Is Milwaukee poised for a big boom one of these years? (Madison: appointed, house)

[adamadaman]

Milwaukee seems to be a crossroads, where it could go either way. High taxes, crime, poor schools have pushed many people out to the suburbs. On the other hand, there is a lot of culture, architecture, parks and music venues. Not all of Milwaukee is bad. Just like any other city, it had good and bad neighborhoods. I would put the resuteraunts up against any others in the U.S., even cities like Chicago or New York.

[Metamucil]

Originally Posted by jjacobeclark

Ten Cities For Job Growth In 2009 - Forbes.com
Milwaukee is #5 on this list, so we must not be doing too bad.

As far as having the second highest unemployment rate among working age African-American males, that's a shame. I think it's ironic that you learned this information from BET, since they are indirectly responsible for contributing to those figures. BET bombards its viewers with images of young, successful, self-made millionaires who never graduated from high school and made it big in the entertainment industry. Not exactly a realistic goal for 99.9% of people. Many "urban youth" feel like they have to drive a Bentley and sport a Rolex in order to be successful and emulate these so-called role models. Anything that requires performing actual work seems like a waste of time unless it pays off right away.

Todays Milw. Journal Sentinel tells a different story

Milwaukee-area jobless rate reaches record for December - JSOnline

""Unemployment in metro Milwaukee hit a record for December, and the pink slips keep piling up.""

you can dress it up any way you want, MKE isn't doing well. I don't hate MKE, there are many positives to the city but people trying to make an informed decision should have all the facts. In addition to this, there's a new wheel tax for MKE county residents right after the cost of licencing your vehicle went up and now they are proposing to increase the sales tax a percent in MKE county as well. Where does it ever stop? There were numerous stories about sidestreets not being plowed after snowfall. Hence the wheel tax. MKE and WI in general are taxed alot but it doesn't seem to end.

re: BET, don't blame the messenger. The fact is MKE is very bad for AA males and jobs. That's a fact. MKE also ranks near the top for cities in America re: Black teen pregnancy. it's one of the worst.

I don't say any of this b/c I want to bash MKE but it's not doing well right now. It's a heavily blue collar town and that doesn't seem to be the future of this country (and hasn't been for awhile). I think MKE must do more to change away from what isn't working and I don't see that right now.

Even light rail is bashed to no end when other cities much smaller or more "red" have or have plans to implement light rail. Over 700,000 people ride heavy rail in Atlanta every day, 65,000 in Dallas and 45,000 in Houston ride light rail daily but the mere mention is shot down immediately in MKE.

[jjacobeclark]

Originally Posted by Metamucil

Todays Milw. Journal Sentinel tells a different story

Milwaukee-area jobless rate reaches record for December - JSOnline

""Unemployment in metro Milwaukee hit a record for December, and the pink slips keep piling up.""

you can dress it up any way you want, MKE isn't doing well. I don't hate MKE, there are many positives to the city but people trying to make an informed decision should have all the facts. In addition to this, there's a new wheel tax for MKE county residents right after the cost of licencing your vehicle went up and now they are proposing to increase the sales tax a percent in MKE county as well. Where does it ever stop? There were numerous stories about sidestreets not being plowed after snowfall. Hence the wheel tax. MKE and WI in general are taxed alot but it doesn't seem to end.

Milwaukee has a very low sales tax rate compared to most major cities. Chicago's sales tax is currently 10.25%, Denver is 8%, and Milwaukee is only 5.6%.

Originally Posted by Metamucil

re: BET, don't blame the messenger. The fact is MKE is very bad for AA males and jobs. That's a fact. MKE also ranks near the top for cities in America re: Black teen pregnancy. it's one of the worst.

True, but it is still ironic coming from them. All Rust Belt cities like Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, and Buffalo also rank poorly in terms of AA male unemployment. My question is why don't AA women have the same problems finding work as AA men do? Seems to support my theory that many of them are waiting around to get record deals rather than work their way up from the bottom like everyone else.

