City chickens pro and con

City chickens are a step backwards

Dear Editor,

Growing up in Bay View, a section called Little Italy, almost everyone had chickens in their backyard.

The eggs were fresh and the chickens were eventually butchered and eaten.

But chickens bred rats and the smell of their feces wafted through the area so eventually the city passed an ordinance that wouldn’t allow chickens in the city anymore.

So, why now?

Chickens not only smell, breed unwanted rodents, but also squawk constantly.

If you really feel the need to get back to your organic roots, move to the country!

Leave the chickens out of the city!

Mary Lynn Ceretto Rupp — Bay View

Dear Mary,

I think the key words in your complaints are “almost everyone had chickens” and “eventually butchered.”

Stop and think for a moment; do you really believe “almost everyone” in modern Bay View is going to be raising chickens?

And, eventually butchering them?

Yeah, I don’t think so either.

Please try showing a little tolerance and let the people around you try something new/different.

If it truly becomes a nuisance, you can be the first one to ask the city to shut down your neighbor’s coop.

Craig Sween — Fernwood Neighborhood, Bay View

These letters were originally comments posted at bayviewcompass.com.

THE HISSOM REPORT: 14th District war chest contest

Amassing a campaign fund of some $10,000 eight months before the election used to be considered a sign of a strong contender in Milwaukee aldermanic races. But in the case of Bay View attorney Jan Pierce, who’s running against incumbent Alderman Tony Zielinski in the 14th District, his $10,000 pales to Zielinski’s $127,000.

The two recently filed their reports on how much they’ve collected and spent since the beginning of the year. Pierce reports bringing in $10,526 and spending $5,871.86 during that time. Zielinski reports his team has $127,224.48 cash on hand and has spent $21,102.03 for this year.

The size of Zielinski’s stake stems from his brief flirtation last year with a run for lieutenant governor. At the end of 2010 he reported to the city he had $136,676.51 in campaign money. At the end of 2009 he reported to the state he had $130,575.17 in campaign money for that year.

Pierce argues Zielinski shouldn’t be able to use his lieutenant-governor campaign funds and at the least should have to give some back because state limits are higher than city limits, in terms of accepting money from individuals. The city allows $385 in individual contributions, but state limits allow up to $10,000 per person for campaigns for the top offices of governor and lieutenant governor.

Zielinski said he is allowed to use his state campaign fund on his local campaigns as long as the individual donation doesn’t go over the $385 limit, which covers the four-year aldermanic term. Using that formula, a $10,000 donation could be used to fund 25.97 campaigns during a hundred-year period ($10,000/$385 per four-year term). That means that contributors—such as Julie Graves Moy, PhD, of Austin, Texas, who gave him $10,000 during his lieutenant-governor campaign—will instead be giving him $385 for an aldermanic campaign, for an office they may care nothing about. And Zielinski doesn’t have to ask permission from the donor.

On the other hand, the late Jose Garza, who owned Conejito’s restaurant in Milwaukee, gave $3,000 for Zielinski’s state campaign. Garza would certainly have had an interest in Zielinski’s aldermanic campaign.

“That’s why I have a CPA do my reports,” Zielinski said about the active accounting between the two reports. He said he thinks he’ll have about $100,000 available for his aldermanic campaign, after all the sorting of donors’ money is complete.

City election commission executive director Sue Edman agrees, in part. She said she had to get advice from the state General Accountability Board on the matter.

The city has crossed this road at least twice before with current Mayor Tom Barrett. He was able to transfer his congressional campaign money to use in his first run for mayor, transfer it again in a run for governor and now can transfer his recent statewide campaign’s cash back to run for mayor.

Barrett’s recent report showed his camp raised $457,911.76 this year and has $371,599.02 cash on hand.

By virtue of Zielinski having a seat on the city’s Licenses Committee, he attracts contributions from all over the city and beyond, since tavern owners and just about anyone needing a license for anything in the city have to be heard by the committee. Tavern and convenience store operators are known for their proclivity to donate to aldermen since their livelihood depends on keeping their license to sell booze.

