Open Honest McCue

I saw on CudahyNow (Plans in works for former Kohl's Food site) that the CDA met in closed session, then came into open session and voted unanimously to approve the financial structure in concept at the Kohl’s Site. 

While that old building is a dump, how much city money is going into the development, and what are the plans?

If Mayor McCue, who ran on an open meetings platform, can't come out and tell the public how potentially taxpayer dollars are going to be used, shouldn't he eat his words?

Why is the CDA always meeting in closed session, and then giving candy away to everyone who walks into the city, except Wal-Mart!

I don’t want to give the store away nor do I think Wal-Mart should get funds, but be fair to the developers and the businesses they bring!  The name on the building should not matter!

I would love to see a comment out of the Mayor, other than, “No Comment”!

A quick check of the new website http://www.cudahy4business.com has the following:

Source Page

Former Kohls Site – The CDA has begun discussions with a business looking at revitalizing the former Kohl's building on KK.  Because real estate negotiations are currently underway, and the CDA does not want to jeopardize these negotiations, the name of the business cannot be disclosed at this time.

From CudahyNow

Plans in works for former Kohl's Food site

The identity of the developer has not been disclosed at this time.

The site at Plankinton and Kinnickinnic avenues is outside the city's tax-incremental finance district, but the project may be eligible for TIF funding because the state now allows TIF funds to be spent within a half-mile of a TIF district.

Tax-incremental financing, or TIF, is a mechanism that allows municipalities to borrow money to fund infrastructure improvements for an area that otherwise would be difficult to develop or redevelop.  The increased property tax revenue from the improved land is then diverted from the tax roll to pay off the loan.

Eberhardy said the allocation of TIF funds are key to getting the proposed project accomplished.

Plans for the vacant site are consistent with the Cudahy 2020 Comprehensive Master Plan, she said.

"Those of us who know about the plans are very excited," she said.

Specifics on the proposal likely will be disclosed next month, she said.

Side Notes Source Page

Cobalt Site - On April 14, 2009 the City of Cudahy Community Development Authority (CDA) voted to stop negotiations with Cobalt Partners and recommended termination of the Memorandum of Understanding.  This matter is expected to appear on an upcoming Common Council agenda.

Downtown Décor – The new banners have been ordered replacing the old tattered ones.  The will be installed for this Summer from Cudahy to Holmes along Packard Avenue.  The flower baskets are expected to be installed at the end of May but no later than the first week of June. 

I saw on CudahyNow (Cudahy to repay Walgreens $211,000 in taxes) on Friday that the city is paying Walgreen’s $211,000 as a part of the tax settlement from the challenge of their assessment.

The question for city officials, mainly the mayor, the city accountant, and city financial advisors, is....

Why do the taxpayers of Cudahy have to pick up the tab on the lower tax assessment in 2009, when this property is in the TIF? 

- From the CudahyNow article Cudahy to repay Walgreens $211,000 in taxes)

Each household will have to pay about $10.88, which will appear on the 2009 tax bills, he said.”

If I challenge my assessment and win, will it appear on yours and your neighbor’s tax bill?  If so, please let us know. 

I am sure there are unscrupulous assessors (who for the right payoff under the table) that someone could find that will challenge the city, split the proceeds, and stick it to you, your neighbors, and all my neighbors!  All while helping out the person who hired the unscrupulous assessor at others expense.  The saying goes – If there is a will, there is a way!

To me, I am wondering if the city even thought about what they will do when people challenge the assessments and win or what about the unscrupulous assessors.

Mayor McCue is using TIF money for everything from promotion to flowerpots, why not this? 

I would love a response other than no comment from our city officials on this one!

Well, he decided to put a hold on the streetscaping so the flowerpots are out.

(That is the power of pressure people that all of you hold.  Without your emails and calls, $4,500 tax dollars would have been used in this bad economic time.  I will take some credit for getting some needed sunlight exposure on it, but it was the sheer numbers of people upset that made the difference!)

By an Energized Cudahy College Student

I will tell you this, it was basic stuff.  McCue being full of hot air and taking credit for everything plus from what I believe, putting the city more in debt.

McCue did however have interesting things to state about Cudahy.

He wants jobs, but at a prevailing wage, whatever Doyle signed the state mandate for a prevailing, McCue's words: “I BELIEVE IN UNIONS”!

The care for Cudahy program: Junk vehicles "drive me up the wall, if you want to see a city go down hill, junk vehicles in alleys will do that."

The police now take over the care for Cudahy program.

People need to take care of their properties because "a broken window will lead to another broken window & graffiti breeds graffiti"

Says we need to get the master plan for 2020 done by the end of this year.

He's accepting bids for the Kinnickinnic curve in mid summer states that it's a "dangerous curve"

Redo Whitnall Avenue says it’s "The worst street ever!"

"We can't go out for all the bids right now otherwise we won't be eligible for stimulus funding" From he said Cudahy is getting under $11,000,000.

Wants to extend Edgerton from Nicholson to Whitnall, the city has already applied for a grant.

Made the point that the construction on I-94 will be a big benefit for Cudahy, says it will take about seven years to fix up and people will come to Cudahy because it is easy and accessible to Milwaukee's Downtown.

He decided to put a hold on the streetscaping!

Wants to go out for a bid to clean up a parking lot on Packard/Layton using the TIF's

He was on the library board and put $100,000 left over from the library referendum and put in some endowment fund

He says, "The library attracts people to Cudahy"

He talked about the condo being foreclosed, says that the city doesn't allow the deprecate of condos (which seems odd) adds that the reason why the condo didn't sell was that they were built after the housing market tanked.  (That can't be true because that was build during Hohenfeldt's term, and the bubble popped around the summer of 2007!)

Add in that the condos will become rentals and "we have to deal with this problem"

Before he ended his speech, it was about 1 hour and 4 minutes.  He states that he's "an honest person", "works hard on your behalf,” "appreciates a good debate," and "you can sway my opinion!"

Lets just say during the Q&A period, he got chewed out, but didn't back down.

He made a comment that since he came in off the tax levy decreased 2.5% when people were asking about their properties.

Made another comment saying we are the most powerful TIF district in the state of Wisconsin and that we have a few more years left on the TIF district, lets use for economic development. 

When people starting voicing to put the Wal-Mart in, he had the blank look on his face.  Said he didn't know about any new info on Wal-Mart. McCue actually want it on Pennsylvania & Layton and says the area where the Iceport is, is the worst place for a Wal-Mart. Otherwise, he said he knows nothing else about Continental, Wal-Mart or anything about the TIF money being dropped, when we asked are you going to vote for it, he dodge the question and didn't answer it.  Even said he hasn't seen any new Wal-Mart details.

About city hall: the county owns city hall because of "deed restrictions"

When people were asking about their assessments going through the roof.  His response, state law dictates when you do reassessments.

People are asking where the money is going and why all these cuts.  His response, it cost the same to run the Police and Fire Department and DPW and other municipalities, where much cheaper compared to other cities.  The house average cost for Cudahy is $160,000 other places, houses cost more.  The tax rate is lower, but the cost is the same.

Admitted that he voted YES for the school 3.3 million dollar referendum.

When it comes to money, "the State of Wisconsin is the most screwed up state in America and the state should mind their own business" And that "the city of Cudahy runs a good government."

Someone made a comment about that without the Wal-Mart there is no downtown Cudahy.  McCue's response "with pessimistic attitude like that, I agree!"

Lara Fritts is getting a $349,000 budget, which includes the hiring of two interns and her salary.

