GTLO Coalition Wants Over 66K Milwaukee's Freshwater Lead Service Lines (Toxic Laterals) Removed In 10 years Or Less, But Mayor Johnson Says 20 years

The Get The Lead Out Coalition met at Milwaukee City Hall to demand that the City of Milwaukee remove all the freshwater service lead toxic laterals in 10 years or less, but Milwaukee Mayor Johnson says in 20 years.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

June 30, 2023

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Friday, the Get The Lead Out Coalition (GTLO), which has at least nine groups/orgs involved including Freshwater For Life Action Coalition (FLAC) held a press conference at City Hall And claimed that Mayor Cavalier Johnson plan to remove lead pipes falls short. Mayor Johnson wants to remove more than 66,000 freshwater toxic lead laterals removed in 20 years, in contrary, the GTLO wants it done in 10 years or less. (Full video of Press Conference: https://youtu.be/lleeUjQVM1o)

Recently, Mayor Johnson announced that his administration is going to remove 3,300 lead-service lines (LSLs/lead service laterals) this year, instead of the 1,500 his Milwaukee Water Works department declared just a few months ago. The GTLO Coalition says the plan falls short of expectations.

"How can Milwaukee declare itself a leader providing the cleanest, freshest water when tens of thousands of homes have lead service lines, making their water a health risk and putting children in harm's way?" said Rodney Washington, a member of Freshwater For Life Action Coalition.

Mayor Johnson now wants to remove these LSLs in 20 years instead of the 60-70 years City Hall has been advocating for the past couple of years. Twenty years, is still not good enough, the GTLO Coalition announced at the press conference.

"When you compare Milwaukee to cities like Detroit, Michigan removing 5,000 LSLs in 2023 and then stepping it up to 10,000 LSLs to be removed in 2024, and to Newark, New Jersey, which removed over 22,000 LSLs in less than three years, and Denver, Colorado, and Jackson, Mississippi, all removing LSLs at higher rate than Milwaukee, we need to ask: Why can't Milwaukee keep up with other cities?" said Robert Miranda, a member of the Get The Lead Out steering committee.

The groups say Milwaukee City Hall is failing Milwaukee residents because it lacks urgency and willingness to go after funding like other cities to remove more lead-service lines.

"Why hasn't Milwaukee signed up for the accelerator program? Why aren't our elected officials taking advantage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was signed into law in November 2021 and has a significant amount of money that can flow to the states through [the Environmental Protection Agency] to help with water and sewer systems in cities?" said State Senator Lena Taylor (D-Milw.).

Mayor Johnson, we do not accept your vision and we demand removal of LSLs within 10 years or fewer at no cost to single-family home owners and renters. FLAC/GTLO has been demanding this for the past 8 years. Anything short of this is simply lip service, the  GTLO Coalition says.

Miranda posted in his Facebook account, If you're being told by Milwaukee Water Works to flush your water for lead before drinking it. Don't do that. Use filter. Flushing is unreliable.

 

Milwaukee Water Works (MWW) says flush to reduce lead exposures. Not prevent it. So is MWW promoting its ok to drink small amount of lead-in-water?

In 2017, the Milwaukee Water Works set a goal to remove 1,000 LSLs, but only met that goal once in 2019, so far, it has removed about 5,533 in 7 years. In 2017, removed 622; in 2018, 933; in 2019, 1,000; in 2020, 888; in 2021, 896; in 2022, 991 and in 2023 as of March, 113.

To check if you home or business is connected to a freshwater lead service line (lead toxic laterals) at: https://city.milwaukee.gov/water/WaterQuality/LeadandWater/Lead-Service-Line-Records

Omar Estrada, 31, Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison For The Reckless Homicide Of Angel J. Ortega, 20, In 2017

Estrada in a plea deal was convicted for reckless homicide in the murder of Angel J. Ortega in 2017.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

June 29, 2023

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Thursday, Omar Estrada, 31, was sentenced to 20-years in prison after a plea deal with the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office, which several felony charges were dismissed. Estrada was sentenced to 12-years in prison with 8-years of extended supervision for the August 2017 murder of Angel J. Ortega, 20, at Kaña Mojito in the Southside of Milwaukee.

Estrada was ordered to pay $6,275,00 to Ernestina Ortega in restitution, according to court records.