Zielinski’s report this year notes some prominent tavern operators chipping in the maximum contribution, including Silk night club owner Teresa Shemitis; Darlene Fix, wife of Bay View Brew Haus owner Matthew Fix; and Michael Bousis and his wife Verna, who are opening a Cermak Fresh Produce store near Miller Park. Jadranka Blagojevic also gave the max and lists her occupation as housewife, although she used to run the now-shuttered Big Dog’s House of Blues, 3062 S. 13th St.

Brian Ganos and his wife Gienna each gave Zielinski $375. Ganos owns Sonag Ready Mix, which has a major presence in Bay View on Chase Avenue.

Pierce’s donors are a mix of local attorneys and some progressive Democrats, such as Stacie Rosenzweig, wife of County Supervisor Jason Haas, and former school board member Jennifer Morales. One tavern owner on Pierce’s list, Holly DeShaw, who co-owns Blackbird Bar, 3007 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., gave him $100. Zielinski has opposed Blackbird’s getting a patio for the bar.

While Pierce filed his reports electronically with the city, Zielinski has not. Only two city officials—Mayor Tom Barrett and school board member Peter Blewett—file online, a feature that’s been offered for over five years.
doughissom@bayviewcompass.com

Lulu’s now supports proposed adult day care

On Aug. 5, “Lulu Café & Bar” posted the following comment at the Bay View Compass Facebook page.

We’d like to apologize to everyone who was hurt or offended by the comments in our letter to the zoning committee [quoted in “Firestorm over proposed adult day care center overblown?” August 2011 Bay View Compass].

The informational meeting regarding the rezoning of the building for the proposed adult day care center Wednesday evening [Aug. 3] was quite helpful to our understanding what this particular company is proposing. It sounded to us that, if it is well-run and maintained, it could be a good asset to the neighborhood. That is our ultimate concern and something we’ve worked hard to contribute to for the last 10 years.

We’re glad that communication was opened up with the operator and we were able to get the correct and full story on which to base our current position of support for this type of center to open nearby in Bay View.

Lulu Café & Bar

Victory Garden management held up irrigation system

Dear Editor,

I was appalled to see a statement made by the executive director of Victory Garden Initiative, Gretchen Mead, regarding the water collection system at the Bay View Hide House Garden (“Rooftop rainwater collection system update” August 2011 Bay View Compass).

I have never heard of a paid director who talked badly about volunteers who created and were ready to execute a project. I was shocked to see that she blamed volunteers for the delay when in fact they were waiting for VGI, who handles the Hide House Garden’s funds, to release the plot renters’ money to execute the project. The garden has had ample funding for the project, which was all set to go when the Compass covered the project in May (bayviewcompass.com/archives/7098).

It’s a shame that an organization that prides itself on volunteer participation would then blame those same volunteers for the organization’s mismanagement. The current installation of this water system in August was executed by the same hardworking Bay View volunteers who she feared were not going to be able to get it “done very well.”

Thanks,

Melissa Tashjian

Volunteer organizer,

Bay View Hide House Community Gardens

Disturbed by local business reaction to proposed adult day care

Dear Editor,

I was very surprised to read about three local business owners’ reaction to a potential adult day care in our community (“Firestorm over proposed adult day care center overblown?” August 2011 Bay View Compass).

We all have family members and loved ones who have lived with disabilities and dementia. These individuals have suffered from discrimination and stigma. My grandmother and both of my in-laws suffered from Alzheimer’s before their deaths. Two benefited from community services; one suffered much earlier when institutionalization was the only option. Community-based programs and increased integration into the community have decreased ignorance and promoted independence and dignity for these individuals, as well as support and resources for their families.

What I find most disturbing is that the owners of Lulu, Tonic, and Baby Boomers Bar see no difference between supervised adult day services and vagrancy, decrease in property values, “public drunkenness and urination and panhandling.” This shows that they do not want to see people with disabilities, or services for them, in their neighborhoods. No correlation is seen between organized services and a solution to vagrancy. They appear to be ignorant of the fact that vacant buildings also contribute to crime and decreased property value.

I have worked in community-based residential facilities for people with developmental disabilities and mental health diagnoses in multiple stable residential neighborhoods in the suburbs, including one in West Allis which obtained community approval for licensure since there were several other facilities already in place. These services are an asset to community members.