There was an elderly lady who owns an apartment around Cudahy, she was on the verge of tears saying with her SS and her husband retirement, they can't afford the new rental increase that McCue has slated.  She even said, that's wrong and you have no right to do that to us.  McCue didn’t even flinch.  He basically said when asked, yes, I'm for high rent.  He even told her and the crowd that the extra $3 a month "isn't worth breaking anybody’s back over"

Said that the apartment or house on Cudahy & Swift the 3800 block was a big thorn on Cudahy's side and is now no longer an eyesore.  Count that as one (1) thing McCue has done in two years!

With the low funding for police and firefighters, McCue blames Wisconsin because we are constantly being cut by the state.

But did say Cudahy is heading in the right direction (more like left.)

So, that is basically what I wrote down and tried to remember, ask, Miklojczak, Otto, and Pavlic who were at the meeting as well, they might fill in more.

41 people were in attendance and 10 of them were city employees.

By -  JTozz

Here is another story of sister city St Francis using TIF money the correct way.  Is there a way to obtain what projects and expenses Cudahy TIF money has been spent on? 

There has to be something that Mayor McCue is proud of that he has done for the city.  I'd like to hear or read what he has to say.  All that I can figure out is that he apparently was responsible for City Lounge and the new Library (from viewing the This Is Cudahy video located on CudahyNow.com home page). 

Is this true?  If so, build upon these and lay out a plan that corporate and retail developers can understand and buy into.

I’m really just amazed at the lack of information that comes from this local government.  Perhaps its time that Cudahy ceded itself to Milwaukee County.  Or St. Francis?

Vacant warehouse at new brew pub eyed for development

Stage, skate facility, 'zoo' possible Village Square uses

By CHANTEL BALZELL

Posted: Apr. 7, 2009 7:00 p.m.

An abandoned warehouse next to the just-opened St. Francis Brewery and Restaurant may soon be converted into a $3 million retail development called Lakeside Village Square.

City officials and the Community Development Authority are reviewing cost estimates and tax revenue projections to determine how much the development might receive in tax-incremental financing.

The proposed warehouse conversion near the northwest corner of Kinnickinnic and Howard avenues would be the second phase of development for the site. The first-phase brew pub opened this week.

Tax-incremental financing, or TIF, is a mechanism that allows municipalities to borrow money to fund infrastructure improvements for an area that otherwise would be difficult to develop or redevelop. The increased property tax revenue from the improved land is then diverted from the tax roll to pay off the loan.

The warehouse property is currently assessed at $317,400.

The development is projected to generate about $60,000 in tax revenue per year, according to a document from Rick Michalski, managing member of Lakeside Village Square and Cupol, the operating firm for the brew pub.

City Administrator Ralph Voltner and Mayor Al Richards have talked about presenting Lakeside Village Square with a check for at least half of whatever tax increment is generated over a five-year period.

Michalski is seeking about $360,000 in TIF funding, the projected value of the tax increment over a seven-year period, according to his estimates.

Completion timetable

A provision requiring completion of the project within a certain time frame could also be added into the agreement, Voltner said.

"The brew pub and this building, if completed anywhere near what that picture looks like, would certainly encourage the rest of the street to remake itself," he said.

Earlier this year, the Common Council rejected a request to allocate $35,000 in TIF funds for the $2.4 million St. Francis Brewery and Restaurant because Michalski purchased the site from the city for $1 in exchange for him purchasing the abandoned warehouse for $325,000.

Development urged

Some council members said they would be more willing to approve TIF funding once Michalski and his partners proceed with the second phase of development.

If funding is secured, Michalski said construction would hopefully begin this summer.

"Right now, the brewery is supporting the entire development," Michalski said. "So the quicker we can get this done and get tenants in to help support with the costs, the better."

Possible uses include "a special care pharmacy" on the second floor, Michalski said.

A theatrical group has expressed interest in the building along with a group looking to construct a skateboard facility, Michalski said.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has discussed adding an agricultural department similar to a "zoo" where visitors could see the process of raising seafood from water to market, he said.

To accommodate the project, the city would expand the right-hand turn lane along Kinnickinnic Avenue, City Engineer Melinda Dejewski said. An entrance would also be created along Howard Avenue.

Here are questions from readers:

Mayor Ryan McCue, you are an Irish Catholic and a church going person why did you pick this Thursday, during the largest religious week, the holy week to hold this important meeting.  As you are aware that you cannot even have a funeral after 5:00pm Friday until Monday after Easter!

What are the plans for the site formerly Thirsty Moose?

What current negotiations are happening with businesses to revive the City of Cudahy?  Please be specific.

Schools, PTAs, Police, Fire have all used the PhoneBlast system to notify important information, has the Mayor and local officials thought about using this to get out information?

How are the Cudahy Schools doing compared to local, state and national?  Please be specific in ranking of each section.  What plans and actions are being promoted to increase quality education in Cudahy?

Have local businesses been approached to help in mentoring and volunteering at local schools for programs such as LegoRobotics, Odyssey of the Mind, or other educational and artistic enrichment programs?

What are the duties and responsibilities of the City of Cudahy?  Are these different from other cities?  If so, why?

Did you run on an anti-Wal-Mart platform?

Why is the city proposing to pay $30 million dollars for the ice port site? 

Why did you move from the old mayor's office, which you said was too closed off and dark, yet was open and easily accessible to the public?  Then you chose to move from that old office to the glassed in office only to spend thousands to wall it off.  Would it not made more sense or better yet, any sense to just remodel the old Mayor’s office?

Why was a referendum not done for Wal-Mart in Cudahy?

Is it true that there was/is another Tannery company interested in moving in the Cudahy Tannery?

Is the city still looking into purchasing the Cudahy Tannery to put a road in on Edgerton?

Did you turn in for any reimbursement of costs or damages due to your house being vandalized to the city?

Since I will not be able to attend Mayor McCue’s State of The City Address, I have made up a list of questions that maybe someone in the crowd could ask and hopeful Mayor McCue will answer them.  There are an awful lot of questions Mayor McCue could just demystify for us!

Mayor McCue it might help you to divulge some of these in your speech instead of making your speech a pre-campaign diatribe. 

How would you grade yourself as Cudahy’s Mayor?

What are your job duties?

Do you feel the Cudahy Mayor’s job is part time?

Does the city staff work for the Mayor?

What are the goals for Lara Fritts?

Who keeps track of your sick, personal days, and vacation time?

Why is there no City car use policy and log put in place yet?

Once the city takes possession of the property, when do they propose beginning environmental remediation, and how much will it cost the taxpayers?

Why could we not get a scout or school group to adopt and plant flower baskets rather than paying thousands of dollars to a company which no longer has it's business located in the city of Cudahy?

With residential homes devaluing at a rate of 5 to 10 % per year, how do you to propose to balance the budget yearly with the cities overall value in a declining mode?

In your 2007 campaign platform you claimed, “The past two budgets, Mayor Hohenfeldt has presented deficit budgets” do you have an evidence to back up that claim?

Why doesn’t Cudahy have a defined downtown and since it doesn’t how can the Master Plan call for certain things to happen downtown if one is not defined?

Are you going to hold a referendum so the citizens can vote on the KRM since this is a very big deal that will affect the Cudahy residents vastly?

Was it your idea to put flowerpots on the light polls downtown?

Are you okay with 97 of 250 city jobs being held by non-Cudahy residents including our Police Chief, Superintendent of our schools and now our Fire Chief?

Complaints resonate amid higher tax bills, lower property values

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/36734324.html

Nice quiet small town type community on Lake Michigan. The main disadvantage is the high cost of property taxes. Wisconsin has some of the highest property taxes in the U.S.

