bronagh Waukesha

will Packer County Wilpon and when it Connie Milwaukee must be next. No money for flock or al AI-powered Alp. Ours Unlocking must establish a framework requiring transparency, public participation and

Common Council approval before the acquisition or deployment of AI powered surveillance technology in our city to ensure that our community's future remains rooted in the consent of the governed.

Thank you, Jason. Down and on deck is Alice Change. >> Hello. My name is Jason Donald. I'm a Milwaukee resident and African American Roundtable member here today to voice my support for The Feed. The

Change Mke initiative. The goal of a 1 million dollar investment in Milwaukee's Healthy Food establishment Fund that would support locally owned grocery stores, Community Gardens, farmers, markets and

other food access solutions resonates with me. I support this initiative because I felt the strain that inadequate food access places on families. I grew up in Racine, Wisconsin, with my parents and 7

younger siblings, much of my childhood and adult life. My family's support supplement their income with food stamps and WIC to make sure we're affect each month is almost never enough. So as time

progressed, we would skip bills, reach out to relatives, friends or neighbors, what they could spare or wait in lines at food banks for hours this way. It stayed with me into adulthood as whatever

money, Aaron, while working in college would be needed back home. And when I would return from breaks, I would join my parents and food lines living in Milwaukee. Now I can see the same forces that

deprived of my family of the dignity of ownership. All human being should be entitled to affecting the northwest side to a greater extent where my family was place priced out of purchasing all that we

need to adequately sustain ourselves. Entire communities are deprived of local sources of healthy food to be priced out of ownership. Of the venues that are available are tied to private corporations

that are driven exclusively on the pursuit of profit, continuous profit. The northwest side of Milwaukee cannot give. That's giving the corporate owners reason to abandon these locations. Milwaukee's

northwest side deserved adequate investment and infrastructure, not temporary attention for too long. Major decisions impacting Milwaukee's northwest side have been made without meaningful input from

the people who live there from large-scale development conversations tied to housing detention facilities and neighborhood redevelopment. Northwest side residents deserve to help shape the future of

their communities. The community led campaign that prioritizes resident leadership and local solutions over outside decision-making is what is needed. Large corporations cannot be relied on to provide

the food justice needed. The remnant, relentless pursuit of profit will leave private entities as they've repeatedly shown exactly this one affecting black and brown communities to abandon ventures

that do not yield large enough returns. A long-term solution, Rudin neighborhood, self determination is what is needed and that is what feed the change. And Katie is the conditions. The northwest side

living under will not remain exclusive to the black and brown communities that are forced to live under them as prices continue to increase as well as continually extracted from the most oppressed and

transfer to the most wealthy as the profits corporations seek next year will be beyond what the community can reasonably good. These conditions will continue to spread and the fact the whole of city

council should invest into this fund to the full 1 million dollar amount. Thank you. >> Least Che and on decked is dry and the cease. >> Good evening chair. Kind of councilmembers, mayor and some

people. My name is Alice. I live in the 10th Aldermanic District. I work downtown and both my kids attend Milwaukee Public Schools. I'm a member of the Milwaukee Turner's and I particularly angry

about the prevalence of food insecurity in our city as the number of walking neighborhoods without grocery stores has sharply increased. We have a responsibility, take unprecedented steps to expand,

equitable food access and to invest in community led food systems in Milwaukee. Did you know young people cannot learn when they're hungry? Hunger doesn't just make us irritable or unfocused, angry.

It also physically reshapes our brains. Some of those brain changes reversed. When we when we can regain access to food and some don't. I also support the the change and K E which recognizes the long

history of disinvestment in black neighborhoods and the importance of investing directly in black like community solutions. I want us to spend at least 1 million dollars for the healthy food

establishment funds to establish locally owned and operated grocery stores, Community Gardens, farmers, markets and other food access points. The residents of called for I'm also a survivor of sexual

assault and stalking both of which happened in Milwaukee. The now famous instances of police officers stalking women in Milwaukee are not isolated instances. Flock cameras across the country are

giving abusers yet another tool to bully and terrorize us. Did you know stalking is a leading indicator of intimate partner violence. One-third of women murdered in the U.S. are killed by an intimate

partner of those women. 76 1% of women murdered by their partner were stopped in the 12 months prior to their murder flock cameras and automated license plate readers endanger more people. Then they

protect. I want money in the next city budget spent on a powerful public health campaign to eliminate stocking and other forms of intimate partner violence and not one more dollar spent on that

surveillance like flock and other alprs. Please stop ignoring the hundreds of us that have packed the committee rooms and hallways of city hall over the past couple of years. The bill of rights

already balances. Law enforcement need to investigate alleged crimes and individual privacy rights. After an alleged crime happens, law enforcement can engage in searches only after they have

demonstrated probable cause that a flocking warrant. Thank you. >> Ryan will cease not deck is Richie Martin. >> Thank you. Mayor Cavalier Johnson and Common Council. My name is Ryan Lasik. I'm the

executive director of the East Side Business Improvement District. I'm here today to talk about how I believe we should allocate more funding into our neighborhoods via bids needs a neighborhood

associations. That being said the city is on a wonderful job, setting up what's called an intern Plaza program. Something that myself in the east side has utilized and it's a $30,000 grant through the

city that's used over 3 years. I don't know if you've ever tried to put a plaza to get other, but that can only be stretched so far. And so when you have bids needs a neighborhood associations doing

these good things for the community, by building pocket parks, building in term plazas, it's a gathering space. It's a safe space. It's now a space for residents, visitors, civic engagement, local

businesses, just, you know, for the people of Milwaukee. And once you kind of utilize the intern Plaza Grant, what's the next step? The city has set us up to start these pocket parks to create a, you

know, neighborhood Plaza. But then once you utilize the 3 years, the $30,000, the city doesn't go, OK, here's the playbook to continue what you're doing in your neighborhood in your bids and units.

And so I propose an amendment to create something that now takes those intern pauses and helps change them into permanent plazas, something that can be legacy for these neighborhoods when it comes to,

you know, something as small as you know, again, a gathering space, a safe space, an area for the community. Now that neighborhood can go, hey, this is ours. This is going to be utilized by the

neighborhood by the businesses. And it's here to stay for my kids and my grandkids. Something to play and, you know, definitely cherish. We have amazing plazas like Bell are Phillips Plaza Carry crew

now Plaza. Fantastic things that cost it millions of dollars. And something as $500,000 can really transform and neighborhood pocket Park or in turn plaza into this lasting legacy of a plaza. So

that's something I definitely push to support is allocating funds that are used to towards our neighborhoods into helping create the stepping stones for bids in its neighborhood associations that are

using the Intern Plaza program and to push it now and give us the playbook for those next steps as well as funding now to create these legacy parks and plazas in our districts. And one last thing no

to flock. So thank you. >> Richie Martin is is next. And Patricia Wilson is on deck, if you Martin. >> Mayor Johnson, President Perez, members of the Common Council and fellow Milwaukee. This my name

is Richard Seymour junior to have the privilege of serving as executive director of the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center. The mayors Riposte 2027 budget is more than a collection of numbers it

represents. Soy says about that kind of Milwaukee we intend to become. The proposed budget includes approximately 8.4, 6 million for general city prop up purposes and make substantial investments in

public safety infrastructure, housing, health community wellness. The polls operate in budget for the Department of Community Wellness and safety alone increases from 1.3, 5 million in 2026. To 2.7, 9

million in 2027. And I recognize that those investments because I recognize of those. I appreciate those investments because it demonstrates an important principle. Milwaukee understands the public

safety. The public safety cannot be measured only by what happens after someone has been armed. Public safety must also include what we are willing to invest in before the crisis, the curves. And

tonight I'm asking that we extend that same principle to Milwaukee's LGBTQ+ community and 2026. Mayor Johnson in the comic out. So maybe an important investment in our community. The city awarded

Milwaukee LGBT communities that are $50,000 to implement a workforce development and mental health counseling program. The grant requires U.S. to measure workforce participation, mental health

counseling, employment outcomes and the overall number of Milwaukee residents served. We took that responsibility seriously and investment produce measurable results. And March 2026, alone, 14 people

participated and the program 6 receive mental health counseling. 11 participated in appointments, interviews and 6 obtain employment, permanent employment participants have experienced unemployment

and underemployment, financial hardship, housing, instability, mental health challenges, employment, discrimination and barriers to finding a from employment opportunities. Our service here in

Milwaukee canned exists and it can be acessible. A therapist can have an available appointment and still lack the cultural responsive. This workforce program can have an available seat and still fail

to understand what it means. They are who they are and what it will cost him for. This individual needs this opportunity. A person could be technically a person could technically have somewhere to go

and still have nowhere. They feel safe enough to be fully themselves culturally responsive. This is an amenity cultural responsiveness is an access. We must also acknowledge the violence that has

touched walking strange in the community with transgender people have been peeled. The grief has remained confined to a headline or crisis to stick their families who must grieve their families who

must bury their loved ones. And in those moments, it is the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center and other lgbtqi plus organizations that have responded. We have help communities began the difficult work

of healing. The work has value. The cultural knowledge has value and that trust has value. The Milwaukee LGBT community center know something about that pressure in 2025. The city or lost more than

$900,000 in federal funding yet. So this they were still open. We did not retreat. We downsize are building some 11,500 square feet to 2,800 square feet. And we opened our doors in may of 2026 and

we're still serving. And tonight we exa common accounts, Mayor Johnson to increase that investments $100,000 so that >> all LGBT people put L all LGBTQ, all LGBTQ plate. People have a place where they

feel safe. They feel a firm and they know where they belong. Thank you. >> Patricia Wilson and on deck is DJ Johnson. >> Good afternoon. Mayor Johnson in the Common Council. My name is Patricia

Wilson. I am a community health worker, a board member of the Milwaukee Food Council, a trusted Messenger in all Milwaukee community. But most of all, I'm a supporter of feed the chain mke access to

nutritious affordable and culturally appropriate food is an essential part of building a healthy and thriving community. But it must be designed by the community because it's for the community. People

close to the problem should say the solution. Food access is a long-term sewage system issue. We want a sustainable community. May it infrastructure that is not temporary. Community ownership matters.

It's easy as ABC access to local businesses, urban agriculture, community gardens and farmers market be better. Health outcome stronger. Local economies see communities route it food system designed

by the community in order to feed the chain. We must be the chant. It's simple as ABC as long as community is the key. >> Dj Johnson then on Deck is cases Serrano. >> Good evening, Mayor Johnson,

member of the Common Council and community members. My name is DJ Johnson, deputy director of Prevention. Partnership, Safe and Sound and I'm here today to speak and consideration of the council land

transfer funds. This funds which most residents know as the good neighbor Grant has allowed safe and sound to help black clubs and resident leaders across automatic districts, access funds for

neighborhood engagement project since this month. Since this moment marks one year of the grant, more than 100 residents have applied and have been awarded in have been able to use funds for

neighborhood improvement projects, Community Gardens, community events, social gatherings, block club, apparel, food to support meetings, meeting space fees and much more. The good neighbor Grant is

especially for resident live projects and neighborhood engagement. This give residents the resource they need to bring their ideas to life and strengthen. There's communities. Thank you for your

consideration. >> Casey Serrano in on the act is a case that occurs. >> Good evening, everybody. My name is Casey Serrano. I'm here with the Milwaukee Alliance against racist and political repression.