As for the owners of these three businesses, they have evidently forgotten that not all people with disabilities or mental health issues are “urinating in their parking lot” and loitering in front of their stores. Nor are they self-conscious regarding their outspoken ignorance. I will not be patronizing these businesses again (actually, I had never heard of Baby Boomers Bar).

Susan Thaller

Bay View

Farewell from Future Green owners

Dear Editor,

Swee and I would just like to thank all our loyal customers new and old who made Future Green/Café Tarragon such a wonderful place. It was really a spiritual hub in the form of a store. Many people just came in to feel good and shed the yuck off of a bad day or figure out a problem. The store was way more than meets the eye.

All the villagers we met on our global buying trips to Africa and Asia were all so grateful to those who supported their arts and crafts. It really makes a difference, so please continue to support fair trade whenever and wherever you can!

We will miss everyone so much and yet I think we will see everyone again in the future!

Lisa and Swee Sim

Owners, Future Green/Café Tarragon

Milwaukee faces zombie bus service

Dear Editor,

Zombie bus service is in store for Milwaukee County in 2012.

Drastic cuts proposed in the bus budget will have a detrimental impact on every level of the economy of the area.

If the changes remain in effect by the time the downtown streetcar system begins operating, the streetcar system will be rendered an irresponsible expenditure of tens of millions of federal and city tax dollars.

The group Transit Now warns that the Milwaukee County Transit System is seeking the largest one-time reduction in service in its 150-year history. Most every route will be affected.

Bay View and the south shore suburbs of St. Francis, Cudahy, South Milwaukee, and Oak Creek stand to lose big time under the proposed 2012 budget—unless citizens demand responsible transit.

All freeway flyer routes will be eliminated. This is an annual threat from those fun folks hired by the county to run the private bus system. It will mean no more #48 (South Shore flyer) for commuters.

Routes 15, 51, 53, and 11 will be restructured in ways that will inconvenience Bay View.

The Lincoln Avenue Route 53 will run less frequently. Route 51 will serve Kinnickinnic Avenue south of Oklahoma Avenue south to South Milwaukee. Route 15 will travel south on KK to Oklahoma and east to lay over at Superior Street. That is where the Oklahoma #51 bus now lays over. North of downtown, #15 service will not change.

Merchants at KK and Oklahoma may see increased business with more people waiting to transfer buses. But some riders are going to miss connections because this will become an extra transfer point between the south suburbs and downtown (a minor inconvenience). Buses will be making left-hand turns at this already-busy intersection.

There will be a greater chance that late-night riders heading south will get stranded overnight (a major inconvenience) at KK and Oklahoma because they missed connections after service ended for the night.

Route 15 service on Clement Avenue, Pennsylvania, and 15th Avenue in South Milwaukee will shift to a new low-frequency Route 52.

Service in South Milwaukee on Madison, Fifth, and Columbia avenues will be eliminated. No more loop at the end of the line.

Route 11 will serve Mitchell Airport via Howell Avenue. The loop on Bolivar and Pine will be eliminated. No more layover at Pine and Layton.

Important budget decisions will be made in the next few months by Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele and the supervisors on the County Board.

Bay View and the south shore communities are represented on the County Board by Supervisors Marina Dimitrijevic, Jason Haas, and Pat Jursik. Concerned citizens should contact them.

Bill Lavelette

Bay View

More information—including how to contact elected officials—is at ridemcts.com/About-MCTS/MCTS-Proposed-Budget-for-2012-About/ or transitnow.org.

A. V. Club Milwaukee blogger Matt Wild chimes in on adult day care controversy in Bay View

Our story about the discord caused in Bay View’s Lincoln/KK/Ward neighborhood is attracting attention in other media. Matt Wild who blogs at A.V. Club Milwaukee reads the dispute as a product of the gentrification of Bay View: Waiter, there’s an adult day care in my gentrified soup: class, the suburbs, and Bay View:

There’s a potentially ugly situation going on in Bay View, and, if you’re like me, you’ve heard curiously little about it. According to a story published yesterday by the Bay View Compass, a proposed “adult day care” at 206 E. Lincoln Ave. is facing opposition from nearby residents and businesses. The day care’s business plan says it would serve adults in five state-recognized categories: “advanced aged, developmentally disabled, emotionally disturbed/illness, physically disabled, and irreversible dementia/Alzheimer’s.” But folks near the proposed site aren’t having it. A petition to block the day care quickly garnered a host of signatures, including ones from the owners of nearby Café Lulu, Tonic Tavern, and Baby Boomers Bar & Grill. Read the rest of his editorial and readers’ comments here.