Estrada's accomplice, José R. Sánchez, 30, aka, "Droopy" is still on the run and police believe he is still in Mexico.

According to the criminal complaint in Milwaukee County, in late August 2017, Sánchez, then 24, and Estrada, then 25, got into an altercation inside the Kaña Mojito Nightclub at the 600 block of S. 5th St. in the Southside of Milwaukee. Club security were able to break it up and remove those involved including Sánchez and Estrada in the altercation over a female. The suspects returned to Kaña after retrieving several handguns (.380 Cal. and .45 Cal.) and began to shoot at patrons exiting Kaña striking a male and a woman including fatally wounding Ortega. Afterwards, Sánchez and Estrada fled the scene and had been on the run, since then. Police believed the suspects fled to Mexico and the U.S. Marshals Service added both suspects to their wanted list in Wisconsin.

Estrada was arrested last Summer in Mexico and extradited to Wisconsin in June in 2022.

Sánchez was charged with three felony counts that include 1st-degree reckless homicide and party to crime and use of a dangerous weapon, if convicted Sánchez is facing up to 60-years in prison; 1st-degree reckless injury and party to crime and use of a dangerous weapon, if convicted, Sánchez is facing up to 40-years in prison, and 1st-degree reckless endangering safety and party to crime and use of a dangerous weapon, if convicted Sánchez is facing up to 12-years and six months in prison and up to $25,000 in fines, according to court records.

Fools That Accept The 2% Sales Tax Increase In The City Of Milwaukee, Taxpayers Already Pay More Than Enough Taxes, Which The State Takes Most In Share Revenues And Returns Less To The City To Operate Efficiently

The City of Milwaukee, since it's the largest municipality in the State pays more taxes in Share Revenue to the State of Wisconsin than any other municipality and gets less from Share Revenue to operate efficiently, according to Wisconsin Share Revenue tax records.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

June 27, 2023

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Monday, the City of Milwaukee Steering and Rules Committee held a public meeting to discuss the acceptance of a 2% sales tax that was included in the Act 12 Bill, which included multiple provisions mandated by the bill, it also included an additional 10% supplement Share Revenue increase of $21.7M and how it should be used (spent) for Milwaukee only (no other municipality in the State received similar mandatory provisions in their 10% supplement increase of Share Revenues) that was passed by the Republican controlled legislature and signed into law by Governor Tony Evers (D) a week ago. 

Most of those City officials at the hearing on Monday, also some members of the Steering and Rules Committee seemed to favor a tax increase (no vote was taken at the hearing to increase a sales tax) and others at the meeting as well who were in favor of the 2% sales tax increase that will generate at least $190.2M in 2024, $195.9M in 2025, $201.8M in 2026 and $207.8M, if adopted by the Milwaukee Common Council in July.

Currently, the City of Milwaukee receives at least $219.4M in Share Revenues from the State. Last year, in 2022, the City received $219.1M; in 2021, $219.1M; in 2020, $219.1M and 2001, it received $240M in Share Revenues from the State showing that the City is getting less today. Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) found no information on the City Budget management website and the Wisconsin Share Revenue website that would actually show how much the City of Milwaukee pays the State in Share Revenue taxes per year. 

At the hearing on Monday, Nik Kovac, the Budget and Management Director didn't mentioned or provided the total amount that the City pays the State in Share Revenue (per year) for the last few years, so the public could have a better understanding of the actual formula of tax dollars paid to the State concerning Share Revenue. The City budgets do show how much Share Revenue, the City received per year, but it fails short to show how much the City actually pays the State in Share Revenue per year.

When HNNUSA contacted Kovac to acquire the total tax dollar amounts that the State gets from the City of Milwaukee per the following years, 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2020, he said that the Budget and Management Division office doesn't actually know, since the State automatically collects it. Kovac says, that his Budget office does include what the State returns in Share Revenue to the City per year in the annual City Budget.

What does it indicate? Well, it shows that the City of Milwaukee taxpayers do pay more than enough of their fair share of taxes per year, but the State takes most of the taxes and returns less in Share Revenue to the City, so it can operate efficiently.

HNNUSA could only find that in 2015, the City paid nearly $1.4B in Share Revenue to the State and Milwaukee received $912M in State aid, and most likely today, it pays more and gets less in return. 