If you have a question for Mayor Ryan McCue just post it in the comments section!

Mayor…

There were people that questioned that the numbers I used were valid.  So here it is!

You will notice that there are Banners listed which currently Cudahy does have and are pretty beat up and ripping.

One more thing.  Here is a sampling from the new Spring - Summer Cudahy Newsletter.  Please take note of a true double speak!  Take note of telling one group one thing and another one a different thing.

Question – How would and is the City of Cudahy limiting spending to essential items if Mayor McCue wants to put flowerpots on the light poles? 

****Special notice****

Notice Mayor McCue is telling us it will be!  Spending money on hanging flowers is an essential item then?  How wonderful the Mayor is when it has not been fully discussed and approved by the Common Council to tell us it will!

Page 1

A message from Mayor Ryan McCue - I hope you are doing well.  Most of us have been limiting our spending to essential items due to the current recession.  The City of Cudahy is doing the same.  We will continue to evaluate the services we provide to make sure we are doing them as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Page 2

Greetings from Mayor Ryan McCue

This summer we will add hanging flowers to the light poles downtown, while continuing to improve the streetscape.

http://www.ci.cudahy.wi.us/pdfs/Newsletter2009Spring-Summer.pdf

More on the newsletter later today!!!

Click on picture for details on Annual Decoration Costs

Let us look at this article:

Friday, May 16, 2008

The Business Journal of Milwaukee

Cudahy is ready for hotel, convention center

Cudahy Mayor Ryan McCue is making the case that the General Mitchell International Airport area needs a new hotel and convention center, and that his city is the perfect location for one.

McCue made his comments at a Public Policy Forum "Viewpoint" luncheon at the Hilton Milwaukee City Center on May 8.

McCue joined airport director Barry Bateman, and Scott Dickson, Midwest Air Group Inc.'s senior vice president and chief marketing officer, as guest speakers at the luncheon to discuss the airport's future.

If a hotel and convention center isn't built in Cudahy, McCue said the city still should attract more airport-related businesses.

"Whatever the market bears, we'll look at it," McCue said.

http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/05/19/tidbits1.html

I know I said this before, was not all of that what Continental Properties proposed for Cudahy Station that Mayor McCue voted down?  Does that not show Mayor McCue has no idea what he is doing as Mayor?  He turned down exactly what he wants!!!!!

I had better add the definition to head scratcher before JennyCraig or another tries to play off it like: You have cooties, lice or dandruff.  Children!!!

Head Scratcher

Noun.  Any particularly puzzling event or object, which prompts a puzzled scratch of the head.

Yes, it is for real!  This is NOT an April fool’s Day Joke.  Mayor McCue is finally going to have the State of the City address.

McCue will discuss city issues and conduct a question-and-answer session.

“Better late than never” goes the saying.  Let us hope and pray that Mayor McCue can answer many of the topics I have raised.  I know this sounds very cynical but isn't it an amazing coincidence that this has appeared just after I called Mayor McCue on not doing one?  (In fact, 2 years in a row)

I am just sorry I will not be able to attend.  I will be out of the state on business trying to wrap up work for the week before Good Friday.

I have made arrangements to have the address taped.  Not sure if the person is going to video record it, but that was the impression I received.

We might want to capture Mayor McCue in his glory as he spins the truth and bends the facts.  Maybe he will attempt to explain the "cute-sifying" of downtown as a necessity to bring economic and personal hope to an area neglected by the city during this almost depression-like economic downturn! 

Do people need everything explained in excruciating detail?  I crave ambiguity.  The most exciting possibilities are what we individually imagine lives in the gaps of our understanding.  NOT!

Make sure to have Mayor McCue explain everything in a real A-B-C fashion otherwise, we might just get that ambiguity. 

If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with BS.  Don’t let that happen either!

I am sure he will have the supporters there give him the "ohhs" and "ahhs" hanging on his every syllable; his every word.  It might even feel like the Forth of July during the grand finale.

It was a good feeling I felt after receiving this email:

You are driving him nuts!

Randy:

Just wanted to let you know I ran into one someone from city hall today.  To quote them, "That guy is driving McCue nuts this week!"  Apparently, McCue, "Captain Tragedy,” reads your blog on a regular basis, and unfortunately for him, but fortunately for you, can't find a way to make you retract your statements, because you speak the truth!  Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!”

Remember, just when you think you're having a bad week, or he or one of his cronies are on your back, you must be doing and writing the right thing! 

You are probably one of the most caring people within this community.  Keep up the good work!

Mayor McCue is being called on the carpet for his decision-making or lack there of!  Why some people want to shoot the messenger is beyond me.

But hey, the world is full of village idiots.  And you are not supposed to argue with the village idiot since they are OMNIPOTENT!

I look at like this: Just wipe, flush, forget and move on......

Mayor McCue has held this city for ransom and runs it in his interest, not ours'.  If nothing is done, a bad situation could become dramatically worse.  We don’t need to destroy Cudahy to save it... We just need to act responsibly and act now!

A fish does not know it is wet, since it has no frame of reference.  Without pointing out the failures, mistakes, and what a Mayor should not do, how can Mayor McCue do better?

I want McCue to succeed, to have Cudahy succeed!  Just remember, if you choose failure than failure will choose you!

Silence is complicity.  Only by standing up for what's right and never letting down can we say we are doing our part.

Speaking of STANDING UP, last week I was called “The Mark Belling of Cudahy”.  I take that as a compliment and so did my friend Jay Weber.

Jay told me “Hey!  You've arrived then.  You're a real pundit now....”

Pundit

1. a learned person, expert, or authority.

2. a person who makes comments or judgments, esp. in an authoritative manner; critic or commentator.

I don’t think that was the reaction the person calling me that wanted or expected!

And to head off Mr. JennyCraig or whatever fake name he will use, slim Joe, Sloppy Joe, list can go on, NO my blogs and I are not April fool’s Day Joke(s) either.

Some people have asked me to participate in doing things in the city.  Some don’t think that my blogs and the time that goes in, are enough. 

Please remember, I don’t get paid for this.  I do this because I have a voice and choose to use it.  I don’t hide behind anything!  Not like the childish Oak Creek individual that has taken a point to try and belittle me on my weight.  All that does is shows he is a child!

So… The Cudahy Triad of Triumvirate would be a group of 9 interested volunteers. 

3 Cudahy Business Owners/Mangers (2 of which must live in Cudahy and 1 might be from big business or live outside Cudahy)

3 Cudahy City Personnel (1 from the Common Counsel, 1 member of the Cudahy Police Department and 1 member of City Personnel that is not elected or currently serving on a committee)

3 Cudahy Citizens not in government (2 of which would be homeowners (one must represent residents over 50) and 1 which is a renter)

This would be to discuss issues that are concerns of all or any of the three different groups.  Unlike the CDA or Mayor controlled committees, this would function outside of the normal circles to bring back to the citizens, government of the people.

Would they officially have any power?  NO, but a voice is power.  The meetings would be completely open to the public and would be video taped and place on the web for download and a copy or two at the library to be viewed.

The group would meet once a month to discuss topics at hand.  Some might have been emailed to members.  Some might come from neighbors.  Some topics might come from events that transpired at official city meetings.

They might be development orientated subjects or what out of the box thing can Cudahy do to improve relationships with City Hall to the residents.  They might be where in Cudahy older retirees look for outlets or how better can we engage the youth in Cudahy.   They could be how to encourage the renters to take better care of the outside appearance and bring them back in the fold of the city as proud citizens.