Guest editorial: bike and pedestrian path on Hoan

~photo/rendering Michael Timm

Bold vision of bike and pedestrian access for Hoan Bridge

The Hoan Bridge already offers visitors driving over the iconic span dramatic, panoramic views of the city skyline and the Milwaukee Art Museum’s Santiago Calatrava-designed Brise Soleil. We now have the opportunity to extend the privilege of that view to bicyclists and pedestrians, while creating a unique destination that will garner national attention.

Why not suspend a bridge cantilevered off the side of the arch of the Hoan? This span would allow both bikers and walkers to ascend 120 feet to take in the unrivaled view of the lake and city. I recently appeared at a meeting of Milwaukee County’s Long Range Strategic Plan Steering Committee and gave this vision for a “millennium project”—something so fantastic and breathtaking that it will put Milwaukee’s new lakefront planning before the entire country.

I have talked with two engineers now and am told this is a possible project; with the right engineering it could be done, and it is not impossible. In both cases, I told the engineers to ignore cost and picture the vision.

The Hoan Bridge cannot afford to lose a lane for a dedicated bike path. The Hoan itself carries over 55,000 cars per day. Anyone driving the Hoan during rush hour with the current two-lane configuration knows that it requires three lanes for traffic. While constituents continue to contact me asking for a bike lane, I refer them to the 2002 Wisconsin Department of Transportation report that basically concluded a dedicated bike lane would not be possible for the reasons just stated.

As we plan to redeck the Hoan in 2013, however, there will be federal requirements for accompanying bicycle lane development. Also, in wake of last summer’s tragic structural collapse of the O’Donnell Park parking structure, the county and city of Milwaukee are currently engaged in a long-range plan to redevelop the lakefront. In addition to replacing O’Donnell Park and possible new hotels and office buildings downtown, this plan needs a bold centerpiece.

I have put two and two together to encourage this exciting vision for a cantilevered bike/pedestrian bridge adjoining the Hoan.

Here is my own long-range vision and dream for Milwaukee’s harbor area:

Starting from the south shore, develop the fill area north of the Lake Express ferry terminal lot (the Confined Disposal Facility) as park space with bike rentals, ice cream stands, and other amenities. From here, a bike lane will run through Jones Island (connecting to the Oak Leaf Trail currently ending in Cupertino Park at Russell Avenue and Lincoln Memorial Drive) to the area near the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District facility. A beautifully constructed and artistically pleasing bike ramp or spiral form will convey both pedestrians and bicyclists up to the cantilevered bridge that hangs from the arch, roughly parallel to Interstate 794. Beautiful vistas of the lake and Milwaukee skyline award the ascent with a breathtaking view of the Calatrava, Discovery World, and the Lakeshore State Park island. Cyclists and pedestrians would then pass through a fully encased trail, quite safe, and arrive on the other side of the cantilevered span at a second ramp/spiral bikecase that leads them back down to ground level on the north side of the Milwaukee River. Here, a freshly paved path skirts behind the Marcus Amphitheater and connects to the current Lakeshore State Park trail.

With the proper vision and investment, our Hoan Bridge could become the rival of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia, which allows tethered pedestrians to climb on top of the bridge for a fee.

Patricia Jursik is Milwaukee County’s Eighth District supervisor, representing St. Francis, Cudahy, South Milwaukee, and Oak Creek. She is also chair of the county’s Long Range Strategic Plan Steering Committee. The Long-Range Lakefront Planning Committee, composed of city, county, and private stakeholders, will submit recommendations on the future of O’Donnell Park and the Downtown Transit Center to the Milwaukee County Board by December 2012.