Today, the City is operating on an estimated deficit (Gap) of more than $180M and by 2024, it will operate with an estimated $254.1M; in 2025, $236.9M; in 2026, $246.2M and in 2027, $255.4.

If the City doesn't approve a 2% sales tax, by 2025, the City will operate with an estimated $193M Gap. The only option to close the Gap, 700 of 1,600 Milwaukee police officers will have to be laid-off, 250 of 700 firefighters will be laid-off and at least another 400 general City employees, according to Kovac.

The Steering and Rules Committee approved a resolution #230359 (https://tinyurl.com/3tpu2ac5) for the City Attorney's Office to review the City's opposition to various provisions in the Wisconsin Act 12 and directed City Representatives to work for their appeal, which indicates that the Milwaukee Common Council is contemplating in filing a legal challenge against the State of Wisconsin for discrimination due to the multiple provisions (restrictions and penalties including in Act 12, if the City doesn't comply) that were included for the City of Milwaukee and no other municipalities in the State.

The Republican controlled legislature has been targeting the City of Milwaukee for decades by returning less Share Revenue to the City in order for it to fail, so that Republicans can take control of the City, which has a huge Democrat voting base that was instrumental in electing Governor Evers (D) twice. And what does Governor Evers do to repay Milwaukee voters and taxpayers, he signs Act 12 into law to screw the City of Milwaukee and its taxpayers. Governor Evers has no shame! Evers got $1B for education (schools) from the Republican controlled legislature.

It's about time that the Milwaukee Common Council reject the 2% sales tax increase, since City taxpayers who pay more than enough taxes already shouldn't be forced to face the burden of paying more taxes that the State will eventually take its share. 

The Milwaukee Common Council should legally challenge Act 12 and fight to get more of its fair share of Share Revenues to operate efficiently today and tomorrow.

Those who support a 2% sales tax increase are definitely fools, because taxpayers already pay more than enough taxes, but get less in Share Revenue, which definitely could be considered illegal, if legally challenged and a sham that has taken place for decades.

The State of Wisconsin recently reported a $7B surplus.

In Milwaukee County, the County pays nearly $3B in Share Revenues to the State and the State returned $230M in Share Revenue in 2022 to operate efficiently. Each year, the County reports more than $20M in deficit. In 2003, the County received $250M in Share Revenues from the State, which indicates that the County is getting less Share Revenue from the State. https://county.milwaukee.gov/EN/Board-of-Supervisors/Fair-Deal

The County under Act 12 will have the option to approved a O.04% sales tax increase that would generate $76M per year. Currently, the County has a 0.5% sales tax.

When contacted by HNNUSA, the Wisconsin Department of Revenue released the following tax information by County.

• In 2020, Milwaukee County paid in personal income tax, a total of $48.2B. $48.2B × 6% tax burden = $2.9B in state taxes.

• Milwaukee County makes up about 14.8% × $19.29B in FY21, GRP taxes = $2.85B (a different method with

 similar answer)

• It can be surmised that approximately $2.9B in state taxes is generated by Milwaukee County.

Using the same calculation method, it can be summarized for the following 4 surrounding counties.

• Washington County, $8.73B in personal income × ~6% state taxes = $523.8M

• Ozaukee County, $7.87B in personal income × ~6% = $472.2M

• Waukesha County, $30.85B in personal income × ~6% state taxes = $1.851B

The total is approximately $5.747B in total state taxes from the 4 County region, roughly about $19B collected statewide, according to Patricia A. Mayers, Director of Communications from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.

Every taxpayer in Milwaukee County and in the City of Milwaukee should be upset and angry that sufficient Share Revenue tax dollars are not being return to both the City and County to operate efficiently.

Taxpayers in both Milwaukee County and the City of Milwaukee should contact their local County Supervisors and City of Milwaukee Alderpersons to tell them "NO" to an increase of sale taxes and to demand that they take legal action (sue the State) to challenge the unfair distribution of Share Revenues (including restrictive provisions) for the City of Milwaukee, and cheating the County of its fair share of revenues, in order, to get more Share Revenues to operate efficiently.

Editors note:

How the two Hispanic State  Representatives voted on Act 12 (AB245):

 

State Representative Marisabel Cabrera (D-Milw.) continuously voted "No" of AB245 (Act 12- SB301).

State Representative Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (D-Milw.) voted "Yes" on Concurrence on June 14, 2023 for AB245 (Act 12- SB301).