Having a member of the Common Counsel is needed to bring any good ideas to the proper channels to have them dealt with.  The Common Counsel is the branch of real power and doers and to have any impact, the group needs that connection.

If you really want to help Cudahy, it takes ALL of the types of people living and working in Cudahy, not just elitists and the young.  ALL the people! 

The Cudahy Triad of Triumvirate should collectively “assume the responsibility of facing the challenges and embracing the opportunities created by the disconnect that currently is prevalent with City Hall to the citizens.  It would bring the citizens of Cudahy together.

People I would like to see on it!

Jerry Kotarak of K-Ranch

Lee Barczak of The Sheridan’s

Kevin at Dad's [tailor] Shop

Alderman Joe Mikolajczak

Any member of the police department would fit right in

Myself

Jack Vaccaro

As I look at my numbers of views on the city, Mayor and Wal-Mart blogs – NO!  They are still very high in people looking.

Could some people look at this and say, “What can I do?”  Sure, I think the thought of you cannot fight city hall coupled with people accepting McCue’s non-answer of I have outside council some will and have just move on.  After all the CDA and Common Council has authorized the RAZING of the building.

In less than 60days the city will own the land back, maybe!

There is an auction and some talk about bidding 30 Million Dollars. 

McCue said the city can bid on the property for about $30 million, but Eberhardy said a decision has yet to be made by either the Community Development Authority or the Common Council on such a bid.

I thought the City was getting the land, free and clear?  So we have to buy it?  Taxpayers paying for this land?  Okay Mayor you spoke in public explain the 30 Million Dollars for the land!

There are people out there that say, the fat lady has already sung her swan song of goodbye.  Just accept it that the City will get the land back for $30,000,000 of taxpayer’s money!

That is exactly what McCue wants.  I can hear him agree right now while he reads this.  He wants people to put this behind him and just feel okay.

Wrong answer!  Stand up and fight.

That is the wrong action and message to send!  People, we do not have to accept this.  If you keep demanding, he will have to give a real response.  Why are we paying for this land to have to pay again and clean it up?

Yes, at some point, we can move on, most likely with a new Mayor who sees the picture, the big picture.  One who understands that the job of Mayor means that you must do what is best for the city, not just what you think, but also the direction the people want. 

It means more than putting in x amount of hours, but make those hours count!

It means that full time is full time, not the full time you learn in county government, the kind of full time you have as the Mayor of a city!

It means that when you make a mistake you own up to it and fix it!

Ask yourself this question – What has McCue done as Mayor?  Then minus out the many things that maybe McCue has taken credit for that the previous council started or has been working on.  What do you have left?

All of this time, energy and money invested in McCue as Mayor, is it worth it?

I hear there is interest for the Wal-Mart in nearby cities. 

I hear there is interest in the Wave from Greenfield and Brown Deer.

I hear there is interest for other Cudahy companies from many of our near by cities.  That way McCue can build his condos without problems from businesses.

Cudahy “Land of Condos”

How much of McCue can the city of Cudahy afford to handle?

If this were sports, he would have been traded by now.  Maybe it is three strikes and your out!

Taken from 2008- In the Milwaukee Business Journal from Friday, Cudahy is ready for hotel, convention center Cudahy Mayor Ryan McCue is making the case that the General Mitchell International Airport area needs......

Correct me if I am wrong, didn’t the Cudahy Station have a hotel and convention center?  Did it not just get voted down?  So McCue thinks that is what Cudahy needs.  Well duha?

I think I have figured something out.  If we make McCue think he came up with Cudahy Station all on his own, he just might vote for it!  This Mayor is an egomaniac.

Looks like he needs to see his name behind the word Mayor, needs to be the one coming up with the ideas, and he might just be the type to take credit for others work or ideas.

WOW…

Take a look at this - Moving to Milwaukee from Chicago

A lot of the suburbs on the inner ring are older and more established, so new housing stock is more limited.

I would say FRANKLIN again would be a great bet as there is quite a bit of new housing construction still occurring there (very rapidly growing, nice suburb - big landmass).  Muskego has some new construction, as do the Lake Country suburbs (Pewaukee, Delafield, etc.).

No mention of Cudahy but look - FRANKLIN (Wal-Mart), Pewaukee (Wal-Mart), Delafield (Wal-Mart), and Muskego (Wal-Mart)

Another pointer to how Wal-Mart may not be the killer of cities people make it out to be!

A smart man listens to advice.  A wise man takes the advice.

On a final note, could Wal-Mart and others be playing me?  Have me do the dirty work of others while they stay clean?  Aren’t they all pleased to see citizens do their dirty work?

Sure!  But someone has to do it.  Has anyone thought that Cudahy could play Wal-Mart for many things?  Paying for Police Officers salaries, donation of money for new playgrounds, lights, sidewalks, stoplights, or donation of school supplies to the schools.  Wal-Mart has deep pockets and we should use them or tap that resource.

Here is what someone said about and to me:

“I encourage CudahyNOW blogger Randy Hollenbeck to look a little deeper into his actions, and hopefully see how he and his supporters were being used and played around with by Continental Properties and Wal-Mart on the Cudahy Station proposal.”

I have said that Wal-Mart could be playing both sides – That was with Continental Properties and Cobalt Partners.  Could I get burned by talking to Wal-Mart & Co?  Yes, and the same is true when I talk in public and private with the city personnel.  I just know I will not be the one lighting the match, so to speak.

If you knew me personally, you would know I will not be played like a cheap piano, I am a leader and don’t let people tell me what to do.  I fully understand how to be a TEAM player, but I am not being played.  They cannot be played if you choose to participate.

Mayor McCue’s statement on the city gaining control of the Iceport land:

"There are no bad ideas when it comes to developing this land."  He forgot besides Wal-Mart, otherwise Wal-Mart is a good idea for the development according to Mayor McCue!  (Then why are we not doing it?)

Here is a prediction:  Mayor McCue will take the first RFP that is NOT a Wal-Mart no matter what it is!  He is desperate.  Anything will be on the table besides a Wal-Mart! 

NO BAD IDEAS!

Junkyard, yes he will take it!

Recycling center, yes he will take it

Zares retail (might want to come back), yes he will take it

Treasure Island, boom, yes he will take it

Mega-Bar, you bet, yes he will take it

Thirsty Moose relocation, I think he would go for it!

Mega-Pay loan, oh yeah

SuperMax, Cudahy here it comes

Outdoor music festival grounds, Alpine Valleyish, you bet!

Smashup derby, don’t have one close by, yes he will take it

Relocation of Super Video to a mega store, still not a Wal-Mart, so okay!

Dog walking park with poison ivy and contaminated soil, sounds good!

Besides, any of those would not nearly have the traffic drive as a Wal-Mart!

See he needs something in there quick because the April 2010 elections are coming fast!  He needs to show something was done on his watch as Mayor!  Something, anything!

Once he picks his favorite non-Wal-Mart choice, he will become a Mayor to be heard! “I am Mayor now, hear me roar” will be his motto! 

He will have no problem giving a comment to the radio, newspaper or TV.  He will not pull, “I’m Not At Liberty to Divulge that” or the city counsel (attorney) told me not to comment, so I will be silent!  NO, he will be a loud megaphone Mayor all of a sudden!  He will be doing the rounds to all the businesses burning up the pavement to sell his non-Wal-Mart choice! 

McCue could try and psych us out!  It is a virtual building complex.  To see it, you must login to this website.  See no additional traffic!  We can place up a solid wood fence with the website so people can look at it.  Hey man, this is the future!  Virtual building complexes!  Cudahy would be ahead of everyone!