Resident offers ideas to solve nation’s woes

Dear Editor,

I am a college grad—University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Class of ’69—and just a thesis short of my master’s. I recently retired from an illustrious 44-year career in the travel business and expect my Social Security Check monthly. I am from “small business-for-self” German stock who taught me to live within my means on a balanced budget or do without. My family ran Kneisler’s White House in Bay View for 118 years with such values.

So here are my solutions for the national debt, our economy, and the world’s problems.

Social Security – Eliminate the $106,800 Wage Base tax cap on income.

Military Spending – Now that you got Bin Laden, please, no more $3 billion-a-day wars! Reallocate some of the defense budget into NASA, our children’s education, and decaying infrastructure.

Foreign Affairs – Stop the almost $50 billion in foreign aid, especially money to Pakistan. Except for disaster relief, stay out of other countries—politics under the guise of humanitarianism and democracy. The United Nations should keep sending peacekeeping troops to the Middle East. Where are China and India in the war on terrorism? Talking care of their own business—we need to reconsider isolationism.

Taxation – A flat tax for all corporations and individuals with no write-offs except for going green. Nonprofit churches should at least pay property taxes.

Mortgages – Straight, simple, fixed-interest from banks, not usury rate. Consider the merits of Islamic banking.

Bailouts – Request a marketing plan of why bailout money is needed and how it will be spent before it is ever granted to the likes of Wall Street for bonuses.

Medicare – Needs to be standardized and the Mystery of the Medical Billing Codes printed in plain English.

Health care – We, Americans, deserve the same health care plan as Congress and career politicians.

Drugs – “Just Say No To Drug” commercials on television with their myriad of disclaimers.

Education – U.S. citizens need to be first, before foreigners, for entry into our universities and medical, dental, and technical schools. Graduates must pay back their student loans.

Busing – Quit busing our kids to school and save fuel. Seat belts need to be mandatory in all school buses and motor coaches.

Agriculture – Eliminate farm subsidies to feed the world for profit; and grow corn for ethanol fuel.

Energy & Oil – We have enough oil in this country so just drill it. Allocate more funding for safe alternative energy such as solar and wind.

Prisons – Put prisoners to work on chain gangs to earn their keep and as a deterrent to incarceration.

Transportation – Rebuild our railroads and save fuel by getting semi trucks carrying just one container off the freeways and Interstates and instead onto tracks carrying many containers.

Sincerely, the American people cannot keep funding government folly, greed, corruption, and earmarks. The United States cannot save the world but certainly should save its own folks first!

Beth Hildebrand
Fourth-generation Kneisler of Kneisler’s White House family
Bay View

Walker’s budget harms seniors

Dear Editor,

We are contacting you as senior citizens of this state, as family members of seniors in this state, as members of boards and committees for several organizations serving seniors, but all as members of “South Shore Connecting Caring Communities” whose focus is “Connecting older adults with each other and with community resources to improve their quality of life.”

We are writing out of concerns for the governor’s proposed 2011-13 budget in regard to the proposed cuts to Family Care, SeniorCare, and public transportation—valuable programs that help Milwaukee County seniors for whom we are personally connected or volunteer to serve.

Many of the proposed cuts included in the next biennium budget are causing great concern for the older adults of our community, as well as those who are their advocates. The proposed cuts to Medicaid programs are especially troubling. Capping enrollment in Family Care, as well as PACE, Partnership, and IRIS in June 2011 will place people on a wait-list for much-needed, not to mention, cost-saving services. This is a serious step backwards for the elderly and disabled residents of Wisconsin.

Milwaukee County can point to its successful elimination of the waiting list for Family Care. In fact, as Milwaukee county executive, Scott Walker promised seniors they would not be placed on a waiting list if they ever needed services from Family Care, so that they could continue to live at home and not be forced into a nursing home. Governor Walker should now keep his promise to our older citizens by not capping Family Care services. A cap would only mean that people would enter more expensive care in hospitals and nursing homes. Not a wise fiscal decision!

This is a serious step backwards for the elderly and disabled residents of Wisconsin.

We have made great progress by allowing older adults and individuals with disabilities to receive long-term care services in their homes. It makes no sense to go back to wait-lists which will lead to unnecessary nursing home admissions and ultimately much higher costs. In addition, older adults have been promised that if they spend their resources to purchase health-care services to tend to their needs, they will be eligible for a long-term care program once their assets are down to $2,000. What will legislators say to those who have spent down their resources and would now be put on a waiting list?