And I'm a proud resident and worker on the city's south side. At the top of this budget on the submitted document, there's a page listing the vision and mission for Milwaukee with lots of bullet

points about safer neighborhoods and the futures for our children. But this budget does not reflect those values and missions at all. There are references to shared Revenue Act 12 and then the state

expenditure incentive program to explain why we in Milwaukee are supposed to accept even more cuts to the resources in our neighborhoods that would actually make them safer and more welcoming to

children. Even though most departments are receiving cuts. It's notable that the police are slated to get more money than ever for toys like Alpr drones trips to Israel. No one can explain and more.

What does it say to a child when the city workers that keep their water and sewers running when the city's having an ex unprecedented floods year-over-year are getting less money than ever with

inflation? Well, the police get more money with no oversight. Well, the programs that would put more grocery store and farmers, markets and food and there and communities are getting less money when

the inflation, while the police are getting more, when we see that a child who is gay or trans is not able to receive services at something like the LGBT center, while the police are again getting

more money than ever does that say safety and strong neighborhoods for our children and the people in Milwaukee, even though they are giving more and more of our tax dollars to the police still have

no say in what the police do even as they run rampant in our streets, chasing people down, murdering people without consequence and the people of Milwaukee. We have even less over our budget which we

sent to the Republicans in Madison to chop up and send back to us ACA. Did we need to demand more control here in Milwaukee over our city budget? And I call on city leaders to join with the people of

Milwaukee to demand that control back from Madison. So we can decide what is safer, healthier. Milwaukee actually looks like for our children. And we also need to demand that those millions and

millions and millions that we got give to the police every year stop until we get some sort of control and say over their policies and procedures hiring and firing. We need community control the

police and we need community control this budget. Thank you. >> Our KSAT, Tucker Harris and the you know in Grady is next. >> Hello, my name is Jen. It Shay Johnson. I had to go to my your high school

and I'm 17 years old. Even as a teenager is clear to me that we need to reinvest in our local and fresh food and I funding if the change demand is how we can do just that and lots of love. You have

been affected by all of the grocery stores closing in 2023 of March at the time. Piggly wiggly was the only store for me in my meat. The list are me and my family relied on because it was the closest

safe, especially start near our neighborhood as a family who wants to have transportation. It was hard to get groceries without having to go 20 plus minutes away. Even that Piggly wiggly has close

family should not have to travel anywhere to get groceries. And that's why I support investing a million dollars into a healthy food establishment fund. I think we should invest into fresh food and

fine. So even though way, fresh food, fine. So even though so even those with no transportation to get fresh and healthy food without having to travel far away during a time, many thank you for your

time. >> We've got to get the students home. So I had to let her come and join some of my time. So thanks for your. Okay. So I'm with African American Roundtable and I serve in the automatic district

9 not only do serve there alongside residents since 2021. Also grew up there with my parents. My my parents are elders and they still live in the area. We have with witness the shifting of the

northwest side, including grocery stores leaving our area since the 90's from Kohl's food store. The festival picking say-it century packing up and leaving. So the most recent store closures across

the city are unfortunately not something new to North West Siders. My parents and many of our neighbors have share with us that they do not freak with the pick assailant. 76, a good helps to do

mention that one for the one of Brown deer Road because they do not meet their needs right along with this a lot. And all the they also are not places where they be. More people have felt dignified in

their shopping experience. It's from police officers at the door to everyday essential items being walked to the lack of acessible food actions. Let my parents to have to go all the way that things

bill to get their grocery shopping at Piggly wiggly. And that's not right from our youth members to folks my age. People are saying their full access needs are not being met in a city. And to be

clear, this isn't about just bring in another grocery store into our neighborhoods, but addressing the growing food apartheid throughout the city, we continue to raise an alarm, a loss at other food,

justice groups and residents while moving the conversation from food deserts to naming just what we're expanding experiencing apartheid. Each of you are responsible for working to address structural

oppression by supporting access to fresh and nutritious food through the feed. The change in KU campaign demands. This includes funding sustainability and scaling of local culturally relevant stores

and providers that already exists like Jay and his African Centre and 8 African market and months. How funding intergenerational education programs that support subsidizing free trainings and

workshops on how to grow. Prepare, preserved to share the foods through mutual aid projects. And it looks like educator educators ranging from certified professionals to skilled providers all the way

down to every day community leaders. This also looks like the sustainability training for all of the recipients of the healthy food establishment fund owners, operators and staff with require

offerings of culinary. What workshops, demonstrations in other nutritional education is also could look like funding urban land stewardship and garden farms, farmers to sovereignty. That's activating

empty green spaces that support community gardens and farmers markets in automatic districts. 5, 9, folks should not have to go to Menominee Falls 5. The market on North Avenue or markets on the South

Side supporting Feed the change in K E recognizes the building. Healthy food system also means investing in healthy neighborhoods, strong local economies, environmental sustainability and community

power. So shout out to the Food, Justice, Collective and yes, Metcalf Park, Community Bridges, the melanin urban gardener and many others for their work to support moving residents closer to food,

sovereignty, which is what my mother, my father, Northwest side residents and everyone here desires as you like others. I've already asked to invest a million dollars because we deserve urban. It's

into Milwaukee's healthy food, establishment 5. We deserve it. And so does everyone. That's here with us tonight. >> Deanna Lynn Grady yelling Gradient on deck is Josh King. The only Grade II. Josh

King on deck is Connor grow cynical. Good evening. Council favors comrades and labor. My name is Josh King. >> I'm chief sort of sanitation for the American Federation of State County Municipal

Employees. Local 33 representing members in that department public works here in the city. Milwaukee, we collect your garbage, your cycling. We take care of the trees. We keep the sewers clear that

the street tonight we keep the water flowing and we keep the city falling after severe weather crisis events and the heat. The rain ice, the snow and we don't get paid enough. We proposed a $2 an hour

flat raise this year to the mayor before budget time. His last year we decided the percentage raise. It was an equitable to the lowest paid workers. And this was our way of making sure that that money

went to getting them a fair shake. This budget that we've got in front of us and said that $2 now raises a 2% raise that for those people is less than $0.50 in a year where inflation is at 3%, which

is more than 2% in a year where we're looking at a 6% increase to our health care premiums. We're talking about people who do masonry, carpentry, electricians, people who fix the potholes. What about

people who operate heavy equipment in and out of high risk situations in alleys where the public is going around? You're talking about and are paying the people who drive 40,000 pounds pieces of

equipment around your kids get out of school to talk about and are paying them tonight. I'm here. Members of council. I implore you to amend this budget. The payouts, right? We are understaffed and

it's not a mystery. Why he would classes class. These people who can do all of these types of work can get paid better elsewhere. And it is a good recipe for degrading municipal services time to pay

these people and we need our municipal services to keep this city great. >> Across nickel and on deck is a new show young, but Campbell. >> Good evening. Common councilmembers, Connor Prosecco. I'm

coming from Aldermanic District 12 and I've got to demands today. The first of which is fully funding the election commission at 3.9 million with reading full-time positions. And it could be for all

of the reasons that were already listed, whether it's federal election interference or just the lack of knowledge. But I want to come with more of my personal story of somebody who works in a position

that it gets people out civically engaged and did his work ahead of time to understand where to vote, how to vote and everything else. I went to my polling place and I spent 15 minutes walking around

the building because that building had one paper signed flailing in the wind that said vote here and it was on a door and flipped upside down. I it's luckily work for an organization that would give

me the time to go vote. That organization is only 10 minute walk a 10 minute walk from my polling place and that is still able to take the time and come back without any repercussions. I can't imagine

what that would be like for a parent, a parent of multiple kids whose may be trying to get there before the school drop-off or before they go and drop off for sports before they try and put food on

the table after working 8 to 10 hours possible for them to have that opportunity to participate civically when we are so underfunded that somebody with all of this experience can't get to the polling

place without an hour of prep work. In addition to the hour of walking around my second demand is that the Common Council and mayor look at investing in the neighborhoods services group, particularly

in public housing. I understand that's the Common Council mayor are both wanted by state ordinances on that prevent increase income tax on the wealthy and prevents sales tax levies and those with the

means to contribute. What I am asking is that we invest in public housing, something that's shown to generate millions in annual revenue and only costs one 3rd of that annual revenue. In addition that

they stay with save the average family an average of $6,000 a year. In addition to that, we've talked about every single service that could be placed near or within these public housing and teas,

including grocery stores on the first floor, which we see in Madison at multiple apartment buildings. We could place the public housing buildings along bus lines to generate revenue there. There's

really no shortage of things that we could do. But we have to invest that money first. We cannot continue to cut, but I just want to end by saying that not only would you be investing public housing

and really uplifting people out of poverty, but it's also exactly what you've been asking for a way to generate revenue without costing us anything. Thank you. >> Benicia Youngblood Campbell and

Denver is on deck. >> Can you hear me? Good, okay. >> Hi, Yes. My name is Michelle Young, Black Campbell. I'm here today. But the city of Milwaukee employees and our city's budget. I try not to get

emotional up here because I've been working for the city for since 2003, and it's a proud moment. Very proud moment for me to work for and what's being done to us right now. It's totally out of order

is totally disrespectful. >> I mean, you you look at us. You wonder why use streets are not done. You wonder why did sewers are plugged up the way Dr. We don't have the tools. >> That's just like I

said at the last. >> Meaning that I was that enhance. I said we don't we don't have the tools. You want us to work. You need to people. We need the money. >> We need tools. We need you to. >> What s

the way you say you want us, you want us to do our jobs effectively but you want to pay us. You want to do our jobs effectively but we can't get equipment. We have equipment that is useless. I see is

useless. I am the number one person. It can go out and run of rope at your that can sift the job of 5 people that wrote that or does it really benefit us? It's taking away jobs if you use it, we're

not using that $500,000 equipment. It's not a sense that you have all of a city workers here that are coming up from X me and our union and throughout the city of Milwaukee willing and ready to work.

But you willing to say they give you 50 for 6 more. But UK relax the $2 that we to court. It's simple. It's simple math. If you're going to raise our healthcare pay, should we have the money to pay

for $0.54 an addition. It's not going to help. So we are asking today, but that more it's not as much as you given the police department to go around and glorified in sales or who are out to have so

many people, we don't even have the body see even go around and work because you have a role patching work that need to be dead. That's the words you have. What a department you have electrical

service. Iran says ease do not have the people and why we don't have the people because hey, you don't want to pay. They go on to other municipalities. They want to other states. We want to stay here.

I have been here all these many years and only thing I can say is I'm a city of Milwaukee employee that's well under pay. So Kamal, give us what we need. We need to tell us that the trucks, the trucks

are totally horrible. You want to get as low percentage of infrastructure money to us. That's nothing we want more. But you can't get was Marcus. You say it always too tight but we get thousands.