I think IKEA would be open to a virtual store.  Paint one of the boards with an IKEA building and direct them to http://www.ikea.com/us/en/ to shop.  Just like shopping in a real store, but without the hassles.  Cudahy wins!  No taxes collected, but no TIF money given out either!

You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you ....

HOW MUCH IN TIF MONEY ARE WE GOING TO PAY?  A LOT!!!  REMEMBER THIS MCCUE QUOTE “RESIDENTS MAY NOT EVEN SEE THE TAX BENEFITS FROM THE DEVELOPMENT FOR 20 YEARS” IF A LARGE TIF IS GIVEN!

“Be careful what you wish for,” goes the old chestnut “it might come true.”

Let me remind you of the Karma Story!  Forgot, here it is again!

Karma?

Town Chases Out Wal-Mart; Gets Insufferable Recycling Plant Instead

Pennsylvania: Residents in Plainfield County recently chalked up what they thought was a neighborhood-saving move by spending years chasing out Wal-Mart, which was planning on building a new store.  Instead, they got a noise-polluting recycling plant.

The site now creates wall-shaking explosions and noises that resemble a freight train on a daily basis.  A fire last week at the plant rose tensions even higher between residents.  Developer Nolan A. Perin says he is being unfairly blamed.

He says $200k was spent to quell the noise and that he doesn't understand all the criticism over the plant, which is in an industrial park.  Residents say they weren't notified, but since it is zoned for it, no additional approvals were necessary.

Source: www.mcall.com

In a time of cuts, job freezes and reductions, it takes guts to just say NO!  It takes guts to make the necessary cuts!

Now that might sound heartless.  But should Cudahy, this year, spend money on 15 baskets of hanging flowers to "Cute-Sifying" Downtown?

How much money are we talking?  $4,500.00 for 15 Summer Flower Baskets.

The cost does include maintenance (watering and fertilizing), the basket and coconut holder (both which can be reused).

Who will do the maintenance (watering and fertilizing)?  KEI (Kujawa Enterprises, Inc) of Oak Creek http://www.keigroup.com/

They will utilize six employees I am told.

I just don’t see flower baskets in downtown on 15 light poles as something that the city should spend money on.

TIF MONEY.  All of a sudden, TIF money is easy money to spend.  Want something, just charge it to the TIF.  It is very much like a credit card.  So easy to use and abuse!  So easy, too easy.  Too easy Mayor McCue.

Just think of the GEICO Car Insurance commercial with cavemen.  Just let your mind wonder.

Cudahy is going to nickel and dime the residents to death.

At the CDA meeting, Alderman Joe Mikolajczak was the lone person to vote against it.

I wish at the CDA meetings, the public in attendance could ask questions.

Could they be stolen?

Could they be vandalized?

Is there a guaranty that comes with the flowers if they die?

How secure to the polls will they be?  Will a bad windstorm knock them over?

Can wind suck the flowers out of the pots easily?

How high are they going to be?  Mainly so people don’t use them as ashtrays or for rubbish?

Now don’t get me wrong.  I love flowers, but I don’t think as the city looks at possible not hiring police or firemen to replace those retiring to spend money on flowers.  There will be plenty of flowers at Cudahy’s funeral if things don’t improve economically in Cudahy.  I don’t think 15 baskets of flowers are going to help Cudahy economically.

Why not seek business donations and have a stick with a sign of the business sticking out of the top of the flower instead of on the pot (where the plant will easily grow over) or on a website.

This should get stimulus money.  Don't you think this would qualify?

Please don’t forget at the one and only “Meet the Mayor” last year, the Mayor stated our beautification projects are coming along and we have a whole host of new world class amenities added to downtown.  Flowerpots!!!!

Rather than using TIF money for these kinds of things, or expanding projects outside the TIF like they just did, why does the council not reduce the borders of the TIF, bring it inward, to put some of this land fully back on the general tax rolls?  That is about the only way to stop this foolishness!

Update - At the Tuesday March 17, 2009 Common Council meeting the plan to "cuteisfy" the city went forward 4-0.  Alderman Mikolajczak was not there for the vote do to illness.  To their credit, they asked for bids though.  Which means the KEI may not be doing the project.

Please Contact your Alderperson and the Mayor to let them know how you feel about buying flowers in a time of economic hardship.

District One Joe Mikolajczak

mikolajczakj@ci.cudahy.wi.us

District Two Mary Schissel

schisselm@ci.cudahy.wi.us

District Three Mark Otto

ottom@ci.cudahy.wi.us

District Four Jason Litkowiec

litkowiecj@ci.cudahy.wi.us

District Five Thomas Pavlic

pavlict@ci.cudahy.wi.us

Mayor Ryan McCue

mccuer@ci.cudahy.wi.us

West Allis condo project defaults on loan

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/40719582.html

Two Franklin condo developments face foreclosure suits

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/40786542.html

St. Francis Unfinished condos might face city action, foreclosure

http://www.stfrancisnow.com/news/39396372.html

Cudahy Library Square foreclosure could risk taxpayer money

Only one of 32 condos has been sold in two years

http://www.cudahynow.com/news/40251167.html

I hope all of those people who have been singing the tune of “Condos!  Condos!  Condos!” have taken note.  If you go back the last eighteen months, I was telling people that condos, and the sale of them, are not the answer.  They play part of the equation, but they are not the answer!!!!

I was at a meeting at city hall where a house flipper told me that if Cudahy would just invest in building $300,000 - $500,000 condos that that would be the answer.  Even talking to Mayor McCue last year, he was very high on the condos.

Now look at the market and people’s net worth!

So let us be fair.  Library Square.

This project did happen during Mayor John Hohenfeldt’s administration.  And some blame needs to be placed there.

Before Mr. Hohenfeldt is drop kicked through the mud like a soccer ball in the rain, let us understand a few things.

As Mayor Mr. Hohenfeldt probably thought what he was doing, was best for the city and tried to protect the city in a best way he could think of.  Only time would tell us if that was true.  We all make mistakes and have a learning curve.  Hindsight is 20/20. 

Again, let us understand a few things.

Mayor Hohenfeldt…

1. Had the developer sign a personal guarantee.

2. Put some of their own money in

3. There were already two failed attempts at development on the site (seems Cudahy is prone to that)

4. Sent out over 70 RFP's (Request For Proposal) and only received four responses

5. The city was only putting 10 % into the project (a 1 to 10 of dollars), versus the 3 in 10 ratio of the past, like Mayor Glowacki did with the Iceport.

At the time, could someone foresee the bottom falling out of the housing market, thus the lack of sales on the project?  Maybe.  But most likely “NO”. 

There was no exit clause and as CDA Chairwoman Sara Eberhardy said the CDA is putting in place procedures and a limit on how much money the city would distribute for a new development. She said in the past, there was no limit on how much funding the CDA would offer new developments.

Mayor Ryan McCue said officials are investigating options with legal council on how they can recoup funds invested in the development. They are hoping to proceed with a recommendation in March, he said.

Now the “Mayor” should, as our leader, work to protect the cities interest at all times!

It will be interesting to see what action and direction Mayor McCue takes the city in this process.

Mandatory sick pay, it will have a negative effect on jobs and companies that are located in cities that have them.  I hope the Cudahy Common Council placed an ordinance that would prevent mandatory sick pay from coming to town.

Let us follow the lead of West Allis, South Milwaukee, and Waukesha in getting this done.

Looks like Franklin is going to do it as well!

http://www.franklinnow.com/watch/?watch=40&date=1/8/2009&id=49318

Those that place opposition to it will be those who are not business friendly/pro-business.

