<p> Milwaukee County Supervisor Michael Mayo and Jermaine Buckner are vying to represent District 7 on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. The general election will be held on Tuesday, April 3. (Not sure you live in District 7? Verify your voter registration and district in the <a href=\"https://vpa.wi.gov/\" target=\"_blank\">Voter Public Access</a> database.)<br /><br />Buckner and Mayo responded to the Shepherd\'s candidate questionnaire. Here are their answers:<br /><br /><strong>JERMAINE BUCKNER<br /><br />Website:</strong> <a href=\"http://www.buckformilwaukee.com\" target=\"_blank\">www.buckformilwaukee.com </a><br /> <br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>Why don\'t you introduce yourself to Shepherd readers?<br /><br /><strong>Buckner: </strong>I am a life-long resident of the City of Milwaukee. I was raised by my single mother and my grandparents on Milwaukee\'s Northwest side. In 2003, I graduated from Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School and went on to complete my Bachelor of Science in commercial real estate development from Marquette University\'s College of Business Administration in May 2009. In April 2011, I received my LEED Green Associate certification through the U.S. Green Building Council. <br /> <br />My professional background is in the project management field, with an emphasis in housing development. From 2010-11, I worked on a $4.5 million dollar energy star certified affordable housing project, called Scattered Sites III on Milwaukee\'s North side. <br /><br />As an assistant project manager, I learned first-hand how to successfully work with contractors, small businesses, housing authorities and other organizations to complete a substantial housing project. For the past three years, I\'ve also been doing research for a local community group to help address housing foreclosure and its implications in the community. <br /> <br /><strong>Shepherd:</strong> Where are you currently employed? <br /> <br /><strong>Buckner:</strong> Currently, I am employed at JP Landscaping, LLC, working in the contract bidding area. <br /><strong> <br />Shepherd: </strong>Why are you running for office? <br /> <br /><strong>Buckner: </strong>The reason I am running for office is because I\'ve always been committed to bridging gaps, fostering positive relationships, and community development. I see a need for that in District 7 and I want to help fill it. The gaps in this case are between elected officials and their constituents as well as community discussion and action. I\'ve seen a lot of complacency in District 7, a lack of tenacity, and no innovation toward offering and creating solutions to public issues. I want to work to make visible changes to the community. I feel that by focusing on transportation, quality of life services, and by attracting and sustaining businesses that the surrounding public can prosper as a result. <br /> <br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>What are the top three issues that you want to address? <br /><strong> <br />Buckner: </strong>The top three issues I want to address are economic development opportunity, enhancement of the parks system and transportation resources, and the increase of health and public safety initiatives. <br /> <br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>How would you deal with them? <br /> <br /><strong>Buckner: </strong><em>Economic Development Opportunity:</em> One of the approaches that I plan to take would be working with the Milwaukee County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC). According to the Small Business Administration, 65% of jobs are produced through small business. I want to use the MCEDC\'s resources to make it feasible for small and mid-size businesses to have access to capital. I believe that if we work with these businesses to inform them of the process and make it as easy as possible to apply and include clear and transparent reporting, it can support business expansion and create job opportunities. For the businesses that are not as stable, financial support in form of micro-loans can be used to create options and opportunity and help to build financial stability. <br /> <br />From my project management experience in working with housing development, I see a need to continue working with workforce development groups and businesses to use budget resources to enhance employee job skill-sets that can meet with the needs of today\'s employers. <br /> <br /><em>Enhancement of the Parks and Transportation Resources: </em>The tennis courts, pavilions, basketball courts and other county park facilities are in disrepair. I would enhance parks by making sure that facilities are well maintained. If the facilities are maintained, neighborhood groups and organizations will be able to host activities and events that are vital to giving our youth positive outlets to channel their energies, as well as promote a community pride. <br /> <br />There needs to be a greater emphasis toward supporting physical wellness and the parks can be a great way to support that too. <br /> <br />I\'m a proponent of transportation enhancements not only through our county transit system, but community car and shared ride programs. <br /><em> <br />Maintaining Our Health and Public Safety: </em>It is critical that we make sure people know the resources that are out there to help address their health concerns. I want to focus on wellness and preventative measures, that way people can be proactive on health concerns. I would outreach to the local colleges with medical specialties to get them engaged in volunteer outreach through the support of county employed doctors and nurses. This would help local students apply their knowledge in the field, and support county medical staff in providing a more