Milwaukee office is right around here. Well, all kinds of different things. You you. You had the flak thing that was unnecessary. Apparently we all see that very widely now. But yet you can look at

these employees. You go look at us on the streets and be like, hey, you, yeah, with the ultimate couple pennies here, a couple of pennies there. That's not fair. Just like you're underpaid. We're on

to pay. Make it happen. This is all I'm really asking for. I am the president for asked me for local 33 and I'm going to stand here and I'm gonna stand a stand as much as I can to help our people to

be that voice that you are act like you can hear or see to be that bad. You be that extra. I don't care who you are asked and up to Tiffany fast enough to anybody else. Mayor of ex time and time again

before you became the mayor asked about the different positions. Can we take those positions that are open and sitting there with money sitting in every year trying to overturn another turnover and

you tell me before you got to use that. We'll work on it. We'll work on it. We have downsizing some of the positions that are available. Sure you have. But what have you done with that? Have you given

that money to us? Why can't we circulate that? Might you bet if they are employees so that we were honored. We really get out here and show up that asked what set up that Car creek sewers make the

water flow effectively. Knowing that, hey, I can stand proud to say I'm here and now work for you. You work for a socalled. Can we do to us $2? Actually, $2. You're giving us SOS for 6. 54 6. It's not

making sense whatsoever. At the same time we're talking about how are we really going to time family times that understand what you stand? Please take time. >> And I mean, Raman is next. He's been

here. I mean, a ramen on deck is Willie Mae. >> Good evening, everybody. I'm just here to ask the City Council to all sorry us than a minute sites. I've been living here. All my life finally got home

couple years ago would likely keep it. So I'm just here pretty much too. >> We asked the city council to opposed to any increases, especially when it comes to any type of assessment, property tax

values. >> My property, those wind up $14,500. And I cannot afford another mortgage escrow increase because I don't want to be tacked onto my property. So pretty much. I'm just asking the city council

to reduce the proposed levy and protect homeowners like myself or any additional cost that we can't afford. Thank you for your time. Thank you, Willie Mae, Clayton. >> And Charles Sanchez is on deck.

Hello, everyone. Hello, councilmembers and staff, whoever you may be. >> It's been very interesting to me. The whole situation that I'm here proposing opened my eyes shelter, opened their eyes,

shelter and up already the sound ready. And in addition, if I'm governor share, but we need funding. >> I've been out not panhandling but organizing money for a good thing. And I haven't got enough.

I've been spending money time trying to raise dinner that, you know, that costs money. And for me to get the building, we need to raise money for the building. And I think it would be a very wonderful

idea. The organization's the proposed then propose of die in need of funding and probably shook and homeless. I'd be saying people laying out in the street with their blankets on the on side of the

car in front of a places where they shouldn't be, you know, just letting Matt needing help wanting Hill. I know some of these people don't need it, but they may be put any but who could be pretending

like that being out in the streets lane that I'm a very strict person. I love everyone. I don't have a choice of people. I know my color and I know everyone else's skin color. If this for me to help

everyone. And it's a nonprofit placed at eye opening and we're gonna try to help the people. The organizations that I've talked to, some of them don't want to help. And some do like the Salvation

Army. I can use their resources. And, you know, we just really need to help. And if you want my address, my I have a go fund me page with my name and my phone number and everything else is on a bye

address. So if you want to get in touch with me, you can. And that's all I got to say. Thank you. >> Charles Sanchez, Shirley Tucker, then on deck is should become more and to us and chess call all

good. That's me, right? Yeah. Yeah. Ok, Oregon in your district, by the way. Yeah, yeah. I know. You know, you know, welcome. >> Thanks. Yeah. I just want to make a really quick statement in support

of doing a feasibility study around and doing public ownership of our power utility fossil fuels, poison the water and they poisoned the air. There's a study from last year that says that burning

fossil fuels leads to 91,000 premature deaths and over 200,000 cases of childhood asthma every single year just in the United States. As far back as 2016, solar, energy and wind energy, we're already

cheaper than natural gas. That's 10 years ago, right? Just last year we energies announced that they want to build a new giant natural gas plant. Right? It's going to cost of 1.5 billion dollars. That

gas plant is primarily to power AI data centers, right? So that's going to poison our water. That's going to poison our air. That's going to get asthma to kids right here right here in our county,

right? They are doing that specifically not because it's a cheaper source of power, but because they make more profit off of building fossil fuel infrastructure, like literally, it's written that

they're guaranteed profit for building infrastructure, using fossil fuels because they're privately owned. They are literally required to do whatever they can to increase the return to the

shareholders. Right? So that means investing in fossil fuels instead of clean energy. That means raising rates on regular people in Milwaukee instead of trying to get us the lowest rates possible. So

I would really like to encourage you to do this feasibility study just to see what it would cost just to see if you think it would be possible to make this happen in Milwaukee. And if we do, it will

have cheaper power. We will have cleaner power and will have less asthma and my staff. Thanks. Thank you. It also $0 for flock. Sure. Surely Tucker and on DEC Shamika more. >> Good evening. My name is

Shirley Funches. Tucker. I represent Northwest side residents. I have lived on the northwest side since 1978. Therefore I am vested and I care about my community. It is not vibrant like it once was.

So a few small businesses, Seth Open in late in the last years, others have moved away. We are in dire need of vibrancy, sustainability and growth. There's now only one major grocery store on the

city's northwest side and that is picking say on 75th and good hope. It's not my favorite store but it does serve the northwest side residents. We have Sam's Club Woodman's and Walmart. They're in

Menominee Falls and Brown deer. There's a yearly fee to be a member of Sam's Club and some residents cannot afford the fees. Many residents are lacking resources and transportation to get to stores.

They cannot afford the price of food and transportation to those locations. Over the past year and a half, I've had many conversations with the residents in beauty shops, citizen senior buildings and

churches. Residents are concerned about where to purchase food on the northwest side. My question to residents has been what is your greatest need? And that answer always points to food. The cost of

food, food, accessibility that a lack of food on shelves expired food having to go to more than one store to find food, according to the most recent data that I could. And there are approximately

107,000 residents on a northwest side that have to make up the approximately 500,000 people in Milwaukee. I did not know if you are aware of it, but there is a food apartheid on the northwest side and

we are in an emergency situation. We residents pay taxes and we ask you to do more on our behalf. We're not asking for charity. However, we are bringing the following, request to your attention, find

and create incentives to bring in more majors stores. Number 2, grant residents and community groups acres of vacant fertile land to plant community gardens and number 3, subsidized and collaborate

with the owners of vacant land and properties so that we can have a covered farmers market in our community. Currently there is funding market brown, deer farmers, Market West Dallas farmers market

and the one in painesville. There could be more. However, we need at least one on the northwest side. We also have transportation happens, just save gas and wear and tear on our vehicles so that we do

not have to raise waste resources by going outside of our community to purchase food. We have community gardens week. If we had community gardens, we could work together and watch out for one another

and now supply and vegetables. Seeds do not cost very much. If a farmers market was and our community, we would spend less and we believe that we would have less to worry about food recalls. The city

owns the land that is not being used. For example, consider granting space for community gardens and a farmers market at the old Northridge and location in this current atmosphere. We might all all

find ourselves in need of a garden. So please read people want to live their lives with some dignity right now. Many have nowhere to turn and they feel left out. This is some of the beauty supply

stores and some of the virus. You hear about food, apartheid. Things are tight and for me that ever before this year, I've spent more money on groceries, utility bills and most recently on gas than

ever before. I along with many others on a fixed income. I feel that I pinch, therefore, we need you, our city leaders to take a closer look at the budget and carefully consider those things that

unnecessary just and fair to the northwest side. Residents which continue to the northwest side put continues to hurt in many ways. It grieves in my heart to see people lack access to food and lack

funds to purchase, purchase food. Do not let us suffer more than we already have. We're in a rich and powerful country. There should be no lack of food. And please don't say what some say. Where do we

move? This is our city and this is our home on behalf of the northwest residents. I ask you to support the healthy, the Milwaukee healthy. Let me get it right. The healthy food fun. We want you to put

a million dollars in the beat. The change Milwaukee, healthy food next average and find that it right. We've northwest residents greatly appreciate that. You're going to consider our dye your

emergency. We depend on you and thank you for your time. And I apologize that I went over should make a more. >> And Tracy Watford is on deck. >> Good evening. Mayor Cavalier Johnson out their purses

and members of the Common Castle. My name is Shamika more. I am a native of mobile of Milwaukee, a business owner, a member of the African American Roundtable. And I am a supporter of the 1 million

investment in the healthy food establishment fight. First off, I believe in the city of Milwaukee is people are potential to build stronger communities and create greater opportunities for our

Milwaukee residents. I was born and raised in Milwaukee, but I traveled to Tennessee throughout my childhood into adulthood. My family have deep Southern roots come from a family of black farmers from

Trent Tennessee Ripley, Mississippi, far mentally unhealthy food and caring for animals have been a part of my family's history for generations. My great grandparents lived to be 98 in 110 years old

and they maintain their all farms in Crewe. Much of what they ate growing preparing and having access to fresh food were deeply rooted in my family and how we live. And I believe those practices, the

Trib you contribute to their longevity. My connection to agriculture includes my quest for a lifestyle. I take care, of course, is to not take care of the land. I have a deep appreciation for land

farming in animals and these disparate have shape how I understand the importance of caring for our land, how we grow and produce full and how those resources, his support families and communities.

But growing up in the Milwaukee inner city also witnessed a very different reality as saw the disconnect between our communities and access to quality healthy and affordable food. It is not simply

about whether food is available. It is about what kind of food is available, where it is available in red there. Residents have the knowledge and opportunities to tune into to grope repair and

preserve food. Fortunately, these challenges can stand today, particularly for residents in out dramatic districts. 5, 9, residents should not have to travel outside of their own neighborhoods to

access quality, food and resources that should be available within their communities. Food access. It's more is about more than food. It connects the public help economic opportunity, neighborhood,

stability, youth engagement, community development and community safety. That is why I support the fee. Change in pay campaign is copper. 1 million investment in the healthy Food establishment fund

formally known as to fresh food. Fine. Payne proposes investing in local all full access point community-based food, infrastructure, our big agriculture and nutrition education. As a business owner

and community member, I believe residents should have meaningful voice in these investments. This is about more than funding. It's about community-driven solutions, local and this new resident

leadership and build a sustainable food system for our future generations. So today I respectfully actually Mayor Cavalier Johnson, the Milwaukee Common Council, you out their purses to support the 1

million investment in to help people establishment fund because our residents, our people deserve to have healthier communities. Thank you. Thank you. Tracey Watford. >> And on decked is on deck is

Taylor Forestland. >> Good evening, Mayor Chason and the Common Council. I'm Tracie lack for I just want to say first about this is my first. I'm coming to a hearing let alone speaking. But I want to

tell you a little bit about myself. I'm a lifelong resident of Milwaukee. I love here in a 7 to go to college, came back home to Milwaukee to give back to the city that I grew up in. My mom was a

single parent most of my life. He worked in social services. Initially when I was preparing my talking points, I thought food access was not part of my story. But then when I started thinking it

really was my family migrated from the south here in the late 60's and for Tennessee, Mississippi. But they brought with them a skill set and knowledge of how to well, they're all food and how to

preserve food. We still had some things that we need to get from other places. But my grandmother had a garden. She taught my mom and my aunts, uncles had to go catch him. And that knowledge has been

passed on to me. I love that and to this day, but food axis was in issue. I remember the blocks of cheese. I remember the food boxes. I remember my mom working 2 jobs because she was a single parent.