Wisconsin State Representative Jessie Rodriguez (R-Oak Creek) co-sponsored AB245/SB301 and voted "No"  on Concurrence on June 14, 2023.

Wisconsin State Senator Rachael  Cabral-Guevara (R-Appleton) introduced SB301/AB245 and approved to pass. 

Unresponsive Man Aided By Attendees Of The Summer Block Party Sponsored By Discover Church At Kosciuszko Park In The Southside Of Milwaukee

Church attendees of the Summer Block Party at Kosciuszko Park immediately rendered life-saving measures to a man who became unresponsive at the event.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

June 25, 2023

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Sunday, multiple Summer Block Party attendees immediately rendered aid to a man who became on responsive, had no pulse, his face turning blue and wasn't breathing by the park event. Laura Manriquez, who is a nurse was attending the event and she immediately went to helped and rendered coordinated life-saving measures around 6:45 p.m. to the man before the Milwaukee Fire Department paramedics arrived.

Three Milwaukee police officers were at the park when the incident occured.

Several attendees took turns in providing compressions to the man's chess until she was successful in getting another person to remove the man's shoes and socks, then Manriquez found a pulse on his foot, since earlier attempts by other people to locate a pulse in his arm and neck failed. The man was turning blue due to a lack of oxygen.

The man in his 50's, soon after getting continued compressions to his chess by people, he began to breath again.

The man was conveyed to a local hospital for treatment. His condition is unknown.

Afterwards, a Marine veteran who helped with chess compressions thanked Manriquez for coordinating and rendering life-saving measures for the man, as other people prayed for the man while he was unresponsive.

Manriquez released the following statement to Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA), "As a minister of God's Word, I believe in prayer, laying of the hands and praying over individuals. But as a medical professional, it is of utmost importance for individuals to always allow room for those administrating medical attention."

The Discover Church attendees at the park also prayed for the man to fully recover.

The Summer Block Party on Sunday afternoon was sponsored by the Discover Church and held at Kosciuszko Park, 900 block of W. Lincoln Ave. from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., according to Manriquez' Facebook post, video of the incident and event.

Greek Fest 2023 At Wisconsin State Fair Park Grounds In West Allis Closed Early After Black Teens Alleged "Chaotic Situation" (Altercations) On Saturday Night

Greek Fest organizers confirmed that Wisconsin State Fair Park Police and Milwaukee Police Department officers made multiple arrests after a chaotic altercation by a group of individuals in the rides and games area.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

June 25, 2023

West Allis, Wisconsin - On Saturday, the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church Greek Fest 2023 organizers decided to shutdown the annual festival at around 8:30 p.m. after a "chaotic situation" (altercation) by a group of individuals at the rides and games area. According to Greek Fest organizers, the Wisconsin State Fair Park Police and Milwaukee Police Department officers made multiple arrests.

This year, Greek Fest 2023 organizers added extra security measures including metal detectors to prevent event attendees from carrying concealed weapons into the grounds.

Currently, Greek Fest 2023 doesn't require minors and teens to be accompanied by an adult or parent to enter the 3-day festival. The festival has no cover charge to enter.

The Greek Fest 2023 was scheduled to close at 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, but was shut down at around 8:30 p.m. shortly after an altercation ignited by a group of Black individuals. Several Black teens began to fight with each other and expanded into a chaotic situation as others got involved in the altercation. 

Black teens were seen running around after police maced them to break up the altercations with each other at the rides and games area.

Some Greek Fest 2023 attendees believed that several alleged rival groups of Black teens began to fight with each other. At around 8:20 p.m., an announcement at the Greek Fest 2023 was made that the rides and games area was closed and shortly after, the announcement was also made that the entire operations of the Greek Fest 2023 was shutdown for the safety of guests and volunteers.

Wisconsin State Fair Park confirmed that the Wauwatosa and West Allis police also responded to the melee at Greek Fest 2023 on Saturday night and helped Wisconsin State Fair Park Police and Milwaukee police in identifying all the individuals connected to the altercations at the rides and games area. At least, 4 teens were taken into custody and many were ejected from the festival, which also immediately shut down and all attendees left, according to Wisconsin State Fair Park officials.

The Greek Fest 2023 will open on Sunday at 11:00 a.m., but will close at 6:00 p.m., also the rides and games area will be closed on Sunday to prevent a repeat of what occurred on Saturday night, according to organizers.

