Tony, Do You Have Any Ideas And A Way To Pay For Them? Or Just Criticisms?

Mayor Barrett recently gave a speech addressing guns, affordable housing, lead laterals and other developments in the City of Milwaukee. And, of course, Alderman Tony "Backdrop Boy" Zielinksi had to give his usual negative comment. This has kind of become his thing. Any event, any policy, any news - there's Tony with a comment, pointing the finger and blame at anyone but himself, and never offering up anything other than platitudes.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett renews call for more background checks for gun purchases, slams arming teachers

Barrett also called for building or improving 10,000 housing units over the next 10 years, a plan the Journal Sentinel first reported Sunday.

The mayor also highlighted plans to expand Milwaukee's RiverWalk, touted a partnership with Associated Bank to increase funding for the city's STRONG Homes Loan program, and said he plans to use $2.5 million from the city's new water deal with the City of Waukesha to replace lead laterals in Milwaukee. 

"While other communities are not addressing this problem, Milwaukee has been recognized as one of only 21 cities nationwide that has taken steps to address lead service lines," he said... 

Barrett's affordable housing plan includes building new developments, including locations in and around downtown.

"I'm especially interested in seeing more affordable housing in the heart of the city," the mayor said. "Growing affordable units in these areas will make it easier for workers to get to nearby jobs." 

The downtown development boom has allowed his administration to do more work in the neighborhoods, he said.

Ald. Tony Zielinski, a 2020 mayoral candidate, criticized those comments, accusing Barrett of making Milwaukee' crime problems worse by neglecting the city's neighborhoods. 

"I cannot believe the mayor expects us to believe the neighborhoods should take a backseat for 14 years," Zielinski said. "No wonder Milwaukee is one of the worst places to live in the country if you are African-American."

So, the Mayor wants to build or rebuild housing units, focusing on affordable housing, expand the RiverWalk and fix lead laterals. From this, the "Backdrop Boy" claims the Mayor is neglecting the City's neighborhoods. Huh? Also, what has the "Backdrop Boy" done for Milwaukee African-Americans?

But, just for a second, let's assume the "Backdrop Boy" has a point. First, what is Tony's solution? Second, where is Tony getting the money to fund his earth-shattering policy prescriptions? This is where Tony's pomp and circumstance falls apart. He has no plan. He has no answer to any of this. Primarily because he doesn't know what he's talking about.

It's easy to just poke the boss and criticize his decisions. But criticism can only be helpful when it's constructive. When a situation has been analyzed and one can offer an explanation for what went wrong and how those problems can be fixed, positive steps forward can be taken. But just trying to knock down someone else's ideas, without any substance or alternative action, is purely grandstanding. This is just Tony trying to draw attention to Tony so some in the City, outside of Bay View, might recognize his name in time for the mayoral election.

Tony has been standing on the street corner, pointing the finger at the Mayor, shouting, "You stink! That's no good! That was wrong!" But he hasn't offered a concrete solution to anything or any explanation of how he would pay for any idea he might have.

Typical "Backdrop Boy" move - exploiting the idea of neighborhood improvement for his own political advancement. Stay classy, Tony.