THE GMC

The GMC was joined by Secretary Jeff Pertl from the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. ​This webinar provided a deep dive into the Governor’s budget proposals for early childhood education (ECE), examining the potential impact on businesses, workforce stability, and economic growth. We discuss what these initiatives mean for employers and their employees, how they could affect the bottom line, and the key question—who will ultimately pay for them in the long run?

The K-12 landscape is always a center of attention, but we have all seen stark reminders of both what ails us and how potential solutions may ensue as the last year has unfolded. Milwaukee Public Schools face unprecedented fiscal and organizational challenges from failing to complete mandatory filings with the state, losing federal and state resources, uncovering lead poisoning in schools and wrestling over school resource officers. At the same time, recent test scores show that Milwaukee has fallen further behind compared to our national peers. The 100,000+ kids who attend schools in the city of Milwaukee are not being served well enough, and we are compelled to seek the clearest and shortest path to progress. After the narrow passage of the April 2024 referendum granting MPS an additional $252 million in local taxpayer support, followed by incidents of financial reporting errors, Governor Evers called for an independent operational review of MPS to shed light on the current situation and potential ways to improve the fiscal and organizational issues. The results of that review were released earlier in February. At the March 10 membership meeting, GMC president Joel Brennan shared key findings from the audit, including suggestions for how MPS can operate more efficiently. We were also joined by Milwaukee journalists who have delved into recent and long-term challenges in our city’s schools and who will provide further insight into the evolving landscape of K-12 education in our community. - Alan Borsuk, Marquette University - Corri Hess, Wisconsin Public Radio

According to recent data, crime in Milwaukee has trended downward in the last few years. However, community perception and national narrative paint a picture of a city that is increasingly dangerous. Many of us have our own personal experience with crime and its impact on families, employers, and neighborhoods. A group of GMC members has spent the last several months delving into Milwaukee’s approach to crime and public safety, learning more about efforts to respond to violent actions and to find ways to stop crimes before they can scar our city. Understanding how we can continue the trend of declining crime rates and increase the notion of safety throughout our community is one of the GMC’s pillars, and every one of us plays a role in the community’s success. Milwaukee’s public safety efforts are carried out both by uniformed officers and by organizations committed to creating change in neighborhoods. Both have seen expanded investment in recent years; however, America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) resources that have spurred street level violence prevention efforts will soon be depleted. If we want to build a safer city, we need to understand the efforts that are already addressing the issue, analyze the success of collaborative efforts, and determine how we can continue to support public safety in Milwaukee. On February 10 we heard from stakeholders about their efforts in advancing a safer Milwaukee, including: Mayor Cavalier Johnson County Executive David Crowley Dan Bader, GMC Public Safety Committee Co-Chair Kent Lovern, Milwaukee District Attorney A larger group of stakeholders will be in attendance to facilitate in-depth table discussion on the public safety landscape and how the GMC can best support the success and progress of those working to make Milwaukee a safer and stronger city.

The GMC commissioned the Wisconsin Policy Forum to develop a report that examines the decline in arrests and reported offenses in Milwaukee. The report compares Milwaukee to peer cities across the nation and also tracks local trends that are contributing to the decline . Report co-author Ari Brown from the Wisconsin Policy Forum and the GMC's Langston Verdin sit down to discuss the report and share key findings. See the full "Arresting Developments" report here: https://wispolicyforum.org/research/arresting-developments-how-and-why-arrests-and-citizen-contacts-are-declining-in-milwaukee/

Wisconsin ranks last in funding for the arts, spending about 18 cents per capita on arts funding, compared to our neighboring states Minnesota ($9.67), Illinois ($5.11), and Michigan ($1.18). On January 13, we discussed how we can collectively organize with the broader arts community and community stakeholders to elevate statewide advocacy efforts resulting in increased public funding for the arts. Rob Henken will share pertinent information from Wisconsin Policy Forum's Curtain Time report as a grounding point for the conversation. Rob was then joined by Secretary Anne Sayers from the WI Department of Tourism and Steve Radke, president of Northwestern Mutual Foundation.

On November 11, Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) Interim Superintendent Eduardo Galvan joined the GMC for a conversation about the state of MPS and the district’s progress on its Corrective Action Plan, Facilities Review and other matters. 2025 will be a defining year in K-12 education in Milwaukee and Wisconsin, and GMC members must decide what roles we can play individually and collectively to disrupt the unacceptable status quo related to the outcomes for kids educated in the city of Milwaukee. Nothing is more vital to a stronger future for our community and our region than improvements to the overall educational landscape, and we encourage you to join us for this conversation.

On October 7, the GMC gathered at ThriveOn King in the burgeoning Bronzeville neighborhood. Anchored by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and the Medical College of Wisconsin, ThriveOn is a modern and innovative solution, addressing core needs and providing opportunity to the residents of Milwaukee, especially those who reside on the near north side. The collaboration is the result of sustained input from area residents and the outcome will enhance economic opportunity and community health for generations to come. In Bronzeville, projects like ThriveOn King, Howard Fuller Academy, Food for Health and the Bronzeville Center for the Arts focus on providing resources from education to healthcare to job training and create spaces for growth and development. While these investments and the projects they have created are significant, how can we continue the momentum in Bronzeville and other Milwaukee neighborhoods? Is the Bronzeville model being successfully replicated elsewhere? What else is needed and what’s missing? We can and should celebrate historic progress but also challenge ourselves to imagine what comes next and what role each of us plays. On October 7, we heard from these leaders who have forged progress and broken new ground and help shape your vision of what else can be done: Kathy Koshgarian, President and CEO- Food For Health Michelle Nettles, Board Chair, Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy & Chief People and Culture Officer, ManpowerGroup Clifton Phelps, VP of Business Development, JCP Construction Dr. John Raymond, President and CEO, Medical College of Wisconsin

Investing in Milwaukee's Infrastructure The Republican National Convention in July garnered national attention and thousands of new visitors to Milwaukee, providing an opportunity to showcase the new infrastructure investment and amenities in our city. The RNC is a prime example of what happens when focused community effort follows investment, which is exactly what happened after the public and private efforts to build the Fiserv Forum, the Deer District, and the Convention Center. Further growth is underway, and the investment of another $500 million into American Family Field will be part of both keeping the Brewers in Milwaukee and drawing additional events and activities in the coming decades. The stages have been taken down and the Democratic Convention will ramp up in days in our neighbors to the south, so what’s next? How can we continue to ensure that the entire community benefits from the public investment in infrastructure now and in the future? What other needs still must be addressed? And what role can you play in elevating Milwaukee even more on the national stage? On September 9, we heard from community leaders about how these major infrastructure investments have transformed our community and hold the promise of a stronger future for our residents.

On August 9, the GMC hosted the Wisconsin Policy Forum via Zoom for an overview of their newest report. The Wisconsin Policy Forum's most recent education study, Roll Call, focuses on Milwaukee's K-12 landscape, across the many publicly funded options available to families: traditional public schools, charter schools, and private choice programs. The report analyzes how student enrollment and demographics, education funding, and school outcomes have changed in recent years, both before and after the pandemic. As the city grapples with how to best educate its children, WPF offers facts and nonpartisan insights to ground the discussion. Colleston Morgan, president and executive director of City Forward Collective, also presented data from CFC's recent "State of Milwaukee Education" survey. Education is a key factor in preparing our future workforce and leaders, and a core pillar of the GMC's strategic plan.