Originally Posted by Metamucil

I don't say any of this b/c I want to bash MKE but it's not doing well right now. It's a heavily blue collar town and that doesn't seem to be the future of this country (and hasn't been for awhile). I think MKE must do more to change away from what isn't working and I don't see that right now.

What's wrong with being blue collar? All those people in Silicon Valley making microchips and pharmaceuticals are technically blue collar workers. Countries like Japan and Germany produce a ton of goods in their countries and nobody looks down on them. We can't all be financial planners or computer programmers can we? I think what's going to save the U.S. economy is a return to manufacturing.

Originally Posted by Metamucil

Even light rail is bashed to no end when other cities much smaller or more "red" have or have plans to implement light rail. Over 700,000 people ride heavy rail in Atlanta every day, 65,000 in Dallas and 45,000 in Houston ride light rail daily but the mere mention is shot down immediately in MKE.

I completely agree. If Little Rock and Buffalo can scrape together enough money, Milwaukee should be able to do it too.

[Metamucil]

Originally Posted by jjacobeclark

Milwaukee has a very low sales tax rate compared to most major cities. Chicago's sales tax is currently 10.25%, Denver is 8%, and Milwaukee is only 5.6%.

True, but it is still ironic coming from them. All Rust Belt cities like Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, and Buffalo also rank poorly in terms of AA male unemployment. My question is why don't AA women have the same problems finding work as AA men do? Seems to support my theory that many of them are waiting around to get record deals rather than work their way up from the bottom like everyone else.

What's wrong with being blue collar? All those people in Silicon Valley making microchips and pharmaceuticals are technically blue collar workers. Countries like Japan and Germany produce a ton of goods in their countries and nobody looks down on them. We can't all be financial planners or computer programmers can we? I think what's going to save the U.S. economy is a return to manufacturing.

I completely agree. If Little Rock and Buffalo can scrape together enough money, Milwaukee should be able to do it too.

comparing MKE's and chicago's sales tax is a bit silly, of course the COL is more in chicago, park your car at the Art Institue or Lincoln Zoo and it's what, $25-35 dollars! Sales tax may be "cheap" in your opinion but they want to add 1% to it in MKE county like I previously stated. The overall tax base in MKE and WI is high.

Pittsburgh is a formor blue collar town that's revitalized with health care and other industries. My point is this is forward thinking and MKE hasn't done enough of it. In fact your point about "what's wrong with blue collar" is typical of the attitude in MKE. There is nothing wrong with blue collar, I agree 100%, but is this the future??? We've lost so many manuf. jobs overseas , since NAFTA, and it's been going on for years now, are they really coming back? How do we accomplish that? I see no signs of that actually happening. You say we need to "return to it" but how? Easier said then done. Even the highly touted Chevy Volt will be using Korean batteries instead of using batteries from MKE company Johnson Controls. Are Harley's made of 100% American parts? No they're not. Last time I owned an "American" car it was made in Canada. My japanese car was made in Kentucky.

Buffalo is generally seen in a good light on these boards, Somebody in the General US forum mentioned how it's one of the most driveable big cities in the US now. Look at Denver, there's a thread in the Genral US forum and it was rated as the most desireable city to move to. I know polls...., but there are alot of ppl moving to Denver over the last 15 years and more are planning on it and growth is good. Is Denver a "blue collar" town? NO, is there a greater percent of ppl in Denver with college degrees and advanced degrees? YES , this is what MKE needs to shoot for, not b/c there's something wrong with blue collar but b/c manf. has been decimated over the last 15 years and there's no end in site. Charlotte Nc has become very popular. Is it blue collar? NO, it's known for banking and finance. This is the future. Atlanta, Phoenix, Albuquerque are growning, are they blue collar? NO. It's simply not where the growth and future are. Sorry.

America is nothing like Germany, Europe's strongest economy. 1/3 of their economy is manuf. , that's true. There's far more regulation, corporations will take less profit so their workers can live a better life, you can't just fire somebody b/c you want to. And all that and the workers retire in thier late 50's, get company and federal pensions, have guaranteed not-for-profit health care their whole lives and 4-6 weeks of vacation - from the start -- but America can't figure it out, and they never will b/c profit always comes first. It's the new economy and it's not coming back. It's time to think of new ways to grow.

