Mad as Hell

Calling Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett...

You have a problem. It's called "crime."

Your constituents are "mad as hell and [they're] not going to take this anymore!"

From The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

[Ald. Bob Donovan, chair of the Common Council's Public Safety Committee,] announced the beginning of his "Enough is Enough" petition drive at at the intersection of S. 28th St. and W. National Ave. Wednesday.

The petition demands that Mayor Tom Barrett, the Common Council and the Milwaukee Police Department devise and implement a comprehensive plan to combat crime.

"More citizens have died on the streets of Milwaukee in the last eight months than all of the Wisconsin soldiers killed in Iraq since the beginning of the war," said Donovan, who was flanked by about 40 residents.

That's an interesting comparison, isn't it?

"If a man named Rudy Giuliani can turn a city the size of New York around than Tom Barrett ought to be able to do it right here in Milwaukee," Donovan said.

EXACTLY.

Of course, Barrett is no Giuliani.

Still, Barrett has no excuses for being derelict in his duty. And, obviously, he has no comprehensive plan to combat crime in Milwaukee.

Will the "Enough is Enough" petition accomplish anything?

It will draw attention to the city's problems. That's good. Barrett needs to be held accountable.

The petition might even prompt Doyle to cough up some additional funding.

But if enough really is enough, Milwaukee residents should see to it that Barrett makes history by being Milwaukee's only one-term mayor since World War II.
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Read Milwaukee Police Chief Nan Hegerty's email to Bob Donovan here.

Dear Alderman Donovan:

Be careful what you ask for. We are doing the best we possibly can to address your needs as you relate them on behalf of your constitutents.

We have put an inordinate amount of resources into your Aldermantic District to address issues such as prostitution, disorderly behaviors in the Jackson Park area and quality of life issues in general. If I pull all resources from quality of life issues and dedicate them to the areas where we are experiencing the most violent crime it will cause us to stop responding to many priority 3 and 4 calls for service which are the majority of calls that your constitutents complain about.

Take it easy on the MPD at your press conference. I know you understand that we are balancing what we have to try to address all law enforcement related issues...

This is not a good response.