Milwaukee mayoral candidates participate in virtual forum

MILWAUKEE — Voters had a chance to hear from Milwaukee mayoral candidates during a virtual forum Monday night.

Seven candidates are vying for mayor of Milwaukee: former Alderman Bob Donovan, community activist Ieshuh Griffin, entrepreneur Michael Sampson, State Senator Lena Taylor, Sheriff Earnell Lucas, Alderman Marina Dimitrijevic and acting mayor Cavalier Johnson.

Organizers said more than 500 people logged into the forum.

Each of the candidates on the zoom call answered questions on a variety of topics, such as securing voting rights, solving the lead problem and making Milwaukee more inclusive.

Candidates expressed concerns about the city’s financial health.

“I made a commitment during this campaign to … in the Capitol to fight for Milwaukee every day, including reclaiming resources here,” Johnson said.

“I just got a quarter of our budget back by just cutting simple things that we don’t need and should be in a much better place as a budget,” Sampson said.

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Candidates also spoke about how to improve affordable and accessible housing.

“I would like to put all of our assets on the table to move us forward in housing by asking people to do it with work, to do it with entrepreneurship,” Taylor said.

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“I believe that the best way to help, in addition, to prevent the increase in homelessness is to prevent it from happening,” said Dimitrijevic. “Let’s end foreclosures, try to prevent evictions.”

“It’s about trying to get the houses, the dollar houses, into the hands of people in the community,” Griffin said in a phone call after the forum. “The donation of some of the excess property that the city let sit…was condemned.”

They also shared how they would improve police-community relations.

“I would proudly support the brave men and women of the Milwaukee Police Department and the hard work they have to do,” Donovan said.

“We must always strive to do our best in law enforcement, to treat people with dignity and respect,” Lucas said. “I think it’s important that as mayor I lead by example.”

You can watch the full forum below:

With former Mayor Tom Barrett beginning a new role as U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg, there will be a special election to fill his position. On February 15, a primary will be held, with the top two candidates running in the general election on April 5 to determine Milwaukee’s next mayor. The winner will complete the remaining two years of Barrett’s term, which ends on April 16, 2024.

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