SeniorCare is another area of grave concern. SeniorCare allows many older adults to obtain medications that they may not be able to afford if they were using Part D. Forcing older adults to purchase Part D on top of SeniorCare will invariably increase their costs. It seems as if the benefits of this budget cut go directly to private insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies at the expense of our most vulnerable. This decision has economic implications since many will go without their medications, thereby exacerbating chronic conditions that could lead to more emergency room visits and hospital admissions. We urge legislators to take a serious look at the economic and societal implications of the proposed budget. It will negatively affect the lives of our most vulnerable.

Regarding transportation, recent data show that one in five seniors do not drive (getting-around.org). State budget bills AB 40 / SB 27 would cause serious problems for local seniors and need the following changes: 1. Keep public transportation in the segregated Transportation Fund. 2. Fix the unintended consequence of the Budget Repair Bill that would force Wisconsin to forfeit $46 million in Federal Transit Aids (collective bargaining for transit workers is a prerequisite for receiving these funds; otherwise it would slash operating budgets by 30-50 percent, devastating transit systems statewide). 3. Finally, focus on “Fix it First,” protect Wisconsin families from continued “Pain at the Pump,” and give Wisconsin residents a better return on our hard-earned tax dollars. The current $5.7 billion budget proposal gives highway spending a 15-percent increase and cuts transit spending by 10 percent. Transit takes just 5 percent of the total Transportation Fund but provides so much.

Thank you for this opportunity to provide you with our concerns regarding proposals that will negatively affect the quality of life of the older adults of our community.

Sincerely,

Ron Zeilinger

Coordinator , South Shore Connecting Caring Communities

Sinicki, Democrats kicked budget emergency can down road

Dear Editor,

I am writing in reply to Representative Christine Sinicki’s guest editorial in the March issue, “Walker’s attack on collective bargaining rights.”

Rep. Sinicki wrote that Walker suddenly declared a budget emergency. He did not suddenly declare a budget emergency. Addressing the $3.6 billion [deficit] was a major point in his campaign.

Sinicki herself pointed out that “the economic sky has been falling for quite a while.”

So what did Governor Doyle and Representative Sinicki do? They kicked the can down the road.

Sinicki wrote that, “Bargaining was what helped solve such dilemmas.” This [deficit] has been growing larger over the past eight years under Doyle’s leadership. She and Doyle didn’t bargain anything to solve that dilemma. The [deficit] just got bigger.

Sinicki claims that because of Doyle’s bargaining, “the state saved more than $100 million.” Wow, that comes out to about 3 percent of the $3.6 billion [deficit].

Well, Rep. Sinicki, maybe the $100 million could be applied to the debt the state owes the Wisconsin Medical Fund. You do remember that fund, don’t you? That’s when Doyle transferred (stole) $200 million from that fund and applied it to other budget shortages. In other words, he cooked the books with stolen money.

Rep. Sinicki, you do remember that the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that what Doyle did was illegal and the court ordered the state to repay the $200 million? I didn’t hear you objecting to what Doyle did. Now Walker has to find $200 million to clean up Doyle’s mess. Doyle and Sinicki kicked another can down the road.

I would like to address your idea of the democratic ideal of collective bargaining. Where I live, my school board representative is Terry Falk. A few years back when he first ran for the school board, I read his bio in the paper. Falk was a former member of the teachers union and a member of the union’s negotiating team. So, on a Monday he fought for the union. On Tuesday, he was elected to the school board. On Wednesday he jumped across the table and bargained for the taxpayers.

So the teachers union pumped maybe $15,000 into a low-turnout election. They financially overwhelm a regular, non-teacher-union candidate and they get their guy elected. The teachers union now has their people on both sides of the bargaining table. You may call that democratic collective bargaining. What I call it is unprintable in this retort.

Is what Scott Walker’s doing the right thing? History will answer that question. But I do know that this financial mess Wisconsin is in must be fixed or retirees like myself and middle-class homeowners will not be able to afford living in Wisconsin in the near future.

Thank you,
Allan Zehm
Bay View

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