The Milwaukee Post

Interested in being a police officer? For the first time in about three years, those interested in becoming a member of the Milwaukee Police Department can apply online only. Please find the application link at city.milwaukee.gov/jobs/PO. Those interested must apply by Oct. 17. To apply, applicants must meet the following minimum requirements of a minimum age of 21 years old, U.S. citizenship, high school diploma or Wisconsin GED, valid Wisconsin driver's license, physically able to perform police officer training and job duties and pass a background investigation. 4 • Milwaukee County Post • September 26, 2014 WEEK IN REVIEW STATE AND LOCAL STORIES OF INTEREST Supervisor Broderick says proposed sales tax should be used for parks, transit Milwaukee County Supervisor Gerry Broderick said Wednesday that a proposal by Milwaukee developer Gary Grunau to levy a 0.5 percent sales tax for a new down- town arena and other items did not take into consideration a 2008 referendum approving a sales tax for transit and parks. Grunau has publicly proposed the sales tax for a downtown arena, a streetcar sys- tem, the Milwaukee County Zoo, the Milwaukee Public Museum and the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. But Broderick said that in 2008 voters approved a ref- erendum creating such a sales tax for transit and parks. "Gary Grunau's well-intended suggestion of levying a sales tax for a basketball arena as well as streetcar development and other projects seems to treat lightly the fact that the public has already stated their preference for how to use the proceeds of any new sales tax revenue," Broderick said. "But he apparently doesn't understand that way back in 2008 the voters passed an advisory referendum approving a half- cent sales tax for parks and a half-cent for transit. "The referendum results were met by the state Legislature with a wall of silence, indicating a likelihood that meant our other — unelected — government didn't agree. I'm of course referring to the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, the Greater Milwaukee Committee and other local oligarchs. "And while I concede that I'm one of those stubborn holdouts who still believes in taxpayers deciding how their money will be spent, it still seems to me that when the public speaks through the ballot box, the results should not be ignored so easily." Broderick urged the Legislature to allow Milwaukee County to levy the sales tax for parks and transit as voters approved six years ago. "Perhaps now that a real discussion is taking place over Milwaukee County's needs, we can go back to what the public has already approved — funding for parks and transit," Broderick said. "Then we can allow the oligarchs to come up with the funding for a new arena themselves." Housing stock, affordale housing get boost from City The Common Council has approved a new Housing Stock Improvement Program making interest-free, forgivable loans available to eligible owner-occupants who agree to undertake home renovation and maintenance projects. The resolution adopted Tuesday by the full Council creates a Housing Stock Improvement Program for owner-occupants of one- to four-unit residential properties to maintain or improve their properties through interest-free loans forgivable upon 10 years of consecutive owner-occupancy from the date of loan approval. The program is targeting homeowners who are current on their mortgage and property taxes, but because of the dra- matic decline in assessed value (in some neighborhoods 35 percent to 50 percent), are unable to take out second mortgages for major repairs or improvements as they no longer have equity in their home. State statutes provide that after the date on which a tax incremental district created by the city of Milwaukee pays off the aggregate of all its project costs, the life of the district may be extended for one year and the additional tax incremental revenues used to benefit affordable housing and to improve the housing stock in the city. In September 2013 — in accordance with state statutes — the Common Council adopted File No. 130460, an ordi- nance providing for the extension of TIDs for one year to benefit affordable housing and improve the housing stock in the city. Alderman Robert J. Bauman, the author of the HSIP resolution, said several factors in recent years have caused property owners to put off improvements and maintenance proj- ects, and the HSIP is meant to help owner-occupants tackle those deferred projects. "It is clear that the maintenance and improvement of Milwaukee's housing stock is inte- gral to the preservation of the city's tax base and the stabilization of its neighborhoods," the alderman said in a news release. "This program carries no additional costs for taxpayers and helps improve our housing stock — it is quite clearly a 'win-win' initiative for the city." To participate in the forgivable loan portion of the HSIP, an owner occupant must meet several requirements, including: ■ The property owner must be current on property taxes against the property and against any other property owned in the city, if applicable, or is on an approved payment plan. ■ The property owner must be current on the repayment of any existing mortgage on the property and on any other property owned in the city, if applicable, and these properties are not in foreclosure. ■ The loan-to-assessed-value ratio of the mortgage outstanding against the property is 90 percent or greater at the time of application. ■ The property owner must be current on any utility payments on the property. ■ Homeowner's insurance must be current on the property or will be reinstated as a result of approved projects. ■ Prior to loan disbursement, the property owner matches between 0 and 50 percent of approved project costs, depending on income thresholds determined by the NIDC and less the determined value of any match credit. ■ The property does not have any outstanding Department of Neighborhood Services orders upon completion of approved HSIP projects. The HSIP will be administered by the NIDC. The measure was co-sponsored by Alderman José G. Pérez and Alderman Nik Kovac. Common Council approves historic designation, rezoning for McKinley School property The Common Council has approved a recommendation from the Historic Preservation Commission to designate as historic the William McKinley School property near N. 20th and W. Vliet streets. Alderman Robert J. Bauman, whose 4th Aldermanic District includes the large parcel where the school is located, said the council voted Tuesday to grant the his- toric designation to ensure the "preservation of a unique example of an early Milwaukee Public School." Also on Tuesday, the council approved a rezoning to change the school property's zoning from multifamily residential to two-family residential. The property is sur- rounded by one-family and two-family residential properties and the change brings the school property into the same category. On Sept. 8 the Historic Preservation Commission approved the McKinley historic designation following a presentation by HPC staff. Bauman serves as a member of the commission. The Fifteenth District/McKinley School was built in the heart of the growing west side and the school property extended along Cold Spring Avenue, later known as McKinley Avenue, between North 21st and North 22nd streets. The first portion of the school was constructed at the northwest corner of North 20th Street and West McKinley Avenue and opened on Jan. 19, 1885. The second por- tion was built to the rear or west and was completed in the summer of 1888, and the third portion, connected to the second, was built fronting North 21st Street and com- pleted in December 1898. Also on Tuesday, the council approved a resolution approving the Redevelopment Authority of the city of Milwaukee's acquisition of the longtime gas station and con- venience mart property located on the northeast corner at N. 27th St. and W. Wisconsin Ave. The resolution enters the city into an agreement with the Redevelopment Authority and the Avenues West Business Improvement District regarding the city's contribution toward the Redevelopment Authority's acquisition cost and the BID's contribution toward the demolition cost and preparing 2630 W. Wisconsin Ave./714 N. 27th St. for development. Bauman, whose district includes the property, has long sought the acquisition to provide a key parcel for future development at the busy intersection. Ribbon to be cut for Café India Bar and Grill Alderman Tony Zielinski will take part in a special ribbon-cutting ceremony today for the new Café India Bar and Grill at 2201 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. in Bay View. The alderman will join owner Rakesh "Ryan" Rehan for the ceremony, which starts at noon Friday. The Indian and Indian-American fusion restaurant, which also has a location in Walker's Point, is located in a newly remodeled location and features a new kitchen, a remodeled casual dining space with a capacity of 80 to 90 people, a full bar and an out- door hookah bar patio and dining space. Zielinski said Café India Bar and Grill will fit in nicely with other Business Improvement District #44 businesses along S. Kinnickinnic Avenue in Bay View.

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