[quijote]

Given the wide range of stats lately, I'd say that Milwaukee is having a hard time and (as Adamadaman says) could go either way, up or down, in the long run. Milwaukee has more challenges than most large cities/metros in North America, but it has done incredibly well for a place with a large manufacturing legacy. In terms of economic vibrancy and resiliency, it is nowhere near places like SF, Seattle, Portland, etc., but on the other hand, compared to most other Great Lakes cities, Milwaukee has a good foundation to make a transition with. Many individuals and companies and agencies in MKE have been trying to promote transition to the so-called "New Economy," and some things seem to be working, but the city/metro will need more support from the state to make it happen. For better or for worse, it seems that Madison has garnered the support needed (in education and politics) to emerge more as the "New Economy" economic engine for the state; Milwaukee is really trying to compete, and it will probably make some inroads, but with the Capital and the flagship university in Madison, Milwaukee has to try even harder. Many people in the state, including many folks from Madison and up north, have begun to discount Milwaukee as a dying has-been. Those of us who live in the MKE area know that the reality is otherwise (MKE has made major changes lately), and that more could be done with statewide support. What remains to be seen is if Madison and the rest of the state will invest in MKE and promote it as the economic engine that it ought to be.... We'll know for sure in 15-20 years.

[ComfortablyNumb]

I agree. I feel that since Madison actually has that "magnetic energy" necessary to pull in the creative class, the state is putting a lot of its money into it. In the long term though, I don't think Madison can ever be much of a corporate town - at least in anything outside of health care, education, and so on.

Who knows how well Madison can truly do, though, if the rest of the state can't pick up too. If Wisconsin needs to succeed in the long run, Milwaukee needs to start doing a lot better.

[Milwaukee City]

I feel that since Madison actually has that "magnetic energy" necessary to pull in the creative class,

That's the Liberal Mojo that Madison is oozing out, along with it's diversity.

sorry just another dig at Madison, I'm seeking help.

[Milwaukee City]

Now if only Milwaukee could work on it's rep.

[ComfortablyNumb]

Milwaukee needs what Madison has. Business leaders, venture capitalists, and just normal people throughout Madison have an immense amount of civic pride. They are very confident in their city and want to help it expand well, attract jobs, and so on. Many are confident to the point where they genuinely believe it is the best place in the United States to live.

Milwaukee is exactly the opposite. Milwaukee is like some guy that asks a girl out by saying "Will you go out meSORRYOKAYBYE"

[Milwaukee City]

Milwaukee needs what Madison has. Business leaders, venture capitalists, and just normal people throughout Madison have an immense amount of civic pride. They are very confident in their city and want to help it expand well, attract jobs, and so on. Many are confident to the point where they genuinely believe it is the best place in the United States to live.

Milwaukee is exactly the opposite. Milwaukee is like some guy that asks a girl out by saying "Will you go out meSORRYOKAYBYE"

Not even close to being true, let's see where are the biggest business located in the state...Milwaukee
Who has 13 fortune 1000 companies in the state...Milwaukee
Oh we don't have biz leaders...someone is on glue.
Milwaukeeans don't have civic pride...wrong.
Madison is 200,000 of college kids and gov. workers. Milwaukee is more of a real city vs a city than revolves around a college, even though Milwaukee has one of the highest per capita student populations North America.

With 15 colleges Milwaukee doesn't feel like a college town because Milwaukee has a lot of finance jobs, health care and other business not just a college and government.

Madison is like the midget at the party jumping up and down saying "hey guys what about me? look at me" Milwaukee has more wealthy suburbs than Madison since Madison only has about 10 anyways. With over 2million people in the Milwaukee area Madison just can't compete. It's a one horse town and the badgers aren't doing very good this year at all. Next time I want to play beer pong I'll come to Madison, oh I'll bring my red cup also. I'd rather go to an upscale lounge instead.