I was in that key kid. I remember when Midtown with capital court and going there and the vibrancy of the neighborhood in the community. I remember when North Beach really wasn't mall and not just a

site where it was abandoned on the northwest side, I live in the Midwest Orleans Distric. I called his office frequently. I do not ever miss an opportunity to vote because my grandmother was a part of

the history in the south where they were discouraged from voting. My great grandfather. My great great uncle was a founding member of the NAACP chapter in our hometown in Tennessee in had to leave

town and leave his businesses to escape the Ku Klux K***. So voting for me has been passed down as not only a privilege but a responsibility. So I don't miss the opportunity to vote. And I want to say

that very clearly because I've people and to represent my knees and my interest, but not just that, but for the community that I live in. So I'm asking you to support the 1 million dollars in the

Rockies City budget for 2027 for the healthy food establishment fun. But also want to encourage you because I am a retired Milwaukee public school teacher. I want to encourage you to think beyond 2027

when your plan in this budget for 2027, make sure that you are planning for beyond 2027 because food access does not just affect the community that you that we live in, but it affects your community

as well. If you take care of the basic needs of your citizens and residents, then you will not see some of the issues that you're seeing as a schoolteacher from Milwaukee public school that retired. I

work. And when I got my license to teach at prayed and asked God, God, give me the students the other people don't want to work with. So I had the students with challenging behaviors and special needs

and a lot of them came from homes where access to their basic needs, including food was hindered. >> We? >> I generation because I'm looking at some of you, even though I look good for my age. Some of

you are close in age to me and we are filling our young people because we have dropped the ball. So I want to encourage you to think beyond the 2027 year, don't just make promises. If people are

really important to you, if the people that you say you serve a really important to you in the show up in your actions, it will show up in your vote. It is so up would not call your office. Adam, a

Westmoreland and I get a response. The shopping you're in in your actions to show up in everything that you do. And I just want to say as a teacher who went without a raise for years, stand in

solidarity with my union brothers and sisters that are here. So working 2 jobs did not stop with my mother because as a teacher, I had to work 2 jobs I should've had to. So I'm here not just as a

member of the community, but I'm here speaking for my former students and for students who cannot be here to speak for themselves if parents can't be here because a lot of them of having to work 2

gaps. I want to encourage you to 1 million dollars to 2027 is great if you give it to us. But think beyond 2027, make sure that you put something in place that sustainable and dignified. I live within

walking distance of pick n Save at MIT. How will that stop shopping there years ago because of the quality of service and quality of product. And I want to encourage my all the men to have a

conversation with the owners and operators of this storm because it's ridiculous. Thank you very much, Taylor for some. >> And on DEC is a Mya Mya Riemer River. Sorry. >> Good evening. Mayor Johnson

come council members. My name is Taylor course. Lynn, I'm a resident and volunteer with the group. Rethink 7.94. As you make tough decisions about limited funds. I want to share an optimistic vision

to fundamentally build lasting community. Well to fund all of this and more the decision about Interstate 7.94, is as much about land use housing, neighborhood building connecting communities and

public funding as it is about cars. We want to see a neighborhood once again connect this area and provide dense housing where it makes sense to downtown. Well, this is not about today's budget. It is

about the future funding of budgets and public services. Property tax revenue from a redevelopment plan could produce 16 million dollars per year for the city services. We think the opportunity is

bigger than that. This is public land and some of the most valuable land in the state of Wisconsin. The city should take a major part in the revenue from this redevelopment to fundamentally better

city city, financing and services in the long run to take part in community. Well, at a scale of potentially 100 million dollars per year. Think about what 100 million dollars a year could do for the

deck for a decade by investing in our communities. We need to meet the moment with bold ideas that take advantage of our public assets, our land to fund public services. This can do more than fill

potholes and fund schools without referendums. We can actually invest in our neighborhoods in every part of the city. We can provide housing, affordable workforce housing, well taking part in the

revenue at a fundamentally different scale. This is not something new to Milwaukee. The Port Authority and summer fest grounds along with parking revenue are examples of of a municipal wealth funds

from public land. The Park East Highway Removal 20 years ago. It was a matrix that success and produced the highest performing TIF district and city of Milwaukee history. However, we gave the land to

the box for a dollar. Taxpayers also subsidize the box to stay in our city. We continually privatized the gains and subsidize the losses highways of cut through every neighborhood of the city. It is

time that one gives back to every corner of the city. We urge you to talk with rethink 7.94 volunteer residents and advance this once in a generation opportunity to better Milwaukee's future. Thank

you. Thank you. >> My rumor. And >> and when the spur pain is next. >> My name is NIA Rimmer and Born and raised on 60. Think it hopes the AI and the 9th district member. I stand with lots of other

North West Siders tonight and the few that change campaign to ask for a million dollar investment and the healthy food establish me. I know, sir, you're standing over there, but I will say that no

matter how much money you think you are an investment that will never be enough to feed our people growing up on the northwest side. The most common thing in all my friends, it's a if we want to be

happy. If we want to live, we need to lead Milwaukee and we never come back to Milwaukee. And most people I know have left I left and they don't ever want to come back. And I came back here and I work

with youth who say the same things that I need to leave this e if I want to be happy. So much of me wants to believe in my tell them that's not how in east of us never how it should be where you're

from. But I still come back and I have the experience that you need to leave to get what you need. My family is one of many that we use the city in order to get reliable access to food. All these on

Hopkins as well with the after school. I want to prove his key UK House. My mom would go there after work after working a long shift, not even to get real groceries, but some time to treat close at

the beginning of this year. We live right down the street from the pick n save on 75th and good hope and has scaled back so much in my lifetime that you could spend at least an hour trying to check

out in just the line because everything is locked up and there's only one person working and they're patting you down, taking all types of security. Where does that? They all over the flock in front

of you at the grocery store? I could spend the whole 3 minutes just naming all the produce recalls this summer that effectively me and my neighbors could eat and enjoy in our time off. And that's what

all of you to shame and makes me shameful that we live in a city where you cannot enb dignified where you are to invest and the fresh food fun is to feed young people. Their belief you can get what

you need right where you are. But you deserve that in your own city. Thank you. >> When be used for pain and about the afternoons is next. >> President Perez Common Council. I'm here representing the

asked me my union employees. Our 3 demands are $2 per hour raise for general city workers. No change in cost of coverage for health insurance benefits and reduce mandatory probation from 12 months to

6 months. I wanted to mention that our raise gets us caught up because a dollar per hour raise is better than a percentage because it lifts the floor for city workers. We have a lot of employees who

are to office, assistant 3 customer service reps. And whenever there was a percentage raise, it always seem to benefit the supervisors because they had me, too. And they would always get a better

phrase than us who had the lower pain. And I also wanted to mention that the being a single parent is not easy in the city. Milwaukee. I always worked 2 jobs if it was Mary Kay Avon Boston store. >>

And being a assistant for, you know, an elderly person. Now, I also wanted to mention I respect everybody who came today to talk about the election commission. They should recruit some younger people

because I am a voter poll worker and I really do enjoy and educating the people who I work with at the voting polls. And we do notice that some of the DPW employees who might come from maybe Mso E

they don't stay very long after they're trained by DPW because they could get paid well by somebody else. My nephew in the private sector was almost a remote ID by Berg Hammer. And I think that they

were wanting to hire him just because he's useful. So I do want to mention those facts and that I am a member of the northwest side and we really do need to have some community garden. Some of those

are the things I want to discuss with you. Thank you. Thank you. >> They tracked since Peter. >> And then next is Michael Patrina Patrol. >> Good evening. My name is Patrick Athens. And good evening,

too. Mayor Johnson, President Perez, the Common Council and the Common Council itself. >> I am here. >> Because I'm a program assistant who with the Department of Neighborhood Services Sorry and I

work at the permit center have been there for quite a few years as a program, assistant to ever represent clerical staff. I believe that clerical workers have been underpaid as it relates to health

care costs. And general inflation with that said, I'm here because I like discuss the what what we need to do as in so far as changing things. I like my union siblings and 9 siblings hard to offset

the long-lasting effects of act. 10 inflation and health care costs. Some of us work part time and some of us don't. But the impact is the same. So with that said, I'd like to ask the to implement no

change in cost or coverage for health care insurance benefits. Provider to dollar an hour raise to all General city employees and reduce the mandatory probation time from 12 months to 6 months. Thank

you. >> On Michael Patrina and on deck is Wolf gay Schuster? >> I everybody my name is Michael Charla. I Milwaukee resident for the past 16 years on the east side of walking by parading and I am

demanding that any budgets will have the flock cameras be removed for 2027, a second and a similar automatic license plate reader cameras should also be struck from those proposals. These cameras are

already being removed from the Milwaukee County Parks, which was already AP voted on by the commission on October. 1st, by the end of the year, they will be remote. Many neighboring counties and

townships are. And then these flock camera contract Rex and even the governor today, Crowley has been proposal calls for the not to be a list and Wisconsin. So currently there are no currently there

are limitations of the supervisors to only have blocked access. But when will this a safeguard be abused? I say let's not wait for that to occur. They're a question. I want you all to reflect on as on

those budget items of the proposal for the 16 cameras. Are they a limpiar cameras? What type of cameras? All those? I think it should be specified those budgets. That's that they are not help our

camera so everyone can deduce what exactly those cameras are. Our these eleby our cameras consistently show up use and vulnerability of cyber attacks and violation of constitutional right rights for

all. They're not just license plate reader shares their surveillance to be used against us in this country. I'm also demand of the people will help him run our city be given a 2 off dollar our rates.

The city workers are essential and have suffered immensely inflation. They've done so much for us and the city deserves to get them something back. Finally, I want to allocate funding enforced or as

the feasibility study, they are on track for one 97 and towards a public run utility. When air juices taken advantage of that as those rush towards data centers and pass expenses to us the residence

and Milwaukee, the head of the company's plan. Is that a pose? A dual public utility is ridiculous. It's not based on facts. Let us close to the study so it is based on facts. Thank you for your time

for everyone show up on Monday. That and until flock, the flock off. Thank you. >> Wolfgang shoots their embrace crisis next. >> Alone with things just are live in district 3. A good evening to

everyone. So first of all, I just want to keep it simple. Get rid of flock. It serves no purpose in our city or our country and is a complete waste of money. It would be better served to spend that

money on our city employees instead of unused this cameras. So $2 an hour raise for our city employees is my second point. And then investing in our future by working toward thief is ability study for

we energies replacing we energies to make it a city-owned co-op to invest in our future and that that's all I have to say. Thank you. >> Right. Sector ICE on deck is Andy Barbour. >> Good evening.

Members of the Common Council chairman Pres and Mayor Johnson. My name is Grace anchor IOUs. I Milwaukee resident. I'm a high school teacher and I am also an officer with Milwaukee. Dsa is part of the

people campaign. I respect the fact that I'm sure everyone in this room is tired. To be honest, I am tired as well. I am tired of paying more than my fair share to a corporation that does not meet my

energy needs. Yeah, it is off. The Mudd said that the cave you fear to enter holds the treasure that you seek if you was the Common Council truly care and truly seek to have Milwaukee residents have

more affordable and safe conditions. Then I ask you to not fear amending the budget for a feasibility study for the replacement of we energies as a for-profit utility with a municipally public owned

utility. A couple reasons for this. Let's first start with affordability. Some of the highest month-to-month bills in the nation for utilities reside within this city's borders higher than regional

powerhouses such as Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, higher than other international coastal cities, such as Seattle and Boston and higher than some of the largest cities in the nation. Such as Los

Angeles here in Milwaukee, statistically the burden is even worse for the people that need it. The most waukee's low-income residents and statistically speaking a higher burden for Blackmon walk-ins

as well. All of this goes back to an increased profit motive and we simply need to do better. We need to do better for the residents of the city. We need to do better for the people who are here

tonight advocating for a fee fair share wage raise. And we need to do this by eliminating profit motive wherever we can climbing heard limiting profit motive will lead to an overall safer environment.

