Milwaukee Alderman Jonathan Brostoff Confirmed, The Milwaukee Common Council Approved Temporary Water Street Food Truck Ban Without Actual Proof Of Police And Health Department Cited Violations

Alderman Brostoff told a group (coalition) of Latino food truck vendors on Wednesday that the Milwaukee Common Council had only two options, to ignore or implement a temporary ban of truck food vendors on multiple blocks along N. Water Street for certain vendor issues, which lacked any proof of Milwaukee police enforcement and the City Department of Health enforcement of violations committed by certain food vendors.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

May 3, 2023

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Milwaukee Alderman Jonathan Brostoff is in hot water with Latino and non-Latino food truck vendors after he confirmed during a Wednesday meeting at City Hall that due to certain food truck vendor issues, the Milwaukee Common Council approved a temporary ban of food trucks along multiple blocks on N. Water Street without providing any proof of any actual violations committed by any food truck vendor that was banned from selling food on Water Street. Video of meeting courtesy of Alejandro Rivera at link: https://youtu.be/LYIIEiv-cjE

Brostoff told Walter Garron, the spokesperson for the Latino food truck vendors coalition, that he had video and testimony by individuals that certain issues and violations were being committed at food truck vendor areas on N. Water Street, but fell short from providing any actual proof that the Milwaukee police and the Milwaukee Health Department ever cited any food truck vendor at the downtown N. Water Street business corridor.

The Milwaukee Common Council with the support of Alderman Brostoff and Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa passed a temporary food truck ban on Water Street until the end of May, which neither Brostoff or Zamarripa held any public, business and food vendor hearings that a ban would be implemented, thus violating the rights of the food vendors to address any concerns that would lead to a discriminatory food truck ban on Water Street.

The temporary ban of food truck vendors on N. Water Street should be immediately be lifted, since it was done without any planned public hearings in violation of the due process clause and blatantly violating the rights of food vendors as afforded when they apply for a food truck vendor's license.

None of the food truck vendors that were banned from N. Water Street committed any City or health violation to be targeted by the Milwaukee Common Council. It sure looks like the Milwaukee Common Council just implemented a food truck ban without citing any actual violations, which police and the City Health Department were involved and violation citations were issued to any of the food vendors that were temporarily banned. Shame on the Milwaukee Common Council, Brostoff and Zamarripa.

The Milwaukee Common Council and Mayor Cavalier Johnson should be held accountable for causing economic hardship to those food truck vendors and their employees affected by the City temporary ban.

Brostoff and Zamarripa say that they are now working to introduce a proposed updated City food truck vendor regulations, but one thing for sure, why implement a temporary food truck vendor ban on N. Water Street when no actual proof exists that any food vendor violated any City ordinance that would force a temporary ban.

Currently, there are 18 food truck vendor bans in the City that includes W. Historic Mitchell Street.

According to Brostoff, there are at least 1,000 City licensed food truck vendors and all are prohibited from parking along certain blocks on N. Water Street during the temporary ban.