The Folkbum Endorsement:
Tom Barrett for Mayor

My union endorsed Tom Barrett some time ago, but I've held off on an endorsement of my own. I mean, it's like virginity (bear with me): You only get to give it once, and once given, you don't get it back. Well, the proponderance of the evidence has led me to lend Barrett the official Folkbum's Rambles and Rants endorsement. (This should make Meagan happy.)

Honestly, I think current mayor and Barrett opponent Marvin Pratt will be a fine mayor, and whoever wins the election Milwaukee will be headed in a good direction. But I have some specific reasons for backing Barrett.

Pratt has a tendency not to show up for things--the Meetup a few weeks back (scroll down) is just one of many commitments he's not kept during this campaign. I mean, yeah, he's mayor and has like a city to run and everything, but you have to keep commitments. Plus he's got financial issues, he's been known to break the law. But those are little things; as I said, he'd do fine as mayor.

Let me tell you the positives about Barrett, though. For one, I think he's committed to the eductaion of Milwaukee's children (you know, that's my job). Pratt's wife is an MPS employee, sure, but Barrett's detailed plan--while containing a few things I'm wary of, like the high school redisign plan--give me confidence that he will make a targeted effort at actually getting something done.

Barrett also has a record of service in Congress that we Milwaukeeans can be proud of. The Washington connection was a major reason why I supporeted him in 2002's gubernatorial primary. Barrett's also got connections to Madison--which will be very helpful in dealing with the public schools issues.

Barrett also won me over with his talk about changing the tone in City Hall. Milwaukee's city govenment has been scandal-plagued for years; I have lost count how many alderman have been indicted by the feds in the last decade. And while I don't know that Pratt is part of that mess, Barrett's outsider status has a certain appeal. And I don't see how anyone could not like this, from his plan for the first 100 days:

Within the first 100 days of my administration, I will introduce my proposed Ethics Reform Ordinance that will include the following:

• Merging the Ethics Board and Elections Commission into a new Milwaukee Ethics and Elections Commission (EEC).  The EEC will have an independent, seven member Board of Commissioners, an executive director and staff and will be charged with overseeing ethics and lobbying, campaign finance reporting, elections and enforcement.


• Making all campaign finance reports accessible to the public.  The new EEC will be responsible for making electronic campaign finance reporting a reality.


• Lobbyist registration and reporting requirements.  Lobbying organizations and lobbyists will be required to submit written accounts of all lobbying communications and will be prohibited from furnishing anything of pecuniary value to city officials.


• A total ban on gifts or the presentation of anything of value to city officials.

I must be honest that this decision was not that easy. For a long time in this race, I felt that Barrett was phoning it in, that mayor was consolation prize for losing the governor's race. Plus, I think it is very important for Milwaukee to have a black mayor, and despite Barrett's acknowledgement that we are no longer a majority-anything city, that doesn't take the place of an African American in office. And I must say that it's a little disturbing to drive through some neighborhoods with only Barrett signs in the lawns, and then drive through other neighborhoods with nothing but Pratt signs. I don't think that perpetuating a racial divide helps anyone.

In the end, as I keep saying, Milwaukee will be the big winner in this election, whoever gets the most votes. But, for whatever it's worth, my vote will go to Barrett.