Photo courtesy of Milwaukee County
Marcelia Nicholson was elected in 2016 as County Supervisor for the 5th District, which includes parts of Downtown and the North Side. Last year she became the first Black woman to serve as chairperson of the County Board of Supervisors. In addition, Nicholson continues to serve on the Milwaukee Public Library and Milwaukee Art Museum boards along with the board of Local Progress, a national network that supports, connects and unites progressive local elected officials and allied organizations.
Please tell us about your background.
I was born and raised right here in Milwaukee. I grew up in the 53206 ZIP code, which most of us know is one of the poorest and most incarcerated in the nation. My upbringing here and my being a product of Milwaukee Public Schools has really informed my work and is a reason why I advocate so hard for issues such as racial equity, public education, and community-led economic development.
After high school I went to UW-Milwaukee, and after that I became a 4th grade teacher in Milwaukee Public Schools. This is where I began to get more involved in activism as a member of the Milwaukee Teachers Education Association. I worked to organize our members for better working conditions. It wasn’t long after this that I decided to run for the County Board.
What led you to run for County Board Chairperson in 2020? What changes or new directions did you want to pursue? What were your goals for your first year?
I ran for County Board Chairwoman because I believe in the ability of local government to improve our communities. In order to do that, you need public engagement and public trust.
Milwaukee County has suffered in reputation over the years from policy and oversight issues to internal and public conflict. And with differing constituencies and priorities, building consensus was sometimes a challenge. Despite our different districts however, we all share a common goal. That is to make Milwaukee County a place where people can live well and thrive in. We have a real opportunity to move towards a shared vision, and I wanted to be a part of moving us in that direction.
My goals for my first year were to support constituent services, provide robust staff training and engagement, more collaboration with the county executive, county clerk and other departments, as well as an inclusive and participatory budget and a streamlined policy adoption process that focuses on equity and sustainability. I am proud to share that despite an international pandemic, I have accomplished many of my goals and more.
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What are your longer-term goals for the county?
I have made achieving racial equity my number one priority. In 2019, I sponsored a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis in Milwaukee County. We were the first local government in the nation to do that. Since then, well over 100 others have taken our lead. Last year we took that a step further by creating an ordinance committing all departments to addressing structures and practices that contribute to racial health disparities. An example of this would be the racial equity budget tool that all departments are asked to use when completing their budget requests.
I’ve sponsored several other pieces of legislation that seek to address racial disparities including the creation and expansion of two committees to provide oversight of our strategic plan, and a resolution requesting reports from the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Transportation, and Circuit Court about what they can do to achieve our racial equity goals.
You were elected Chairwoman by your peers in April 2020, just a few weeks into pandemic lockdown. How did the pandemic change your job?
Most obvious is the fact that we have held every county board and committee meeting virtually. We have a full third of the county board who have never participated in an in-person meeting. Thankfully we are on track to be able to return to a hybrid model in September. I couldn’t be more excited, especially for those who have not had the incredible opportunity to be in the board room and feel that special energy.
The board has adjusted very well to working remotely. I successfully onboarded numerous staff members virtually and reorganized the department to better assist the supervisors and serve the public. I am also proud that we were able to create a system for the public to virtually provide live comment during committee meetings. Public participation is so important to our work as legislators and receiving that same level of feedback as when we were in-person is so beneficial.
Beside the pandemic, what’s been your greatest challenge as chairwoman?
Besides the pandemic, one of my greatest challenges is navigating erasure, racism, sexism and the challenges of working in a predominately male field. I’ve often been left out of media coverage or community narratives surrounding my leadership or initiatives that I created or lead. My policies and decisions receive an additional level of scrutiny, and mansplaining is usually an added layer. This is not often the case for my male colleagues.
Additionally, I have received threats from members of the public and invective around my policies and efforts to advance equity, eradicate racism, and protect our democracy.
The county board is a non-partisan body unlike the state legislature or Congress, what advantages do you see leading a non-partisan legislative body versus a partisan one?
I think that when you have a non-partisan body it can be easier to find common ground with other members, even if you may not agree on a particular issue. It makes it easier to see every member as an individual, and not just the letter next to their name.
In the past with the previous Milwaukee County Executive, who was in a constant fight with the county board, you and County Executive Crowley seem to have developed an excellent working relationship where you are both pulling in the same direction of trying to deliver for your constituents. What’s the trick to working together without acrimony?
County Executive Crowley and I have a great relationship. We have been friends since before either of us had run for any elected office. One of the reasons I ran for the board chair is I wanted to improve this friction between the legislative and executive branches. At the beginning of each of our terms, the county executive and I would meet for about an hour every week. We don’t get to meet quite as often anymore, but we still regularly communicate with each other. That communication really is key. Even if the county executive and I do disagree on any particular issue, we agreed that we would do it respectfully.
On the policy front the main issue appears to be the fact that Milwaukee County has been saddled with a structural deficit that forces significant budget cuts every year. What can be done about this seemingly intractable problem?
The budget continues to be an incredible challenge year after year. Balancing the last nine county budgets has required a cumulative cut of $280 million. And the cost of state-mandated services continues to grow as shared revenue remains stagnant. Without additional revenue we will have no local funds to invest in local priorities by 2027.
This is why we continue to advocate at the state level for the ability to generate local revenue to properly invest in the services we all enjoy. An additional .5% sales tax would generate around $80 million annually. This is money that can be spent on the backlog of deferred maintenance in our parks or bringing back the many bus routes we’ve had to cut over the years. Our ability to invest in these priorities enables the entire region to remain competitive.
Is there anything you want to add that I didn’t bring up?
Public service is a sacrifice and as a young leader in this community, it has been an honor to serve and give back to Milwaukee. While I love and thrive on this work, I also have many hobbies and interests. I am a baker, a plant mom, a painter, and I love to travel in my free time. When I am in my community, I like to show up genuinely and authentically, and when I inevitably end my tenure on the board, I want people to know that our humanity means more than a title to me. Like your readers, I want the best for Milwaukee and every resident that lives here.