Jay Weber’s Podcast “Milwaukee's sick-leave mandate leads to businesses either closing or moving”

Click Here

West Allis, South Milwaukee move to prevent mandatory sick pay

Here are highlights – Full article here

Scared by results of a referendum that will force Milwaukee employers to provide paid sick days, two suburbs have adopted ordinances that prohibit their common councils from imposing wage or benefit requirements on private businesses.

Attorney Daniel Finerty, who is helping employers prepare for the Milwaukee mandate, said the direct-legislation referendum approved by Milwaukee voters in November very likely would trump ordinances adopted this month by West Allis and South Milwaukee.

But at minimum, said West Allis Ald. Michael Czaplewski, the ordinances "put up barricades" to anything like the sick days referendum that passed overwhelmingly in Milwaukee.

Czaplewski, who owns a West Allis jewelry store that has two part-time employees, said supporters of the sick days measure don't realize it will result in job cuts.

"The people who sponsored the whole referendum, they obviously don't know business," he said.  "Small business can't afford to offer things like that.  By putting that on them, you're not only going to hurt the small business, you're going to hurt the people who work for them, too."

The West Allis ordinance was adopted 9-0, with one alderman absent; the South Milwaukee ordinance, patterned after the West Allis ordinance, was adopted 6-0, with two aldermen absent.

Besides Milwaukee, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., also mandate that private business provide paid sick days.

http://www.southmilwaukeenow.com/story/index.aspx?id=830327

Public officials ward off private sector say

Employee pay, benefits cannot be mandated

By ISRAL DEBRUIN

idebruin@cninow.com

Posted: Dec. 23, 2008

City officials are hoping to prevent a South Milwaukee version of the paid sick leave referendum passed in Milwaukee this fall — and the resulting lawsuit brought by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Association of Commerce.

The South Milwaukee Common Council on Dec. 16 passed an ordinance that prevents local residents from doing exactly what Milwaukee voters did: mandating specific employee pay or benefits to private employers within city limits.

Mayor Tom Zepecki said the South Milwaukee ordinance has as much to do with saving taxpayer money as with ideology.

“We just don’t want to get caught up in that kind of turmoil,” Zepecki said of MMAC’s lawsuit against the city of Milwaukee.

But the mayor also disagrees with Milwaukee’s paid sick leave referendum on principle.

“I kind of believe in separation of government and private industry, as best as it can occur,” Zepecki said.

Alderman Mike McCarthy said he agrees.

“I don’t feel the city should be in a position to dictate benefits and wages,” McCarthy said.

Paid sick leave

On Nov. 4, a majority of voters in Milwaukee enacted mandatory paid sick leave for all employees.  MMAC is in the process of filing suit against the city, challenging the legality of the ordinance and contending it is already having a chilling effect on Milwaukee commerce.

Voters passed the ordinance by using a Wisconsin statutory right for direct legislation via referendum.  South Milwaukee City Attorney Joseph Murphy said this statute and applicable case law only apply to topics not already governed by legislation.  Under the statute, voters can create a law, but cannot change or erase an existing one.

South Milwaukee’s legislation, now that it is on the books, should suffice to prevent a repeat of the Milwaukee situation here, Murphy said.

Scott Post, West Allis city attorney, and Dan Thompson, executive director of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, said they agreed with Murphy’s interpretation of direct legislation.  West Allis has passed legislation similar to South Milwaukee’s.

MMAC applauds

Steve Baas, government affairs director for MMAC, said the organization is pleased but surprised at the new suburban ordinances. Baas said more suburban communities may follow suit.

“I think that most governments and leaders understand the anti-competitive impact that the sick leave ordinance here in Milwaukee is having,” Baas said.  “I think they understandably want to protect their own economies and their own businesses from that sort of thing happening in their own backyard.”

South Milwaukee City Administrator Tami Mayzik said the ordinance was not prompted by any specific incident.

“The reason that we moved forward with it more than anything was to protect the taxpayers from any unnecessary legal costs,” Mayzik said. “Whatever I can do to avoid that, I will do.”

Aldermen R. Patrick Stoner and Ramon Navarro were absent from the 6-0 vote.

Sick pay meets more opposition

Waukesha County chamber sees Milwaukee ordinance as threat

By Joe Taschler of the Journal Sentinel

Posted: Dec. 30, 2008

Waukesha - The Waukesha County Chamber of Commerce plans to aggressively oppose Milwaukee's sick-leave ordinance, saying it would create a negative business climate for the region and have consequences for companies doing business in the city regardless of where the firms are based.

"This is a direct threat to the success of businesses not only in Milwaukee, but Waukesha County, too," said Brian Nemoir, a member of the chamber's board.

Nemoir owns a communications firm in Delafield.

"It's very easy to say, 'Hey, this is bad for Milwaukee so it must be good for Waukesha.' Then you sit down with business owners," he said.  It becomes clear the ordinance is something that concerns them greatly, Nemoir said.

The Waukesha County chamber is joining the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce in opposing the measure.

"We're not going to merely sit and applaud MMAC's efforts," Nemoir said.  "We're going to aggressively engage on this."

The MMAC has filed suit to block the ordinance.  The MMAC includes 2,000 employers with 300,000 employees in the metro area.

Accounting nightmare?

The Waukesha Chamber is concerned that the movement will spread beyond Milwaukee's city limits.

"The supporters of this effort will not rest at the county border," Nemoir said.

The chamber also opposes the ordinance on the grounds that it would create a recordkeeping tangle where any employee who does work in the city of Milwaukee must have their hours tracked separately from when they are working elsewhere.

"It's just an accounting nightmare," said Patti Wallner, president of the Waukesha County chamber.

In arguing for a temporary restraining order to block the ordinance, MMAC lawyers say it "unconstitutionally regulates employers located outside the Milwaukee city limits."

The restraining order request also argues that the ordinance "requires that paid sick leave be provided to all employees who work in the city regardless of the location of their employer," according to the petition.

Jeff Hynes, an employment lawyer who has served as a staff attorney for the National Labor Relations Board, said it appears there is some ambiguity in the ordinance regarding the issue of where workers are working and how that applies to sick leave.

"That is a matter that needs to be ironed out," he said.

He added, though, that the issue is something that can be fairly easily resolved and does not appear to be an onerous regulation for businesses.

"This law requires things that employers here are already doing," he said, adding that he has not taken a position on the ordinance.

This is part two of Knowing A Gift When You See it

I will work this over with these dollar figures:

Wal-Mart’s amounts in black $10.91

http://www.jsonline.com/business/36380809.html

According to Lisa Nelson (no relation to Waukesha Mayor Nelson) of Wal-Mart, the $10.91 is just store average total of hourly workers.  These are the same figures she gave Cudahy.

Wisconsin minimum wages in red $6.50

http://www.dwd.state.wi.us/dwd/publications/erd/pdf/erd_9247_p.pdf

The amount in 2005 anti-Wal-Mart establishments used in blue $9.68

http://www.laborresearch.org/print.php?id=391

Most associates are full-time associates (34 - 40 hours per week), but there are part-time jobs available, as well.

Wal-Mart Careers

For the Cudahy Station we will use 300 jobs as that was the number Wal-Mart released.

300 jobs with 60% as full-time

300 x .6 = 180 jobs full-time

300 jobs with 40% as part-time

300 x .4 = 120 jobs part-time

So far so good!