Increased infrastructure investment simply put is not helpful to the bottom line of a for-profit industry. Therefore, we're left with an aging infrastructure and continued investment into polluters

such as coal and natural gas power plants. If we place left less emphasis, what helps the boardroom and more infants is what helps the people in this room. We can increase the up time for necessary

services and reduce air pollution. These are the items that are worth the investment in summary. This feasibility study will already proved what is already clear. We energies cares not for more QE

residents other than to have them as a customer number. In short, I ask you to read what is on these walls yet. Just yet justice will be done. Vox Populi the the bill and the voice of the people

invest in the information necessary to remove the for profit motive and replace it with civic responsible public owned energy. Thank you. >> And the ball more and Ian Gunther is on deck. >> Good

evening. My name is Andy. I'm one of the co-chairs of the Milwaukee Democratic Socialists of America. And I first want to join in speaking in favor of Alderman Broward's budget amendment to include a

feasibility study on the use of Chapter one 97 to replace we energies. We energies is looking to raise rate increases by 14% next year. The current rate increases have unsurprisingly made Milwaukee

the second most expensive major U.S. city for ratepayers. For the past several years, we energies rates per kilowatt hour have been 30 to 40% higher than public power rates from other Wisconsin public

power utilities. And it's just not it's not just about the cost to the rate payers, either Midwesterners with private utilities experience twice as much down time per year compared to those served by

public utilities and we energies commitment to fight climate change fails to meet even the modest target set by the state of Wisconsin, which is set a goal for carbon free electricity by 2050 at which

point we energies only plans to achieve carbon neutrality. We need we energies out. I also want to advocate for the proposed pay increase for the city workers as requested by the members of asked me,

the workers have asked me perform critical work every single day to keep Milwaukee running and their demand of a $2 raise is more than reasonable. The city has willfully failed to raise the pay of

workers to match the rate of the market and of inflation. And that's completely unacceptable. We need to be taking steps to give dignity and power to the working people of this city. And finally, the

city of Milwaukee needs to take every step at its disposal to end the flock surveillance. These technologies to watch us. Listen to us and track us are not being used for safety but rather for

persecution. The Milwaukee Police Department is being granted far too much access to our information and cannot be trusted to will that in service of the community. Frankly, no one can members of the

Common Council and city government. This is a critical opportunity to stand in solidarity with Milwaukee's working class. I urge you all speaking not just to the leaders here, but to everyone who's

come out this evening to make your voice heard. See yourselves in this fight against the forces of capitalism which are costing our community its money and its lives. Thank you. Thank you. He in

Gunther Ian Gunther and making keys is on deck. Thank you, President Perez. >> Good evening, everybody. My name is Ian got there. I am on the executive board of the Newark Area Labor Council asking

council 32 and also chair of the Milwaukee Democrat Sources, America Labor working group today. I'm speaking with you as president of the American Federation of State County Municipal Employees, local

47. I am a city resident and district 6 more Millie College district and I am a city worker at the Milwaukee Water works where I work as a electrical engineer at Linwood Water Treatment plant this

year, union membership and co-workers made it clear that we deserve more. And then to just keep up with inflation, we deserve better working conditions, too. And the way that we get that is by

pressuring the Common Council to make those policy change changes that help city workers. So this year we have those 3 demands that we've been hearing about $2. Our parade is a per hour raise for city

workers. No change to our health insurance coverage, premiums and then to reduce mandatory probation from 12 months to 6 months. Now, we're behind on inflation since 2024, according to the Wisconsin

Employment Relations Commission, inflation has increased by 15%, but the city has only given 7% and raises with a one percent raise for city residents incentive. We need another 7% just to break. Even

with inflation. A $2 an hour raise will get us caught up. So dot power of any kind will help raise the floor for city workers. I heard a lot of complaints for the Common Council last year that we're

giving too much money to the top earners of the folks that make $300,000 at the ERs. You know, they're making something like a of an additional $3 an hour with a 2% raise. Okay. Let's let's level the

playing field. But to bring up our workers that make the least that are working the hardest on our streets so that they can feel like they they can walk around and and pay for services and, you know,

contribute to our neighborhoods, contribute to their families and support our city. Now on health care, I know the Common Council has been considering a change that the United health care insurance is

proposing. It's just a concept called Nexus a CEO and it the proposal is to increase coinsurance for when we pay for ascension health care services, any special care providers. This is just another

example of some of the erosion on health care that we're experiencing. The city of Milwaukee alongside a 6% increase in our premiums and probation and 2024. Mandatory probation for new and promoted of

workers went up from 6 months to 12 months. That's 12 months on the job or you can be fired for any reason without appeal. If your manager doesn't like you and you showed up late because he got a flat

tire one strike, you're out. Okay. That's not. All right. And you know, I want to also put her support here behind how are the people? Because as inflation is increasing, you know, we're seeing those

systemic issues from our public power. Utilities are from a private party utility. And if we would prefer honest about trying to take on those inflationary forces, we need to look into these measures

to start curbing those prices. 14 1% lower on public and private and public power utility rates on average across the nation. All right. So we can get that if we look into the feasibility Saudi and

get city of Milwaukee to turn it into municipal utility, I work for municipal utility. We make it work. So just real quick here, I also want to just support the food justice on the northwest side. I

think that they have amazing appeal here. >> I think that it could be a have a huge impact for them. >> My father used to live on the northwest side and it's it's suffering and they need help. So I'm

I'm happy to hear that. That's something that folks are trying to propose here. And now I want to level with everybody. The financial problem at the city of Milwaukee has little to do with Milwaukee

itself. Everybody in this room know is that right? It has everything to do with the state legislation that is slowly starving us and our city to death. But at the end of the day, unfortunately, the

state does not determine whether the city workers deserve dignity for the hard work that these work that they put in to keep the city running. We cannot save the city without city workers. And I

encourage you all to work with us to win a better future for a city by taking this fight to the state so that we can save our city together. I want us to do this together. I know we can do this

together because we have the power and people are rising everywhere. There's so many constituency groups here that are rising up because we know that we're getting cornered in a city. So I encourage

everybody here to look at that together to fight the good fight against the real problems that are facing our city. And I hope that we can we can come together for that. So and then, you know, of

course, when we fight, we win right when we fight. >> Megan Keys. >> And then Jones next. But I can't read the last name, Joe, the UK's Chamber, Chairman Street. Sorry that I carry the lesson again.

Sorry for my writing. >> Hello to the Common Council. The mayor I name is Joe Cole and I live in River West. I'm an artist activist, an organizer. I've been a big reader, my whole life in 1984, for

the first time in grade school. In that book, government engages mass surveillance of its citizens. This makes flock actually worse than or Wally. And since our data movement and licenses are being

sold off to unknown third-party state and private actors who God knows what with it. But the flock are we doing here? This is still a free country. Last time I checked, we may be able to keep it if we

stop making it easy for that pro fascist and tech and government to track and control us with the stoping tools like flock or acts on or anything else like that. I lived downstairs to my 2 and a half

year old niece and I wanted to grow up in a better world. We also need to fund the feasibility, say to give power back to the people. We energies is motivated by profit, not by truly helping its

customers. And last we need to take care of our city workers. Everyone in this room, as you've heard relies on them for essential services, everyone we all do. There are already under works and

understaffed. We need to make sure their pay keeps up with inflation at the very nice. That's like the bare minimum that's table stakes that their health care coverage doesn't change and reducing the

probation period of 6 months is what these dedicated public services are. Thank you for that. I'm OK, Devon Anderson, Devon Anderson. >> And then there's a TJ Home link. >> Hello, you off. My name is

sure, AKA Barry. I'm actually taking the place of Devon Anderson. Yes, my name is sure, aka Berry and first and foremost, I want to thank everybody who is still here. Thank you so much for the people

who show up. Thank you all for listening to me. I know it's hard to be a public service as you are any guess. I'm here to support that FIFA change initiative. And I want to talk a little bit first

about some of my stories with food access in a security. At a point in time when I was 19, I was an house at the live in Calumet City. The only place I had to eat was that Walgreens in a subway. I've

experienced what it feels like the indignity to not have access to the food. You know, you need to be healthy. It makes you feel worthless and it's not right. I currently live on the east side. There

is a fresh time. If you go that you might see me there and there are several food establishments that I can go to and walking distance to get healthy food. But it breaks my heart to know that that's

not the case for a lot of people on the north side. And so I'm here to advocate for problems that aren't my own because I believe that everybody deserves equal dignity and that includes access to

healthy food and that healthy food, healthy food is a life or death issue. As I look across the street from around the life expectancy drops by 14 years, black children are about 38% of the births in

the city. But two-thirds of the infant mortality rate stroke incidence is go up by 87%. Heart attacks 37%. And the root cause of this is healthy food. So I am pleading with you that we invest in the

health and the lives of all residents in the city. And that starts with the healthy Food Access Fund. And lastly, what I'll mention is that about 2 weekends ago, I did a community bike ride. Where was

that some, you know, funding from local residents to get some food from farmers, markets and community gardens to go donate by the end of the day, I had more food that I could physically fit in my car

and that raced all of the doubt that we can do this. We can create the food system that gives people dignified eating and also healthy fruits and vegetables. So we can do this. We should do this, but

it's actually up to you all if we're going to do this and I plead with you. Please support this. Thank you. Good evening, everyone. Thank you for sticking with us so late. I know there's a lot of

speakers also want to thank council President Perez, Mayor Johnson, others to members of Common Council. Thank you for sticking with us and thank you for listening to us. >> My name is T J handling. I

am a homeowner in District 11. I am also a employee of the Department neighborhood services in the I'm a plan examiner and the permit development center. And I'm also the vice president of asked me

local 47. Now, a lot of us have spoke so far about the dignity of us asking for a raise and that's really gets to the core of what I think this is about. I think that in any sensible world, a person

who works to make the city of Milwaukee better full-time, someone who devotes 40 hours or more of their week in service to this city and service. The community deserves the dignity of being able to

afford to live here. The lowest paid city employees cannot do that. Our proposal is about economic equity. A lot of employees exempt employees as a management positions for whom a percentage raise

would make a good situation better while that's nice. And we're very happy for them. And for some of us who do make a little bit more upper Sen is is great. But I'm thinking about those folks who work

in the library or to answer phones so that I don't have to answer the phone every 5 minutes while I'm doing my job and I think about how much money they make. And I know that sometimes even with a

city job that does, but frankly pay pretty well. All things considered, even I and this time of economic uncertainty, I'm having difficulty making ends meet sometimes. And I'm pretty I'm a homeowner.

I don't have any kids. My bills are paid. That's fine. But when I can't make ends meet sometimes and I have to start giving things up and budgeting harder than I've had to budget in the past. And then

I think about my coworkers who are making 10, 15, 20, $30 last an hour that I am. How are they doing? It doesn't someone who gives a significant portion of their life to make the city better, the

dignity to live in it. I would hope so. And that's what we're asking you for. Is that $2 an hour raise to help lift them up from the bottom, those at the top and those further up the top. That's good.