immediate response to their patients. <br /> <br />I plan to ensure that housing is affordable, safe, and adequate so people can live in an environment where their health can be maintained. In regard to mental health facilities, I will emphasize on having community based facilities and services to help meet individual needs within the community. <br /> <br />For the area of public safety I would work with the Sheriff Department and the Milwaukee Police Department can get funding to make sure that officers are getting updated training in response to medical emergencies. <br /> <br />Collaborative bike patrols can help to nurture strong relationships between the public and law enforcement. I would make sure that neighborhood and community groups understand the procedure for reporting crimes and conflict resolution and make sure that there is communication between the neighborhood and the Sheriff\'s department when patrolling. <br /> <br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>How would you make Milwaukee Countyand specifically, this districtmore attractive to businesses and residents? <br /> <br /><strong>Buckner: </strong>Using the Milwaukee County Economic Development Corporation as an engine would be crucial to inform people of the resources for small and local businesses. A collaborative effort with the city businesses and business groups like the African American Chamber of Commerce is necessary to increase communication about seminars and workshops for job skills and business practice. A strong emphasis to increase participation and awareness of these workshops is critical. <br /> <br />I intend to increase awareness of community changes through support of community walks, block watch groups, and neighborhood organizations. This will help residents to be aware of what resources are available directly in the community. For example, by conversing in meetings various tradesmen, with small businesses in the district, can provide services to their neighbors, like plumbing, or other home maintenance services that they wouldn\'t otherwise know about. This promotes a sense of reliance on neighbors and generates collectivity. <br /> <br />I want to ensure the parks are maintained and enhanced, so that families and residents can effectively use them. If elected as county supervisor, I would help address the citizens needs by making sure that their services are met by not just funneling them to a specific department within the county, but by making sure that their request is adequately understood and resolved. <br /> <br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>How would you boost revenues and/or cut spending? <br /><strong> <br />Buckner:</strong> To boost revenue, I would advocate for a sales tax increase because it would create a larger pool of non-property owners from which revenue can be garnered. If the sales tax increase were a success, I would advocate in having a decrease in property taxes as an alternative relief to the sales tax hike. Moreover, I plan to boost revenues by centering on jobs and economic development because making sure people have access to jobs and opportunities would help to restore a tax base that has been lost. <br /> <br />To address spending cuts, I will research to cut things that are underutilized and inefficient in the long run. For instance, do Wackenhut Security bailiffs jeopardize or develop public safety? Do they have the power to arrest and are they trained in crisis management if situations occur? Does their presence save on cost of security? These will be questions that have to be examined thoroughly to make sure that services are not cut just for a short-term gain. <br /> <br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>What are your views of Gov. Walker\'s changes to collective bargaining? Specifically their effect on county employees and the county¹s budget? <br /><strong> <br />Buckner: </strong>I believe that collective bargaining should be a right for unions and other groups. Wages, working conditions, and benefits in public sector must be discussed and re-evaluated in order to maintain quality. Quality is reflected in the sense of strong core competencies, and competitive wages and benefits to attract and maintain, motivated and high quality employees. As an example, if a quality nurse is debating whether to enter into the public or private sector it is difficult for the public sector to compete when budget constraints do not allow for competition. The idea that cutting out those bargaining rights will foster competition takes away from the expertise of public workers and their needs. The parties involved need to come to the table to make sure that safety, rights and wages are not devastating to employee quality of life, but strike a balance for businesses and the public to sustain benefits and costs. <br /> <br /><strong>Shepherd:</strong> Have the collective bargaining changes helped or hurt local governments? Should public safety employees have been included in all of the changes? <br /> <br /><strong>Buckner: </strong>I believe the changes have hurt local governments. The long-term results are questionable because there has never been such a major cut to collective bargaining rights. In regard to public safety employees, I believe they should be included in all of the changes because there should not be segmentation when dealing with the public group as a whole. <br /> <br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>What sets you apart from your opponent? <br /><strong> <br />Buckner: </strong>I am research oriented and always looking for ideas outside of Milwaukee to support innovation. I\'m strategic and my project management background is more effective toward implementing new economic development plans that require energy and zeal to get them finished. Furthermore, implementing