180 jobs x $10.91 per hour = $1,963.80 per hour full-time jobs

120 jobs x $10.91 per hour = $1,309.20 per hour part-time jobs

300 jobs x $10.91 per hour = $3,273.00 per hour total

Now full-time jobs we will take 34 hours a week as a conservative number of hours worked

180 jobs x $10.91 per hour x 34 hours a week $66,769.20

Now we will use 50 weeks average worked $66,769.20 x 50 weeks = $3,338,460.00 and that is just what the full-timers would bring in at the Cudahy Wal-Mart conservatively.

For part-time, we will use 20 hours a week as that was the standard at K-Mart and most large retail.

120 jobs x $10.91 per hour x 20 hours a week $26,184.00

Now we will use 50 weeks on average worked $26,184.00 x 50 weeks = $1,309,200.00 and that is just what the part-timers would bring in at the Cudahy Wal-Mart conservatively.

So let’s bottom line this!

300 jobs in Cudahy (not to mention the management positions) $3,338,460.00 + $1,309,200.00 = $4,647,660.00 that Wal-Mart in Cudahy would put into the workers hands with a lot spent in Cudahy.  (Don’t forget that is $4.6 Million +)

We will average full-time 34 hours with 40 hours

$10.91 x 34 hours = $370.94 per week x 50 weeks = $18,547.00 per year (conservatively)

$10.91 x 40 hours = $436.40 per week x 52 weeks = $22,692.80 per year

Averaged out $18,547.00 + $22,692.80 = $41,239.80 / 2 = $20,619.90

Now what some would like to argue is that Wal-Mart jobs you cannot live off of so let us do some more math and checking in.

Remember what the Poverty rates were?

2008 HHS Poverty Guidelines

Persons in Family or Household 48 Contiguous States

1 Person $10,400

2 Person $14,000

3 Person $17,600

4 Person $21,200

So, as you can see IF the Wal-Mart employee is the only one working with four person household it is below the poverty rate if you use either the average or 34 hour a week numbers.  Now again, most households would have the other person working.

True retail doesn’t pay the greatest, but where does it say that a retail job must provide a living wage for themselves and others?  Why must Wal-Mart be the one that everyone decides should?  Does Starbucks offer a living wage?

It is always nice to show the math work and actually deal with facts!  The truth can lie when you don’t use facts.

Now let’s calculate this with all at minimum wage (again not including management)

Alternatively full-time & part-time pay at different rate of Wisconsin minimum wage rate $6.50

180 jobs x $6.50 per hour = $1,170.00 per hour full-time jobs

120 jobs x $6.50 per hour = $780.00 per hour part-time jobs

300 jobs x $6.50 per hour = $1,950 per hour total

We will use 34 hours a week for full-time hours worked

180 jobs x $6.50 per hour x 34 hours a week $39,780.00

Now we will use 50 weeks average worked $39,780.00 x 50 weeks = $1,989,000

Again, that is just what the full-timers would bring in at the Cudahy Wal-Mart conservatively

Once more for part time, we will use 20 hours a week.

120 jobs x $6.50 per hour x 20 hours a week $15,600.00

Once again, we will use 50 weeks on average worked

$15,600.00 x 50 weeks = $780,000 and that is just what the part-timers would bring in at the Cudahy Wal-Mart.

So let’s bottom line this with just minimum wage figures!

300 jobs in Cudahy (don’t forget the management positions that are not factored into this) $1,989,000 + $780,000 = $2,769,000 that Wal-Mart in Cudahy would put into the workers hands with a lot spent in Cudahy.  (Don’t forget that is $2.7 Million +)

We will average fulltime 34 hours with 40 hours

$6.50 x 34 hours = $221.00 per week x 50 weeks = $11,080.00 per year (conservatively)

$6.50 x 40 hours = $260.00 per week x 52 weeks = $13,520.00 per year

Averaged out $11,080.00 + $13,520.00 = $24,600.00 / 2 = $12,300.00

2008 HHS Poverty Guidelines

Persons in Family or Household 48 Contiguous States

1 Person $10,400

2 Person $14,000

3 Person $17,600

4 Person $21,200

Now the amount in 2005 anti-Wal-Mart establishments used $9.68

180 jobs x $9.68 per hour = $1,742.40 per hour full-time jobs

120 jobs x $9.68 per hour = $1,161.60 per hour part-time jobs

300 jobs x $9.68 per hour = $2,904.00 per hour total

Now full-time jobs we will take 34 hours a week as a conservative number worked

180 jobs x $9.68 per hour x 34 hours a week $59,241.60

Now we will use 50 weeks average worked $59,241.60 x 50 weeks = $2,962,080.00 and that is just what the full-timers would bring in at the Cudahy Wal-Mart conservatively.

For part-time using 20 hours a week

120 jobs x $9.68 per hour x 20 hours a week $23,232.00

Now we will use 50 weeks on average worked $23,232.00 x 50 weeks = $1,161,600.00 and that is just what the part-timers would bring in at the Cudahy Wal-Mart conservatively.

Bottom lining this!

300 jobs in Cudahy (not to mention the management positions) $2,962,080.00 + $1,161,600.00 = $4,123,680.00 that Wal-Mart in Cudahy would put into the workers hands with a lot spent in Cudahy.  (Don’t forget that is $4.1 Million +)

We will average full-time 34 hours with 40 hours

$9.68 x 34 hours = $329.12 per week x 50 weeks = $16,456.00 per year (conservatively)

$9.68 x 40 hours = $387.20 per week x 52 weeks = $20,134.40 per year

Averaged out $16,456.00 + $20,134.40 = $36,590.40 / 2 = $18,295.20

2008 HHS Poverty Guidelines

Persons in Family or Household 48 Contiguous States

1 Person $10,400

2 Person $14,000

3 Person $17,600

4 Person $21,200

Disclaimer –doesn’t factor any overtime in equations

That is a lot of money Cudahy is losing out moving around the city!  And yes, not all jobs would go to just Cudahy residents, than again what company does?  Even the Police department in Cudahy doesn’t require only Cudahy residents!

Nobody forces anyone to work at Wal-Mart, they choose to!

It looks like Cudahy lost out to Madison for Microsoft a while ago.

According to the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=787181

Google and Microsoft earlier this year announced plans for opening Madison offices after learning about UW-Madison professors who were interested in industry collaborations.

David DeWitt, a world leader in database research, is running Microsoft's advanced development lab.  James Smith, a retired UW computer science professor, and James Laudon, a UW graduate with experience at Sun Microsystems, are running the Google office, which is focusing on hardware and software systems design.

Someone might have updated Mayor Ryan McCue about it.

Mayor had other hopes

McCue said even though the land was a former dump, it is a prime piece of real estate because of its proximity to Interstate 794 and Gen. Mitchell International Airport, and something other than a big-box retailer would be more beneficial to the city.  He said there have been past discussions to build a Microsoft Corp. facility or a hotel at that site.

http://www.cudahynow.com/story/index.aspx?id=772904

When I heard about the Cudahy Tannery leaving, I blogged about losing a business.  I then received this email from a reader which made me pause and think.

“Randy, why does the Mayor want a road instead of jobs.  If you have been following the Cudahy Tannery leaving we have the opportunity to replace those jobs and that company with another tannery company.  I have read that it is very hard to get permits and regulations to build a new building for tannery.  Why doesn’t Mayor McCue want jobs in Cudahy.  How is this road going to bring jobs to Cudahy?  We can do better then a road, that is called jobs that actually make something.  I don’t care if Walmart happens, but here is a place where something could be processed and made.  What better type of jobs could we have?”

I see the positives to the road, yet understand how jobs in Cudahy are very important!  Then I received these emails from the same person two months a part.