And we want that. But really we want those folks who are just barely scraping by to be secure. And every year when our insurance premiums go up, you know the cost we need to pay evaporates most of any

raise. We actually are. So we come up. We did this last year and doing it again too. Come hat in hand and ask health for more money. Only to know that no matter how hard we fight, it's going to United

Healthcare already, frankly, kind of socks. And when we talk about probation, there have been instances of people being promoted, indicating a a side motion in their job just because someone maybe

doesn't like them so much. Please wrap up. Thank you. And they use this as an opportunity to get them back into probation and get them out. People who devote their lives should have that security. And

if you work over a year, I don't see any reason why you have to be afraid when you come into work every day. Thank you for your time. Please consider these things. Thank you so much. Thank you. Next

up. >> Are have Lee. Okay, Matt, we have. >> Christian Johnstone who are. >> And I get to the hand, come on, come and get them just to give it as one knows Christian available. Okay. Then if you want

to stand there the door there. Okay, Matt, your time is beginning. >> Awesome. Thank you. My name is Matt. I live in Bay View a Milwaukee DSA member like to speak in support of 3 things tonight. The

first would be to get these wonderful people behind me. A $2 an hour raise and my professional capacity. I work in the water and wastewater and I've been the plants here, Milwaukee, all around the

United States. And there any operator anybody that's really working for the city are some of the most dedicated, hard working people that you've ever meet. They don't they are just they just work

because they know that their needs are important. So I just want to say that, you know, we should give them that we should meet him at this demand. So the second one, I like to support the amendment

for the power to the people funding for the study. It feels and I've been working on this campaign for 3 years. And if you saw some of the residents I have, you would have no difference between we

energies and a pretty much organized games. So so this is at least the first step to really put it forward and really verified that the numbers that we will save money when we switch over from

privately owned utility to a publicly owned utility. And lastly, I'd like to support any sort of a pulling back of funding for any flock cameras or even any alternatives that might come through as

well. And the fear fact that. >> We we have to go through all these people and all and there was like none of this ever energy to even verify flock on anything. The fact that you're scrutinizing the

power of the people and the people behind me asking for wages and you let all this go a flock for like millions of dollars. As you know, it might be time to finally put our money where our morals are

in the city that I think we can be better for that so that I think everybody for staying late to summer. >> Thank you, Christian. >> And then next is Alice Oliver Dallas. A can just for Time's sake

after Alice's Oliver Krawcheck. Okay. So that has Christian. Yes. Good evening. >> Thank you so much. Thank you. Mayor Johnson and all of the Common Council. I am Christian Johnstone fewer a lifelong

city of Milwaukee resident, a district to liven homeowner for the past. 26 years, a city of Milwaukee worker for the Milwaukee Public Library's and then asked me member and I am here to give voice to

some of the lowest paid workers in the city. The Milwaukee Public Library's library, circulation services, representatives. They are the front just of the front line library. Public set public service

staff. They are the first person that all library users engage with when they come into the library. And we all know that the library is really the most top Democratic and most diverse place problem

in the city. It is the place where people are from all walks of life, all socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnicities, religions, and housing status S and their pay has not kept up with inflation. These

lcs hours of heads of our whole heads of households are single parents and are also adults caring for their own parents. They have all been impacted by rising food, gas and housing costs. We have LCS

ours who are dependent on snap to feed themselves and the members of their family are taking 2 or 3 bosses just to get to work and home spending 10 hours just to cover their what, 8 hour shift. And

they are living in multigenerational households just to cover the rising housing costs. We were really appreciative of last year's 3% raise. But per cent raises of a low wage is just a couple of

cents. It's really dollars that make the most sense. Those making the least will feel the impact the most of a $2 an hour raise and we need to raise the floor to support all city of Milwaukee workers.

Thank you. Thank you. >> Alice and then Oliver and after Oliver is Kevin One and over again. If you don't mind lining up, Alice Oliver, Good evening. >> The evening. Thank you for giving me the

opportunity to speak. I mean it support Specialist SR for the Information Technology Management Division for the city of Milwaukee. I started working with the city in August of 23 and I served a six-

month probation in August of 24. I was promoted and served another 6 months probation. Just recently I was promoted again. And now it's a 12 month probation. I had no knowledge of this. Nobody told me

about this. Nobody knows how the decision was made, where it came from. What the deal was. It's dishonest and Milwaukee can do better. On the note of the $2 an hour raise in lieu of a 2% raise for our

library workers. That's 30 bucks a paycheck before taxes. They can get a value meal to dollar an hour. Raise is what asked me once. Thank you. >> Followed by Kevin is Kevin lining up. No. Okay. And

then Eric Jensen just getting to county organize. Know Eric last call. Eric Jensen Eric Johnson. Lucie Schmidt. Okay. Lose if you can line up and then Oliver. Good evening. >> Hello. Thank you so much

for hearing us out. I'm just here. I'm against all ALP ours and AI technology in general until we get real regulation on it. I also stand in support of a $2 an hour raise when you see white library

workers are subjected to and >> we get paid. At the end of that, I would challenge any of you to go through that and receive the paychecks that library workers do. It is inhumane. It is shocking. And

as somebody who like, you know, I've answered phones my whole life. You know, I've been a paper pusher. I you know, I've worked a lot of customers, server service jobs and I just have so much respect

and admiration for them and all city workers as I am also a city worker. But you know it, it takes a village. Yeah, and thank you so much for this time. And I really hope, you know, that you all are

engaging with what we're saying because everyone who's spoken tonight has spoken on something that really matters to them because these are life or death issues. So thank you. Thank you. Lucie

Schmidt. >> Domingo, Williams's son, debt. >> Hello, members of the Common Council and Mayor Johnson. I am a statement secretary of asked me local 47, a member of Milwaukee, TSA and a resident of

Milwaukee specifically Aldermanic district 4. I would like to begin by thanking the elected officials here that made time in their busy schedules to meet with asked me about our plans to improve

working conditions. Thank you, Council. President Perez Alderwoman Dimitri much older men were jealous. Alderman Jackson Alderman Brauer an older woman more. I am here tonight along with many others

to state the absentee demands for this upcoming budget cycle. A $2 raise for all general city workers. No change in cost or coverage for health insurance benefits and a reduction of mandatory

probation for 12 months to 6 months. Why we appreciate last year's 3% raise. Plus one percent resident incentive. Many of our members got pennies or bosses got dollars. This year, we demand a $2 an

hour raise to increase the wage floor for lowest paid workers, which include general laborers, library workers, customer service, representatives, security guards, 9-1-1, operators and many others,

all of whom provide services, the residents of Milwaukee, your constituents. We rely on every day to speak to my own experience. I had to work a second job my first year working for the city as I took

a pay cut going from being a grocery store, assistant manager to working for the city. After a year of city service, I was promoted which restarted my probation from scratch for an entire year. I

passed this probation last week with readings about standing exceeding expectations in every category. But that year of uncertainty is painful and excessive for many city workers. I ask you to

consider my experience the experiences of my union siblings and the hard work we do every day to keep the city running when voting for a raise for city workers this year. In addition to these union

specific demands, I also want to speak in support of Alderman Broward's budget amendment for a feasibility study to replace we energies with the municipally owned utility. My local asked me local 47

endorses this campaign. We represent Milwaukee water workers and we believe in municipal utilities. I would also like to voice my strong opposition to flock another license plate readers in the city

of Milwaukee. There are so many amazing groups and causes that need the money. You're dedicating to harmful surveillance. I understand the budget is tight and there are many worthy causes. We ask that

you listen to us. And if you haven't already meet with us to discuss how we can improve working conditions in the city of Milwaukee, living conditions in the city of Milwaukee as well. Amanda

Williams. >> From Rodgers and Raquel or not those next. >> Hello, my name is John Rogers. I'm also city of Milwaukee employee and the VP for local 4.26. Representing over the city workers in the

library, the health department and the administration department, including my lovely it workers behind me. I think that everyone has been saying a lot of great things that I'm not gonna waste your

time or citing numbers again. But I think the big point that we need to get across is the fact that not keeping up with cost of living and not keeping up with inflation is looking at in the eye and

saying that you do you deserves less for all the work that you do. You deserve less time out at restaurants who deserved less vacations. You you deserve less ability to go to the hospital when you're

sick. And especially when the hospital bills are going up. And I as an expected father and knowing more and more about that and the fact that trying to change our health care to limit our choices for

the hospitals that we can go to effects are down bottom line more than anything. So I encourage the city council here to give it city workers $2 an hour because we need it and we deserve it. And we

work hard for you and your constituents every day to provide the services that everyone needs. And I would really appreciate you to think about that in the budget. >> But Del Granado and idea so

settle. >> Well, that's not as good and they would not notice on Co. Come on. We have Leninist. Find your own. What gay assay for promo be the I-40 and we're not a gun. It's the bottom of the Indus, a

fence on. >> And also that us almost. >> But on that aspect, the buzz in a story seen that someone that has a lot of square neighborhood. I mean, but as I can go to another IDs and say, let's take a

meal. So most of what that is like, the U.S. the spittle candy and keep with Anton them. I look at ways we got buckets and let's play that come when he got up to look and see. >> It's the most of them

will be in the will. Even if you see Obama surfacing that he owes. Is that a second dose from where this a fence on and those you love but only that, but Apple then divide. It was most interesting

that you want to circle money that we expect it to pass on that for a gig that, yes, I have a gun but will be most bank. The single Ninos you see it on. >> I already will in that they let go to cut

the wood. >> They say your walkout always have a goddess ss a fence on it may be of a U.S. flip will be the basis for investment. And this was the scene that is you get animals to see that. Some say

the end, though, is you don't get on those. Those from those on the soliciting that you'll get the most for a movie in, though. But a conocer basing that he owes siguen Siendo. We'll see you on scene.

But the Bulls see almost comical money that is that all need us or maybe they said people they formed. This gets a little more about that as they say, people. The though Dennis se on is going way safe

and sound. >> Just as his London not to minimize the money inside, say that it won't get elected. Still a member that he loved me more on that. And then with just some of many has shown us and it's

and it's outside. It's the McConnell said you lost and won just one S maybe that is not for this image of a minimum of a love. A guy that, yeah, it gave Moses Patel and it's outside and space that

most I did see the Florida law putting it out there to see this. This I do not. It is then lot because it went missing. It's been a multi but it helps him out to close the gun as if to say I do not.

