Acting mayor focuses city address on violence in Milwaukee

Common Council President and Acting Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson delivered his State of the City address Monday, Febuary 7, 2022.

“For two consecutive years, Milwaukee has endured homicide statistics we have never seen before,” he said.

Johnson used the speech to talk about the rise in violent crime.

He said public safety is Milwaukee’s greatest challenge.

Johnson is one of seven candidates currently running for Milwaukee mayor after former Mayor Tom Barrett resigned to become the U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg earlier this year.

“Right now, public safety stands as the greatest challenge to our success,” Johnson said.

In a pre-recorded State of the City address, he highlighted the surge in gun violence in just a few weeks since he took office. “Over the last month we have seen children shot and killed, a horrific murder of six people across the street from one of my childhood homes, five girls shot outside a high school basketball game, and three law enforcement officers wounded by gunfire,” Johnson said.

He called for better resources for police, investing in intervention efforts, and a focus on prevention and the root causes of violence.

But to do that and everything else, Johnson said Milwaukee needs more state funding.

“From potholes to police, we simply do not have the money we need to adequately serve our residents,” he said in his address.

Johnson spoke with WISN-TV 12 minutes after his speech was released.

“Did the previous administration do enough to address the city’s financial concerns?” WISN-TV 12’s Kent Wainscott asked him.

“I think there was an attempt, but obviously there’s so much more that’s needs to be done,” Johnson said.

Also of note was the timing of the address, just eight days before the mayoral primary.

“In politics, if you’re holding elected office, everything you do is campaigning,” UWM government affairs professor Mordecai Lee told WISN-TV 12. “There’s no doubt that the timing is related to his incumbency.”

Johnson denied the timing was campaign-related, saying it’s the mayor’s duty to address important issues.

“It doesn’t matter if the election is close or far. I’m constantly out there telling the story about what needs to happen in the city of Milwaukee,” he said.

The two candidates who receive the most votes will face off in the general election in April.