“Randy: I am not seeing on the CudahyNow site. The article I read a couple weeks ago about tearing down the Cudahy Tannery.  Spending 5.2 million to build a overpass/underpass to put Edgerton Av. thru.  WHY??  If someone wants to buy the tannery and keep 75 people working.  Another Mayor McCue idea I don't understand. “

THANKS”  

Then on August 14^th, I received this email plea.

“Randy – Did you read the cudhaynow article that the city wants to teardown more buildings for a road.  What can you do about it?”

Here is the CudahyNow article

City wants to buy former tannery site

http://www.cudahynow.com/story/index.aspx?id=782519

If the city is going to use the land and buildings to further new business, I do think that could be GOOD.  Were the business there viable; is what we should be asking ourselves?

Does the new road out weight what business and jobs could be placed back in the building? 

What does the road improve?  Access to the Park Way and easy access east.  Possible better access for jobs at the industrial complex that boarders Edgerton.

What can the road bring that is bad?  Increased traffic in an area that has children close by.  Possible increase in crime.  Takes the quiet area, maybe not in sound since trucking companies are right there, but with traffic to a noisy area.

Is it possible the bad things will never happen?  Sure.  The increase traffic could decrease crime by having more people around so less time in an area that is quiet.

We are all very happy that the U.S. Post Office is moving from downtown Milwaukee to Oak Creek.  It will bring 2200 people to drive and shop in the area.  These are not new jobs, but relocations with people still none the less.  These people will want to shop and eat around work.  Many will use the Park Way and services around the Cudahy, South Milwaukee, Milwaukee, and Oak Creek area.  All excellent things for local economies.

There will be concerns of traffic and who (which cities) should pay for road improvements.  Should turn lanes be improved on College and Pennsylvania?  College Ave west of Pennsylvania is planned to be widened and slightly moved as part of the airport expansion and will have federal funds for most of the project.

While talking to a friend in Oak Creek’s government there is concern on the land to be used.  The new building will cover some 820,000 square feet on 64 acres south of W. College Ave. and west of S. Pennsylvania Ave., said Scott Yauck, a principal at Cobalt Partners, a Milwaukee development firm.  Cobalt controls the site, known as the Van Beck farm, and is selling it to the Postal Service.

The Postal Service is not yet saying how much it will pay for the site, agency spokeswoman Marge Oehlke said.  Final cost estimates are needed before the agency grants final funding approval for the project, she said.

The new building won't provide property tax revenue because it will be owned by the Postal Service, a tax-exempt government agency.  But along with keeping jobs in Milwaukee County, the development is expected to draw additional commercial and residential development to Oak Creek and other nearby communities, Walker and (Mayor) Bolender said.

The city would like to collect some sort of tax and the talk in the wind is that the Post Office will seek to divide up the unused land and sell it off or just lease the land.  Rumor has it that a big box store that is not Wal-Mart is looking at it.  Some in the city would like the land to be leased to the Post Office so that doesn’t happen or a condition placed that they cannot do such a thing.

64 acres = 2,787,840 square feet and the building will cover 820,000 square feet and an estimated 800,000 for parking of cars and trucks.  It is possible that size will shrink if the parking structure gets approval to be taller.  Special regulations must be adhered to with the airport’s needs.  That leaves over a million left over for other use.

The processing center planned for Oak Creek won't open until 2011 at the earliest.

Because no taxes will be collected some are calling this proposal “wasteland style development” and hope the sides cannot come to an agreement.  While I think the move is a good thing, I can understand why some people feel that way.

While it is no surprise that they are moving it is still sad to see them and the jobs go.  Many of us cling to hopes they would stay, but they did state they wanted neutral ground and so we are losing them.  Better in Chicago then Dallas for Milwaukee.

I read the report in the Milwaukee Journal and saw the reports on TV and in the end, I think MONEY did play a part.

Congratulations to Chicago on landing MillerCoors.  Here are two stories one from Chicago Tribune and another from the Denver Post on their take.  Please read the full version, I pulled out some highlights.

Chicago Tribune

Beer tab too high for jobs?

MillerCoors gets $20 million in aid to bring 300-400 HQ jobs to Chicago

In the sweepstakes for landing corporate headquarters, Chicago won one Tuesday when a joint venture of two of the biggest U.S. beer operations announced it will call the city home.

Landing MillerCoors will add 300 to 400 jobs, a tiny number for an economy the size of Chicago's, economic development experts say.  Still, it's a symbolic victory for a city that values its identity as a business crossroads yet has witnessed an exodus of famous names over the past decade through corporate restructurings, among them Amoco, Ameritech and First Chicago.  Chicago's also won some contests, wooing such companies as Boeing from Seattle and United Airlines from the suburbs.

The company chose Chicago because it will have "access to an attractive base of talent, transportation and business resources," MillerCoors President Tom Long said in a statement, adding the company was "grateful" for Illinois' "support."

Merriman agreed winning MillerCoors is a symbolic victory.  "The question is whether the tax breaks are justified. The tax breaks are not symbolic."

The city has offered assistance to MillerCoors in the form of tax-increment financing.  The exact amount hasn't been determined, but Rita Athas, executive director of World Business Chicago, the city's economic development office, said it would likely be $2.5 million to $5 million.

The city has given similar TIF subsidies to other corporate relocations.  But such incentive packages have been criticized because TIFs were set up to fix blighted areas.

Illinois has lined up an $18 million assistance package, primarily involving income tax rebates.

Full Story

The Denver Post

Colorado gets canned for MillerCoors' HQ

MillerCoors has selected Chicago as its headquarters site, rebuffing pleas from metro Denver and Milwaukee to locate the lead corporate office in the historic homes of Coors and Miller beer.

In a consolation prize of sorts, the Coors brewery in Golden will get a $100 million capital infusion to update its brewing and packaging equipment.

The investment will enable the brewery to make both Coors and Miller brands — a key component of the recently completed merger of Coors' and Miller's U.S. operations.

The state of Illinois offered MillerCoors an $18 million incentive package, most of it from corporate income tax credits based on job creation over the next 15 years.

The city of Chicago also agreed to provide a financing package of undisclosed value that will provide tax breaks to MillerCoors if it locates the headquarters in an area targeted for economic development.

The office will be in the downtown area, Kiely said, but a site hasn't been selected.  Leased office space, new construction or purchase of an existing building are all under consideration, MillerCoors officials said.  The company hopes to open the headquarters by mid-2009.

Full Story

The Business Journal is reporting that the Cousins Center has a buyer with Cardinal Stritch University.  I think this is a very good thing for St. Francis and the surrounding area.  If the area in St. Francis, Cudahy and Bay View do want to be the other East side, it starts with a college to bring in students and money to the area.

Cardinal Stritch also said that the transaction is contingent upon rezoning of the property by the city of Saint Francis. A final agreement would be subject to approval by Stritch’s board of trustees and the administrative team for the Sisters of Saint Francis of Assisi, the University’s sponsors.

While this will bring more traffic and possible trouble from students, I think this is a big positive for St. Francis.

Article Here

As for the Seminary Woods, which is 37 acres of pristine forest next to the Cousins Center, also owned by the archdiocese, questions abound.  A group of preservationists from St. Francis recently found out that they struck out on their three options for raising money to buy and preserve the woods.  They also found out that the archdiocese wants about $8 million for that land.

A state land conservation fund dropped an effort to buy the woods after being unable to raise $3 million to $4 million in matching funds.  A gamble to use Metropolitan Milwaukee Sewerage District preservation money failed after it was discovered the drainage basin doesn't qualify.

Full Article