Bust it open: Non-Profits won’t fund the change we need by Sura, December 9

Who’s funding real change in the city of Milwaukee?

Is it non-profits?

Some would argue that it’s no longer these 501(c)(3) organizations, which have become increasingly addicted to funding through corporate ties.

Have you read “The Revolution will not be funded?” Its subtitle,”Beyond the Non-profit Industrial Complex,” gives you an idea what it’s about.

Just like political campaigns, organizations which previously relied on grassroots, door-to-door and other people-powered campaigns now rely on special interest money. Many would close their doors without it.

Talk to the creative frontline of non-profits, the organizers and managers, the activists and advocates. Many are full of new ideas, geared to make change, ready to do it. But they are often hobbled by their Executive Directors, who are beholden to their boards (some of whom are corporate reps), who serve the interests of the foundations and corporations that fund them.

This isn’t true of all non-profits, of course. But those of us who have worked for, with or in the non-profit world know what I mean.

Progress will always be hindered if Mutual Aid bows to Special Interest.

It’s time to lift our own heads, DIO (Do It Ourselves), start our own businesses, grow our own food, fund our own causes.

No one is going to do it for us.

9 Dec 2008 | 4:32 pm | DIY - Do It Yourself, Development, Environmental Sustainability, Representation | Read 2 comments - Add your comments

Local Community Currency — It’s Time, Milwaukee by Sura, October 11

“Our economy is facing some tough challenges. We’re seeing a giant spike in foreclosures, job losses and workforce problems (transportation, documentation, and education). We cannot continue on this path. We must chart new maps for a reinvented economic strategy. We need better jobs, small business support (not just start-up) and an innovative economy addressing the needs of the future now!”

I wrote that a year ago, and it’s past time to begin.

Local Currency
Many other cities have their own currency. Examples would include Madison Hours, Berkshares, Ithaca Hours (one of the best known local currencies), Burlington Bread and Piedmont Plenty. There are also other forms of local economic exchange, like “Comfort Dollars.”

Most community currency is based on time and can be used to exchange services in neighborhoods. This promotes local economic strength and community self-reliance. Other benefits include more community involvement and pride, patronage of local businesses (those that participate), and ultimately the reduction of traffic emissions. Because of its positive impact on the environment, local currencies are part of economic strategies of more and more sustainable living supporters. You can find an overview here.

In addition to a local currency, we need accessible micro lending, and Continue reading ‘Local Community Currency — It’s Time, Milwaukee’

11 Oct 2008 | 8:08 am | DIY - Do It Yourself, Economic Development | Read 1 comment - Add your comments

The Milwaukee River and upcoming development (more dorms?) by Sura, February 17

[Please see the comment at the end of this post about the Milwaukee River Work Group.]

The Milwaukee River has become a huge issue in this race, and almost all the candidates talk about it.

Mandel Group has been floating the idea of more dorms, retail, or hotel space on the river at the Hometown site at North Ave.

The Milwaukee River Work Group (MRWG), is pushing for protections of the river’s banks, bluffs, water quality and viewshed.

If you want a basic overview of the work of the MRWG, check out my response below to the question in the Riverwest Currents on dealing with the Hometown Site owned by Mandel.

Public Trust, Zoning and Development

Cities need development to thrive—not just housing, but economic, organizational, environmental and cultural development in balance. Too much development in one area causes taxes to skyrocket. Too little foreordains blight. Cities and local governments must foster a deeper sense of “public trust” in order to be effective. Zoning, as a public asset, is part of that trust. If we want sustainable development, then we can’t allow ourselves to be held hostage to developers or to equate development merely with fast-buck condo/dorm/hotel building. In this vein, I support development that goes hand in hand with public trust. Continue reading ‘The Milwaukee River and upcoming development (more dorms?)’

17 Feb 2008 | 9:35 am | 3rd District, Development, Environmental Sustainability, Water | Read 1 comment - Add your comments

Privatizing our Water treatment by Sura, November 30

I believe we need to get all aspects of our water out of the hands of private, for profit businesses. Other cities have seen water bills double, triple and quadruple after private companies took over managing water resources, treatment and cleanup.