economic development helped me to understand the intricacies of how small and mid-size businesses work and what gaps need to be filled between businesses and the county\'s ability to support them to promote economic prosperity. <br /> <br />What separates Michael Mayo and I, is that I am to continuing to make connections with the district. He might be a chair or representative on different committees, but there are no developing connections with the public. It is disconcerting to hear when the people of District 7 have no idea who their county supervisor is or that someone can and should be advocating on their behalf. Based on canvassing, I\'ve found that Michael is not responsive and engaged with the community. I think that indicates that this is the point when new ideas, and a changing in the guard are necessary for progress. I have been knocking door to door, and constituents are realizing that I\'m young, visible, approachable, and have a lot of energy to promote the district and advocate for new policy. <br /> <br />I think Michael Mayo is nearing retirement and happy to go through the motions of voting on the board as long as his supervisory seat is uncontested. I want to provide another option on the ballot this April because I\'m far from retiring and ready to start fresh. <br /><strong> <br />Shepherd: </strong>Who has endorsed you? <br /><strong> <br />Buckner: </strong>I have no endorsements, but my hope is to ensure that the community endorsement if elected April 3rd would be the best endorsement that I can receive. </p> <p> </p> <p><strong>MICHAEL MAYO</strong></p> <p><strong>Shepherd:</strong> Tell me a bit about your background to introduce yourself to the Shepherd readers.<br /><strong><br />Mayo:</strong> I was elected 7th District Supervisor in a special election held in 1994 and re-elected in 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008. I am 1st Vice-Chairman of the County Board, Chairman of the Transportation, Public Works and Transit Committee and a member of both the Finance and Audit Committee and the Health and Human Needs Committee. I also serve on the Southeastern Regional Transit Authority and is Chair of Milwaukee County's Long-Range Transportation Planning Committee.<br /> <br />I graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and is an alumnus of Future Milwaukee. I am a licensed insurance broker. In addition to his other committee assignments, I served as the chairman of the Task Force on African and African American Investment and Trade and is currently a member of the Milwaukee County American Friends of Africa. I serve on the War Memorial Board of Directors. I am active with the Wisconsin Association of Counties as a member of its Taxation and Finance Committee.<br /> <br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>Where are you currently employed?<br /><br /><strong>Mayo: </strong>I am currently employed at Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. <br /><br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>Why are you running for office? <br /><br /><strong>Mayo: </strong>I'm running for office so that I may continue with job of providing good services to the constituents of the 7th District of Milwaukee County, by improving the cCounty transit services and strive to create family supporting jobs for the people of the community and bring businesses both large and small to Milwaukee County.<br /><br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>What are the top three issues that you want to address?<br /><strong><br />Mayo: </strong>The top issues to be addressed are transit funding, family supporting jobs as well as apprenticeship jobs, recruitment of businesses back into Milwaukee and providing safety net for senior, disabled, uninsured and the unemployed citizens of Milwaukee.<br /><br /><strong>Shepherd:</strong> How would you deal with them?<br /><strong><br />Mayo: </strong>It is important to collaborate with the private sector, recruit and create businesses in the Milwaukee County and utilize the economic development tools we have at the Milwaukee County to jobs.<br /><strong><br />Shepherd: </strong>How would you make Milwaukee Countyand specifically, this districtmore attractive to businesses and residents?<br /><br /><strong>Mayo: </strong>It would be necessary to collaborate with the state and federal government to recruit business and to work to establish brown field accounts.<br /><br /><strong>Shepherd:</strong> How would you boost revenues and/or cut spending?<br /><br /><strong>Mayo: </strong>Work with the state and other municipalities to provide services to other municipalities.<br /><br /><strong>Shepherd:</strong> What are your views of Gov. Walker's changes to collective bargaining, specifically their effect on county employees and the county's budget?<br /><br /><strong>Mayo: </strong>Governor Walker's Act 10 was a collective bargaining union buster. <br /><br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>Have the changes helped or hurt local governments?<br /><br /><strong>Mayo: </strong>Act 10 has changed the morale of the employees.<br /><strong><br />Shepherd: </strong>Should public safety employees have been included in all of the changes?<br /><br /><strong>Mayo:</strong> No employees should have been in the process.<br /><br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>What sets you apart from your opponent?<br /><br /><strong>Mayo: </strong>I have experience and the tenacity to get the job done. <br /><br /><strong>Shepherd: </strong>Who has endorsed you?<br /><strong><br />Mayo: </strong>My endorsements include ATU998, Deputy Sheriff, SIEU, Federation of Nurses, Milwaukee Firefighter Association 215, and District 48.<br /><br /></p> <p><br /><br /></p>
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