Issues

Advancing Education Goals

  • Establish community learning and recreation centers at local schools and neighborhood churches
  • Find grants to build computer resource centers to teach our youth how to utilize technology to help them succeed in a changing job market
  • Create an internship program for our youth that connects them to local businesses

Job Creation Goals

  • Establish a relationship with nearby universities to help our local businesses with free market research and business advice
  • Utilize special internet programs and grant-writers to bring funds into the district to help new business start-ups. In return, businesses will be asked to donate to community projects that expand jobs in the 8th District.

Safety Goals

  • Keep our children busy in a positive manner with after-school programs
  • Add security features, such as cameras, to our neighborhoods
  • Restructure our block watch system through an internet website project that connects block watches
  • Bring police officers and private security companies together to compile the most accurate information so that law enforcement can be the most effective

Public Health Goals

  • Team up with UW-Milwaukee's Public Health program to improve public health in our communities
  • Bring one-day clinics and health awareness projects to the neighborhoods of the 8th District
  • Develop neighborhood urban gardens as a way of both helping families save money and eating healthy food

Advancing Education: Ideas

A big priority of my campaign is to establish a way to provide the children in our district with the tools they need to compete in the 21st Century. Many children in the district, unfortunately, do not have access to the internet, and do not have computers in their homes. This puts them at a huge disadvantage when compared to most of their suburban counterparts. Utilizing the computer learning centers already in the district, we can hold after-school and summer classes to teach kids how to use important computer programs in order to excel in their education and the workforce. I will work to find professionals who will volunteer their time and knowledge to teach these classes - and I will be one of the first to do so.

One of the most effective ways to help teenagers is to provide them with actual work experience. I will work with local business to establish internship positions for teenagers. I would like to develop a way to use these work experiences to teach our teens important economic principles, such as a cost/benefit analysis, and expose them to how businesses actually operate. Teaching these terms through actually experience will help teens realize the importance of economics and make it easier to understand.

These ideas are only the beginning – please share your ideas with me. My vision is to spark a movement that integrates the Alderman and the community in a way that has not happened in the past.

Job Creation: Ideas

I hope to establish ways for people in the district to receive help from experienced and successful businessmen to help them with business ideas and start-ups. I would like to find a way to offer people who are entrepreneurial the opportunity to have access to free consultations and market analysis. There are many free or low cost resources on the internet such as kickstarter.com and google analytics which our community does not know about.

I am hoping to attract graduate students from UW-Milwaukee and Marquette University, to run free consultation clinics to introduce people in the 8th District to these resources. I hope to establish an internship program in the Alderman’s office for students interested in helping local businesses. In return, the businesses will be asked to donate a small amount, if possible, for monthly community events to benefit the entire community. I hope to develop urban garden projects in the Distsrict, where children can learn how to use their hands, how to maintain a healthy diet, and how to manage a business through selling produce they have grown at a farmers' market.

When it comes to improving our community’s integration, I believe that encouraging year round events, from soccer tournaments to sledding at Mitchell Park, could make a significant difference. My goal will be to make these events free through seeking support from local businesses and other special funds, which will provide a way for the businesses to advertise and show their support for the neighborhoods.

I propose giving more responsibility to the residents of the 8th District in running the Milwaukee Job Corps programs in the District. I would like to encourage the Job Corps to team up with neighborhood outreach programs and recruit more neighborhood volunteers.

I propose the development of an 8th district website to encourage community forums, volunteering through an online connection, neighborhood watches, job postings, links to further education, and more!

Safety: Ideas

For economic integration to commence there must be certainty for both businesses and patrons that the neighborhood where they want to establish operations, or make purchases, is safe.

Economic development is the way we go about reducing crime. When people are given an opportunity they enjoy, then they are less likely to risk losing that opportunity. Youth are important to target in this sector; when it comes to economic development, summer jobs for youth are a big thing. Also, finding ways for youth to learn in unorthodox manners can be an important subject that the city must look into. Keeping them busy in a positive way is what is most important; not just keeping them busy.

Furthermore, investing security features for businesses that have been targeted by robbers on a consistent basis will add to safety and a sound investment environment. We will seek grant writers to acquire funding for these businesses, as well as for those that could be a possible second option for deviants. The importance of these features is to help police officers in their tough job in keeping our neighborhoods safe.

An 8th District website would be helpful for neighborhood watch groups to keep in touch with one another via a forum or group within the site. There, people can discuss ideas on watches; create schedules; inform one another on the different happenings going on in their neighborhoods, etc.

Public Health: Ideas

I hope that I can engage student volunteers from our local universities. With UW-Milwaukee's new Public Health program, it would be beneficial to the district if the 8th District can partner in developing one-day clinics, internships, and analysis of our public health condition. Engaging students in analyzing the District’s public health information would be mutually beneficial in educating the student and developing possible solutions to the many public health issues we face.