No videos of the altercation at Greek Fest 2023 have been shared in social media yet.

In unrelated incidents, 4 women and 2 males including a 17-year-old male shooter were shot at Juneteenth 2023 event shortly before closing on June 19, 2023.

On May 5, 2023, Deon Nabors, 17, an African-American was shot by a Milwaukee police officer at the 1200 block of S. César E. Chávez Dr. during the impromptu Cinco de Mayo Mexican flag waving and cruising parade in the Southside of Milwaukee. Nabors took out an altered handgun with a automatic switch and fired his weapon in the air multiple times. 

Nabors was charged with multiple felonies including possession of a machine gun.

Nudists Stage 3rd Annual World Naked Bike Ride 2023 In The Southside Of Milwaukee

Dozens of nudists participated in the 3rd Annual World Naked Bike Ride In Milwaukee.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

June 24, 2023

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Saturday, dozens of nudists participated in the 3rd Annual World Naked Bike Ride 2023 in the Southside of Milwaukee. They gathered at Kochanski's Concertina Bar and began their naked bicycle ride at 4:00 p.m. and headed East on W. Burnham Street to W. Historic Mitchell Street and then to E. Brady Street in the East side.

An organizer became very concern about media or people video recording and taking pictures from the street or sidewalk across the street, since many nudists were outside the Kochanski's Concertina Bar where vendors were located and the area wasn't covered nor restricted from public view, indicating they were in full public view and subject to be video recorded and photographed.

The unidentified organizer did confirmed, that anyone can video record them or take photographs while the nudists openly ride their bikes in the street.

According to Wikipedia, The World Naked Bike Ride is an international clothing-optional bike ride in which participants plan, meet and ride together en masse on human-powered transport, to "deliver a vision of a cleaner, safer, body-positive world." 

Donations accepted/ se aceptan donaciones: https://tinyurl.com/3y8ej92t

Antoine Alphonse Jr., 33, Found Guilty For The Murder Of Elote/Corn Cob Vendor Filigonio Ramirez Montes, 52, In August 2020

Alphonse Jr. was found guilty of 8 felony counts including murder of a Southside elote (corn cob) street vendor.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

June 23, 2023

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Wednesday, a Milwaukee County jury found Antoine Alphonse Jr., 33, guilty of 8 felony counts including 1st-degree intentional homicide for the August 28, 2020 homicide of Emilio Garza, 52, birth name Filigonio Ramirez Montes, a Southside popular elote (corn on the cob) street vendor.

Alphonse Jr. will be sentenced on September 1, 2023. He is facing life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Alphonse Jr. was convicted for one count of 1st-degree intentional homice, use of a dangerous weapon and party to crime; 3 counts of 1st-degree of endangering safety; one count for possession of a firearm by a felon; 2 counts for armed robbery and party to a crime and one count for vehicle operator flee/elude officer.

Alphonse Jr. was connected to the Ramirez Montes homicide case by forensic evidence of a spent 9mm casting recovered at an earlier armed robbery crime of a pizza delivery man on the same day. Alphonse Jr. is accused of firing multiple shots at the crime scene and police recovered 9mm castings at the scene where the pizza delivery man was robbed, which matched the same 9mm spent castings recovered at the Ramirez Montes homicide scene at the 2100 block of S. 11th Street in the Southside of Milwaukee.

Alphonse Jr. and another suspect took more than $135 from Ramirez Montes after beating him, kicking him and firing 9 shots at the victim who died at the scene. The Ramirez Montes homicide was video recorded by an outdoor home video surveillance camera.

Another accomplice, Diamond P. Harris, 20, was convicted of felony murder on February 3, 2023 in connection with the homicide of Ramirez Montes. Harris was convicted for one count of felony murder and party to a crime and 2 felony U counts for taking vehicle without owners consent including party to a crime.

Harris is facing up to 15 years in prison for felony murder and up to one year in prison for each felony U for taking vehicle without owners consent.

Harris is scheduled for sentencing on July 27, 2023.

The third accomplice, Jeremiah Johnson, 20, was convicted of operating a vehicle without the consent of the owner and sentenced on November 10, 2021 to 12 months in the House of Corrections, but the sentence was stayed and Judge J. D. Watts placed Johnson on probation for 18 months, according to Milwaukee County court records.