But I lost sound. I see them as they asked and lows a little bit that while the that the month of the money that is, but the Biden S does it lead to this and I sit with us. >> Yes, yes, you're

welcome. >> Just in case anyone's care should understand. They're here to support the good neighbor. A grant program through safe and sound has made a difference and building community and

neighborhood block watch is in their district. So thank you. Next up is a Schrock of Barry and then on deck as Madeleine Wright. Madeleine Wright is on Deck. >> R****, a farmer, a resident and

automatic district 9. I join fee. The change in pay ease. Call for a 1 million dollar investment into the healthy food establishment fund. My neighbors, peers and hundreds of residents, especially but

not exclusively from automatic districts. 5, 9, this campaign when asked what will keep our community safe would allow us to thrive or make our communities feel liberated from their responses came

imagination and from imagining came a vision for more grocery stores, farmers, markets and community gardens that each of us owned and sustained not corporate chains pantries or anything in our

current food system that isn't working for Milwaukee's greater community. I believe in his vision having been sold expired fruits from the gas station on 95th in brown deer across the street from our

residents having felt neglected and disrespected at the pick n save near 76 and good hope road. Having been inconvenienced by the need to drive so Whitman's for quality food and shopping experiences

and haven't been disappointed by the choices at northwest side pantries when I didn't have enough money to afford groceries, but they can say what Mansour, even Aldi Icahn food system is insufficient

and dignify and inequitable know version of it will mean Waukee's needs. I campaigned in by the mayor and Common Council to join us and feeding the change by investing in a new system that Milwaukee

residents can and are ready to lead the charge in a new system that starts on the northwest side. And to my earlier friends, Whoppers point can grow to be the whole of the city. Be on 2027 if we start

here. And now I believe in my people's vision because I felt more powerful, most powerful and dignified when those visions what truth throughout my own life when working in my mother and grandmother's

garden as a kid and starting my own again this summer when getting healthier produce Spanish seasonings and cultural snacks for my local, Asian and African markets on the northwest side and building

relationships with one of the market's owners that extend beyond their store and across the city and run-ins. I haven't felt prouder than a half preparing meals for Mount Garden, our local farmers

markets and learning more about what I and my community can do. We invest in ourselves, our families and our neighborhoods by choosing carefully what we eat and where we get our meals from. You heard

the phrase give a man a fish and you feed him for a day teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. We the change and buys the city to give the Rockies are tax dollars back so we could teach

ourselves to see ourselves and one another and not find ourselves in a bind they were and where grocery stores close that benefit. Pause and pantries were to allowed to help the city meet their basic

needs. This happened last year. But that degree of lack of access is and has been a daily reality of northwest side is for decades. Let the reality change in 2027 Mayor Johnson put out a video telling

us there was a 685 million dollars that had not been allocated in next year's budget. He told me Watkins, I want you to tell me how to spend it. We are telling him the the change by investing 1

million dollars, not just in the healthy food establishment fun, but its residents visions, safety ability to thrive the liberation of our neighborhoods, our power, our health, a new food system that

will bear more fruit thing you than we imagined thus far. Thanks, Madeleine Wright and on deck is Samantha U N? >> Good Evening, Mayor and the Common Council members. My name is Madeleine Wright and

I'm a proud Milwaukee Turner and I'm a proud resident of Riverwest and aldermen district 3. I work in the city of Milwaukee is a social worker for the past 7 years serving those who are low-income and

unhoused eating connecting to resources and struggling with mental health concerns of addictions. I've experienced how in the city budget gives support 2 needed direct services. It can change people's

lives and give them access to resources and engage them with their community. I have also experience that when those services lose funding, it creates a collective trauma where people are displaced,

unable to get their basic needs met. And ultimately it rips the social fabric of the communities that we need to build up as people have to focus more on surviving rather than thriving funding towards

mental health in a DA services, rent assistance, food, accessibility. And as I learned tonight, corrects raises for your city workers who are doing the labor on the streets for long hours and still

here to nearly 10:00PM on Monday. And the transit system is something that I asked to be a major focus for this budget, especially we consider how the incredibly high costs of our economy is directly

impacting each of us every day. I would specifically like to bring up that the cuts in the transit system and food and accessibility are barriers that comes up weekly with the clients that I currently

serve. I am weekly asked how they're supposed to get access to food medication and 2 appointments. We struggle to find ways to make it work. While the funding and the services continue to close down

around them both on the North side and the south side of Milwaukee, it creates a this lack of resources. Funding in the transit system also creates a further divide in Sager gates, the different and

diverse Milwaukee communities creating health deserts and food doesn't desert, which is preventable. Money spent on these services and other social services is money that is going to support our

community members and this is where dollars should be going. We should not be spending another dollar on the warrantless mass surveillance that is used by the police department to end. We ask that you

end the contracts for the automated license plate readers like flock surveillance or any others. And you have heard from so many voices today and over the past year, how flock and facial recognition

technology, it's not something that Milwaukee once and then also seen how these this technology has been abused and misused by people in power. They have not use the mass surveillance they have

already been responsible for so far. So to understand why more money would be given to them for it. And if money is spent on them than it is a misuse of our taxpayer money. Listen to what the

community has brought forward to today. We deserve that. The mayor and the members of council put the budget money towards the community that came out on a Monday night and what we're asking for, I

believe that increasing funds towards the direct services and resources that are used daily and in times of crisis is a good start. Thank you for your time. >> Samantha in and. >> Colonel Hogans is on

deck. >> They're using to everyone who is still here in person and watching the live stream. My name is Samantha and I am a member of Socialist alternative. As we've already heard, flock and lprs are

deeply unpopular with apps like the average citizen. We can all agree that we don't want AI mass surveillance and Milwaukee or any city would like to bring up another reason not support this.

Technology flock cameras were also used together some of the evidence to support the bogus conspiracy charges against the 15 anti-ice activists in Minneapolis for their efforts and defending

organizing and protection of their immigrant neighbors. This technology is being used by the federal government to repress activists who dare to use their First Amendment rights in an effort to scare

us to make us afraid to speak up. When we see our government committing acts of violence and terror against our neighbors and loved ones, instead, we can put that money towards investing in our

communities and infrastructure and our city employees who are barely holding the city together with the meager budget and benefits that are given. We don't need money to be spent on increasing the

police budget. We need to slash it and redirect it toward safe and high-quality, truly affordable social housing, clean water and fully funded public schools. We need a moratorium on the construction

of data centers and investment in green energy and programs for job training and guaranteed employment support for those already laid off by. I'm making them redundant. And those who will be who will

be all Milwaukee residents deserve reliable access to fresh food in their own communities and fast and reliable public transportation to get to and from work appointments and leisure activities,

politicians at any level of government or public service sermons and should make no more than the average wage of a skilled worker in the area they represent. No one should be getting rich in a

position in which they're meant to serve the people. Labor unions, non-unionized workers, students and afters organizations need to band together and are united front to build a Democrat. We're an

independent workers party to fight for the issues during more than just election years. I know it's getting late tonight, but implore everyone hearing need to get organized with the Union, our social

organization to this and we don't need issues a lesser evil. We need to treat ourselves and fight for what we need to live. But what we need to live a full life. We have that power. We just need to

organize to use it in the streets. Thank you. >> And now Hogans Carneal opens okay Debbie Month and all low enough and then on deck as they low part. >> Good evening, everyone. My name is Debbie

Montana. Luna. I am the neighborhood leader for the Black Love, good neighbors and burned. In part my block club was awarded the good neighbor Grant managed by safe and sound. I am here as a testament

that grants to the neighborhood to improve safety and create unity in the community. And that is exactly what we need right now in the city of Milwaukee, I received the neighborhood leading training

from safe and sound organization. Sept was one of the things that I learned that my list Michael was to improve our neighborhood and sept abbreviations for crime prevention for environment designed I

learned to use simple tools and the things for crime prevention that used that I use the grant money we receive to purchase front yard lady in to show unity and our neighborhood and to laid up our

neighborhood. I also bought rules wishes for our black members. Something I also learned in our leadership training crime prevention. I'm having proof rose bushes in front of our windows of the homes

of our neighbors. It's crime prevention, and a deterrent for home break-ins and more items that I purchase with the grant money, grant money our neighborhood let stronger and safer for everybody. I am

and I can speak for the Burnham Park neighborhood. We are truly grateful for the grant to be available to improve neighborhoods, not only my neighborhood, but many in the city, the application and was

in English and Spanish really helped our neighbors up hi and brought awareness that money was available to Pruitt, improve our neighborhoods. My club that club has grown from a couple in neighbors now

toll 43 black members and a five-block Brady S I hope other neighborhoods have the same opportunities for this grant to unite, grow and have a strong neighborhood block club like mine and money to

purchase tools and improved to improve their neighborhoods. I can say Burnham Park neighborhood is a safer neighborhood because of the resources and the grant money that was available to us. The yen

and on debt is on. Pick it. There's Adam available after Adam Patrick Holston is. >> And a lot of Okeke going. Patrick hosted R**** ratio, farmers on DEC. Good evening, everyone. Thanks for being

here. >> Listen, everyone's comments tonight. And one of the things that keeps coming up is this idea of all these things that we really need to be paying for. And in contrast to that, the issue that

I came prepared to talk about, just something that I never got a chance to agree to pay for flock cameras. This is something that no one in the city wants. We've already talked about this over and

over again. Forgive me for going off the cuff. I know it's late were all tired. None of us want to be here. But we're going to be here as long as it takes to get rid of these cameras and not have them

replaced. These cameras are an effective. They don't keep us safe. They create vulnerability for all of us to be persecuted unexploited. We already know that this information is being used to target

protesters. We already know that it's being used by ice to track people down. Another thing that we don't want our city, this mask militia that goes around, arresting people, killing people,

disappearing people. The other week we had an ICE raid at Mitchell Park probably facilitated by flock cameras. And what a big coincidence while the rate is going down, the flock cameras are not

working as someone whose money is going to pay for these things. Their utilities also ever decreasing by the fact that people are paying into the network anymore. Cameras are getting shut down across

the state. It's ridiculous that we haven't joined them. In contrast. I really like my tax money to be put toward some of the things that we've talked about tonight. Our cities, civil servants really

deserve to be paid. More food deserts are ridiculous. I've seen it firsthand and we need to get rid of the flock cameras. One final point, please, please, please develop a plan for the November

election to prevent armed federal agents such as i'ts from being put in the polling places as has already been flooded multiple times. >> Amy Donahue and we've done to you. >> Chairman Rahim and on

deck as Minister Khalifa every the rest chairman ring for Europeans. >> He's loved council members and to the people of Milwaukee, President home and abroad. Law said I am time news me wisely in our

plan to do just that. First and foremost, I give no man thinks that is reserved exclusively for my father. However, I will extend my gratitude to you all for your time. With that being said, let's

jump right into case Law Exhibit A and I'm quoting is literally from Google. 5 days into October of 2026. Former Lufkin Police Department Officer Zachary Klein was sentenced to 5 years in prison after

pleading guilty to 100 counts of misuse of official information between May 2024 in August 2026, it has been evidence found which states that Klein conducted over 25,000 unauthorized database searches

18,000 of which targeted his ex-girlfriend to include close friends and family members. Exhibit B in September 2026 Hancock County Sheriff's Department Deputy James Kenney and faced 444 current

accounts, prosecutors allege that he used flock cameras to track his high school ex-girlfriend and her family members. His behavior escalated to the point where he repeated the word repeatedly used

his position to tailgate and pull over the woman's daughter Exhibit C this is a little bit more personal ladies and gentleman in July 2026 former Milwaukee police officer. Was I a I love to give me if

I'm saying it incorrectly source. Probably former colleagues know his name was sentenced to one year probation and a fine. He resigned from the department after an internal audit revealed he used

Flock cameras to track his ex-girlfriend and new partner nearly 200 times. If you aren't already aware, allow me to enlighten you all on 10/1/2026 U.S. District Judge Sarah E of the year U.S. District

Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma released a landmark ruling stating that a law enforcement officers, warrantless search of flock safety, historical location, data violated the 4th

Amendment. My closing remarks, I have to rhetorical questions for you all to ponder on. Are you unequivocally unanimously confident that the officers of the city of Milwaukee will not continue to

violate people's 4th Amendment rights? The second question and out of curiosity, exactly. Which amendment has your primordial focus? The 4th of the 14th. >> Mister Khalifa. >> And on Deck is a to love