I found this press release at Friends of Milwaukee’s Rivers:

Milwaukee, WI – Yesterday, Friends of Milwaukee’s Rivers, Midwest Environmental Advocates, Sierra Club Great Waters Group, and Alliance for the Great Lakes wrote to the Commissioners of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (“MMSD”) to express their concern over continued privatization of the municipal wastewater treatment system. Currently, wastewater services for the City of Milwaukee are contracted out to United Water. On December 3rd, MMSD will decide whether to turn that contract over to Veolia Water North America or return wastewater treatment responsibilities to the District.

“We support the return of wastewater treatment to the District because contracting out services cannot adequately protect public health and the environment,” said Cheryl Nenn, Riverkeeper for Friends of Milwaukee’s Rivers. “Our rivers and Lake Michigan have been subjected to enormous amounts of pollution from sewer overflows, many of them preventable.” Karen Schapiro, of Midwest Environmental Advocates, added, “The current contract in place does not penalize the contractors for this pollution, and fails to provide incentive for proper equipment maintenance and upgrades, which could reduce or prevent these overflows.”

Rosemary Wehnes, of the Sierra Club’s Great Waters Group, emphasized the public access and accountability benefits of returning the wastewater responsibilities to the District. “Contracting out wastewater services provides almost no transparency and weakens public accountability. A private company is not held to the same public accountability as a municipal district such as MMSD.”

The letter asks MMSD Commissioners to consider returning the operation and maintenance to a public system, and also encourages that, should another private contractor be selected, that the contract be revised to eliminate incentives that reward inadequate treatment of sewage and pollution of our waterways, and to provide stronger tools for enforcement and more public accountability.
####

FAST FACTS

-The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District is a state-chartered government agency that provides wastewater treatment services to 28 municipalities in southeast Wisconsin. For the past 10 years, they have contracted operation and maintenance responsibilities to United Water Services.
- In 1994, the “Deep Tunnel” was brought online to address the problems of sewage overflows in Milwaukee, storing sewage during rainstorms when it was expected that treatment plants would be overwhelmed. The 19-mile long tunnel cost nearly $2 billion dollars, yet overflows still occur.
- Since 1995, over a billion gallons of sanitary sewage has been dumped in Milwaukeearea rivers and Lake Michigan.
- Friends of Milwaukee’s Rivers’ (FMR) is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting water quality and wildlife habitat and advocating for sound land use in the Milwaukee River Basin. FMR is a member of the Waterkeeper Alliance, an international coalition dedicated to protecting and restoring our world’s waterways, and is the licensed Riverkeeper® for Milwaukee.
- Great Waters Group is a Sierra Club member group of the John Muir Chapter that serves club members in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, & Waukesha counties. Sierra Club groups are run by their members who volunteer to promote environmental sustainability by taking action on local issues and educating others to understand the issues and opportunities available to make informed decisions that will better protect our shared environment.
- Midwest Environmental Advocates, Inc. (MEA) is Wisconsin’s only non-profit environmental law center dedicated to environmental justice and the protection of the public’s right to clean air, clean water, clean government, and responsible land use.
- Alliance for the Great Lakes is a non-profit organization dedicated to conserving and restoring the world’s largest freshwater resource using policy, education and local efforts, ensuring a healthy Great Lakes and clean water for generations of people and wildlife.

30 Nov 2007 | 2:35 pm | Environmental Sustainability, Water | No comments yet - Add your comments

Area of improvement: Milwaukee has the 2nd worst jobless rate by Sura, October 22

From a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article on Oct. 16:

“Among the 50 largest U.S. cities, only Detroit had a higher unemployment rate than Milwaukee in August, according to a new study at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.”

“Compared with other large cities, Milwaukee has a low rate of college-educated residents and a high degree of segregation, which places central-city job-seekers away from suburban job growth, Levine said.”

We are fortunate that we have a very high rate of education in the 3rd District, but we need strong leadership to work on creating more jobs, particularly in the central city. Kudos to those businesses that employ people with criminal records and help them become participating citizens.

22 Oct 2007 | 7:54 pm | Economic Development | Read 1 comment - Add your comments