YA. He's in love. Praise is due to a lot. >> Coming love to peace, freedom and justice. I want to get on it. All of you sitting here listening to the people. That's an important thing to learn about

when you 7 people. The second thing is all of you live in the same communities we come from, especially the mayor. He from 5, 3, 2, a 6 and a few other brothers in here and sisters from this same

area. You know, about the food deserts, you know about the drought's, you know, about the flock invasion on the privacy of the people. And you also can relate to those sufferings and abuses abuse and

the people is not serving the people when people on to your care have to be responsible for that care and you can't be responsible with abuse. If you have children in your home, you're taking care of

those children and you abuse in those children with that's a crack. If you have people and care and you abuse and those people, well, that's a crime against humanity. And we need to understand that

when you put the shoe on the other foot because you've got the same shoes on, you're not far removed from this problem. In fact, you're right in the midst of it. And just because not all you see a

little bit of the trickle, the suffering is going to get deeper. The cars are going to get stronger and the violence is going to run out. So if you want to get it in front of a problem, the best thing

to do is listen to the cries of the people because these silent whispers, the small please before with about a million dollars into the budget. You need 50 million dollars to feed the city. You don't

need just a million dollars for the people to get up here and crop of a million dollars. I would be disgraced sickening. You'll see. But I'm gonna say we do have people in New York to make sure that's

what you do. And if you don't care, we will see it reflected in know actions the best on know, Olivia. >> And then on deck is Joseph Wilkie. >> I love everyone to me. Peace and love every lie him to

leave the vice president of Black Lives Matter. Grassroots Milwaukee represent break in various mentor and eat out of a certain on Milwaukee Alliance against racist and political repression and so

much more and I can not the voice and I will not, of course, that get to let you know that I am the representative of my brother, Alvin Cole. So let the flock by a bill or should I say Hutaff lot

thought of this? I should. I say get it that for a lot here. Let that sink in for a minute. In other words, wake the flock up because some of the our flock that right now because the damage has

already been done, information from this database has already been share to that knows who and I can tell you right now I personally know my data is being pulled up, shared flocked around now a heck,

maybe even tax blasted an entire police department. I and my family has been tired. Get it since February. 2nd of 2020, the day while the Tulsa and Tulsa Mensah killed my 17 year-old brother Alvin

Cole. My family has been targeted. Stott attacked the rest. That case whenever silence and how dare you target families of police violence. I dare you feet apart to try to investigate a judge and jury

and how dare you abuse show authority. What I'm saying is that if they can do it than they could would in this field to win it. Now the abuse of our information, Israel, heck, I'm still on the FBI

list now know why. And I know my that has been share it. Many departments logo nationally and if they could target families, find full accountability and protest as find alongside of them. They don't

give a flock about our safety in of yough. It allowed the stock and to go on the lies and that the spread of the family's true. Let's be honest. Yeah, I don't give a flock about the actual flocked.

Y'all were elected to protect. So the city stress has been for the damage because the flock because when a flag is about the trust's, some officials when officials policy prioritize camera that unity,

we wrote rats not automatic suspicion because who is the public supposed to trust some officials who brought into who bought it a flawed system for the unofficial surveillance network. Watch an our

every move. It is time to officially bank, it'll and and again like the flock up. And once again, little right flock in pain and for our justice for Alvin Cole, Joseph Wilking. >> And Marion goalie

Cause next. Lou, this with us. Good evening and thank you for your time. We're at a key point in history right now where genocide, Israel internationally and the same surveillance state is being

brought here to our homeland. I want to thank you for every single positive that you implemented that I don't know about. And I also apologize for any ignorance of those good things that I'm aware of.

And some of most of everything that has been brought up this evening to me is basic common sense. I'm in the school system nearly all day every day. I'm out here with the youth nearly all day every

day. And the suffering is the the suffering is real. The poverty, Israel is common sense. All the facts have been stated. There's so much power in your hands to make a difference. And I really ask and

pray that you use that and that you use Milwaukee is an example of what can be the same way that Baltimore has an example of what can be when you invest into prevention programs and youth programs.

Law enforcement is an important role of our modern society. Yet there's other options, too, for community peace, development, violence, intervention, violence, prevention, some of you in here. I know.

And I love to sit down and have a conversation with you personally because that will allow me to understand where you're coming from and why you voted on certain things. Certain ways on most confused

about the food trucks, about all things. I'm sure you are sick of having that just as an example. Why, you know, you know, is why was that? And I would have to sit down with you, you know,

respectfully as a human to human it get to understand your perspective when it comes to this flock to every other county they got listed and we are still considering this using this. Don't know where

we're at with this, but I know that I've heard enough people and in a $2 raise a million dollars towards food, whatever this is, these are simple solutions that, in my opinion should be common sense.

And I'm very sure that all of you are incredibly intelligent and 6 except successful. I thank you for your service of the good things that you've done and I pray that your heart continues to lead you

to make choices. They are for the true betterment of the community and our future and wish you a great night. Mary Angelica and Turk Ginia Johnson, Sean Morris, Patterson, Asia, White Marty, you all

and DECA Samuel out for. >> Good evening all. Thank you very much for being here. Thank you for listening. Always love to come into this room while the people's people's rent. It's beautiful. You walk

past the Bell. Phillips Anti Chamber so poignant tonight completely fitting and proper that we have that remembrance 70 years ago. Alderman Alderwoman excuse me, Bell feel upset in this room to the

day 70 years ago, only female. Only African-American one can only imagine the chauvinism, the racism intersectionality. She faced with Courage 1956. Milwaukee was a sundown town in 1956, all over

again. You go to dot projects, not one black man on Lisbon Avenue, two-year project 16 million investment by Milwaukee and the state. Not one black man. We fought as treasure. We fought for a flag

man. I'm market interchange. 25 years ago I-94 being redone. Check it out. Sherman Avenue, check it out. The Baird Center, Mr. Comptroller you represent the people at the Barrett Centre Board. >>

We're still waiting for the numbers as to who built the Baird Center. Was there one black man on that project? And here we are welcome black men. Not welcome at the Yacht Club and the N**** League

days at the ballpark 100 concerts at the ballpark. I don't remember too many offering of black entertainment even though we paid for paid for the building. Continue to pay for the building. Waukesha

has walked away. Washington County's walked away or boys walked away. We're not allowed to play music at State Fair Park. Not even during the fair Summer Fest. Celebrate Juneteenth Day with Leonard

Skynyrd and Sticks. And here we are today secret meetings in the Common Council excluding African-Americans. 5 black Alders put into the doghouse because of a vote. Heaven forbid a black person voting

their conscience. And now we see the devious diabolical efforts to write off the north side of market. Half the population lives north of North Avenue, half of the taxpayers, half of the voters yet

nothing on the horizon. We have a department of City Development and Redevelopment Authority that thanks. Midtown is a success. Ali Alders are using their $400 a month. Gas money to drive over to

Midtown and tell me that that is a success. Century City. A success 32nd in Hampton, a success. The Sears Building a success 35th the north with no food, a success. >> Come on. We can do better more

than money from Midtown to Century City. That is diabolically crude. No understanding of how the money should be moved around in this city to the good alderman on the north side, when you see street

light repair in a tough district, you are being screwed. The north side is being screwed. We have a street light fee. We have property taxes. There's no reason that this should goal to a TIF district.

While the South side is getting innovation districts murals painting underneath a viaduct. It's unbelievable. >> The idea of downtown all the time, any time without any regard to the neighborhoods has

failed, had the neighborhoods and part of the plan and we're now at the average home value in America. And I think Milwaukee should be above average. The city of Milwaukee property value would be 30

billion dollars more generating 200 and more million dollars of revenue a year. We don't have a plan. We don't have a plan and it's. >> Please read about all wrap up the elephant in the room and all

and as others have said is a $900,000 a day that we spend on the Milwaukee Police Department. They've left town. They've taken their resources with. You have a union president talks about the blue flu

for 3 years because of a contract dispute. He holds a city black, the black males, a city for $80,000 cash before he would sign the police contract. He doesn't return calls to all others and he's at

and the chief is a no show at a budget hearing. Are you how disrespectful can you can get? I don't know if that's happened in 175 years and in the city and now we have the police department standing

behind calm for us. And actually the chief of police in Baltimore basically took a credit for what Com Forest does. And they do that without healthy without any health insurance that could all be

remedied by the governing body of the city of. >> Sammy offered, please. >> Thank you. A Milwaukee Common Council more so thank you to my comrades. Constituents confidence. I know you don't want to be

year. I don't want to be here. Actually is going to go to stand up comedy apology. They forgot this is happening. Force the wax poetic over something a little bit comical. It's not the whole budget.

Just a piece of it. Now that levee which ought your job is hard. It's hard to manage all these asked. It's hard just like his harvest. The budget at home is hard. Just like it's hard for us to balance

our hot, but it's it's hard. But here's a contrast. I was in the hallway and I got thirsty. If you're watching this at home, what you can't see is this 10 o'clock at night on a Monday. But I went to

this water fountains and it was this was speaking and I couldn't get anything to drink. And it was not just be with several other people as citizens in this building. And I couldn't get a drink of

water. And that beautiful added this. It has gold trim marble granite, all these different type of things, a coach, it's in this building. And I went to 2 government employees and one said I'll write

a note home like the Senate to somebody. But I went over here and they gave me some of the water cooler water does newer technology that the very same parallel to the finances to resources and a

representation in the city. Why you are fully service. We are sporadically serviced. I don't know. I don't mean to be crass, but I don't know if you all to voyeurism but we're not into masochism. It's

more realistic. Watch city suffered and poverty and violence and all these things as voyeuristic to watch us cry out for 4 hours here until 10:00PM. It's voyeuristic to put up a flock camera so police

can track their girlfriends and abuse people. Is the technology get more as the AI south is races that's voyeurism that we not into messages the to steal, which means explicitly lets us this flow

through all the head of the hour. So to say the heavens parallel to the Scott, so the same skies over the Bay View is the same skies over downtown. It's got a run. Bay is the same sky in bronxville.

We need to let justice flow just like we need the water to float. I think for both for life keeps Milwaukee safer than a flat camera would violence interrupters and they deserve more funding. And if

you ask me, asked me to get a better rate even of is that the whole 2 hours because the mayor and the Common Council guess you got raising almost out. >> You almost holding us hostage. Martin Luther

King said as a budget is a moral document, Otto's death 2 years ago and kept the libraries open. Thank you. A budget is a moral document, but it says a lot about you. But it's like we're being held

ransom. The guy got up rail out. You know the spirit that and this is my final final thing. It's like we have a h*** ransom and I'm going to end this on the job because I was about to go to comedy

show and the book and the movie The Money talks, Chris Tucker, when it took somebody hostage, they act of war and exorbitant amount of money to free this person. And he said we I think I got Chelsea

Clinton, the president's daughter. We are being held at a high rate. You got people begging for a million dollars out of a 1.5 billion dollar budget. At least the police have been we all think got so

sick. I done that asking for 10% more when they then to act in their pensions are secure. Their retirement is secure their race. It acted from from the got from the state government there. They begin

raises essentially every year we have been held to ransom by developers ransom about a police force and about all of you that some of you are complicit with the ransom with the help for free us now.

>> Want to thank everyone for coming out this evening and seeing no other person wishing to testify. This joint public hearing is closed