GTLO Reasserts: No Amount Of Lead Is Safe

Get The Lead Out Coalition (GTLO) response to Milwaukee Water Works (MWW) and Coalition On Lead Emergency (COLE) July 24, 2023 community Town Hall.

Press release from GTLO dated July 31, 2023, posted by Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin – According to the EPA: “The MCLG (maximum contaminant level goals) for lead is zero. EPA has set this level based on the best available science which shows there is no safe level of exposure to lead. The fact that there is no safe level of exposure underscores the fact that any action to reduce exposures can have impacts on lives and livelihoods.”

On July 24, Milwaukee Water Works (MWW) and Coalition On Lead Emergency (COLE) hosted a community event to unveil a plan to remove antique lead laterals faster in our city. While we applaud efforts to speed up toxic lead lateral removal, as Milwaukee lags many other cities on this issue, we were underwhelmed by a plan that was light on details. We look forward to a robust, funded plan in the near future. Frankly this meeting left us with more questions than answers. Of note was MWW Superintendent Pauley and his Communications employee Brian Rothegerry’s responses to questions raised about flushing pipes for 3 minutes as a safety measure.

“Our results have been that flushing for 3 minutes has in almost all instances returned a no detect and when there is a detect level it is very low and I want to say 2 off hand is the average. We have hundreds of data points, not thousands…so is flushing going to get to zero? Unlikely.” said Patrick Pauley of MWW

Brian Rothegerry of MWW communications: “So the lead levels in most properties are at 2 or 3 or 4 parts per billion. The only time we find levels significantly higher than that is when we test the water at properties that are vacant.”

The Get The Lead Out Coalition takes the EPAs MCLG goal seriously. “2 or 3 or 4 parts per billion” of toxic lead coming through our tap water is causing harm. A little bit of harm is not acceptable.

We demand that MWW release this data to the public and inform every resident here that their water on average may have “2 or 3 or 4 parts per billion” of toxic lead and that the EPA says NO LEAD IS SAFE even if we fall under minimal compliance with the EPA. As the city continues to develop a plan while other cities rapidly remove this toxic infrastructure, we demand our city leaders provide more filters to all residents relying on drinking water that on average has “2 oe 3 or 4 parts per billion” of this toxin that never leaves our bodies. It is not for city bureaucrats to decide how much of this toxin is safe for our families to drink.

Full Milwaukee Water Works July 24, 2023 public hearing video by Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) at Mitchell Street Public Library Branch at link: https://youtu.be/vT2t2MPROL8

Federal Court In Hawaii Recommends Plaintiffs Kathryn Alamea-Xian And others Not To Drop Fraud Claim Against Defendant Delavan Police Department Det. Trevor G. Hinman

Alamea-Xian says, she will revise her federal Civil Rights lawsuit against Wisconsin state officials.

By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

July 31, 2023

Honolulu, Hawaii – On July 28, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii in a 39-page Findings and Recommendation to dismiss complaint CV NO. 23-00211 JAO-WRP decision recommended to plaintiffs Kathryn Alamea-Xian and others not to drop their fraud claim against Delavan Police Department Detective Trevor G. Hinman in Wisconsin.

Alamea-Xian and other plaintiffs filed a $75,000,000 in damages against Det. Hinman and other State of Wisconsin defendants. https://dockets.justia.com/docket/hawaii/hidce/1:2023cv00211/165067

Alamea-Xian confirmed to Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) on Monday that she will amend the pleading in the federal Civil Rights lawsuit in Hawaii to personally sue the Wisconsin STATE Defendants as it has become clear that the Federal Defendants were misrepresented by Det. Trevor G. Hinman in his fabricated police reports, according to the federal court findings and recommendations in Hawaii.

The U.S. District Court for the State of Hawaii stated that it did not recommend the Plaintiffs to drop their claim against Det. Hinman of the Delavan Police Department who allegedly fabricated felony criminal charges by citing “Kidnapped Minor to Sexually Assault” in his police supplemental filing report dated January 10, 2023 against both Alamea-Xian, 50, and Julie Valadez, 39. The federal court further gave Plaintiffs time to amend their pleading to sue the Wisconsin State Defendant’s in their personal capacities. Alamea-Xian stated that the amended pleading will be submitted and will leave out the former Federal parties as it has become clear that Det. Hinman and Wisconsin Attorney Kurt Schuster et al, have misrepresented them in this unconstitutional criminal investigation.

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Julie Valadez And Kathryn Alamea-Xian, Both Wanted In Walworth County, Wisconsin For Allegedly Interfering With Child Custody Of Another Parent, Are No Longer Living Together In Canada

Alamea-Xian allegedly claims that Julie and her “fell in love”, but have split up and “are no longer living together” in Canada.

By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

July 31, 2023

Vancouver, B.C., Canada – Over the weekend, Kathryn Alamea-Xian, 50, (K Jack Xian) from Protective Makua, a Hawaii based non-profit organization who has an active arrest warrant and is wanted in Walworth County, Wisconsin for one felony count of interfering with the custody of another parent and party to a crime posted in her personal Facebook account that she and Julie Valadez, 38, “fell in love” and “are no longer living together” in Canada.

Valadez is also wanted in Walworth County, Wisconsin and has an arrest warrant for one felony count for interfering with the custody of another parent and party to a crime stemming from her 15-year-old son who ran away from his abusive father in January 2023 and crossed into Canada to be with his mother, Julie and to seek refugee asylum, but was illegally detained and then extradited by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officials. Ricardo Valadez took custody of his son at the border in Canada and returned to Wisconsin with his son. His son has refused to live with his father and is now living with Julie’s parents.

Both Alamea-Xian and Julie sought asylum in Canada and were recently living together as they waited the outcome of their asylum refugee applications. They were detained on April 21, 2023 and held at the CBSA detention center in Surrey for 5 weeks until they were released with conditions. Alamea-Xian was released on May 29, 2023 and Julie on June 1, 2023.

The Delavan Police Department had sought for Alamea-Xian and Julie to be extradited to Wisconsin to face frivolous felony charges for kidnapped minor for sexual assault, which the false felony charges were filed in a police report and sent to the CBSA officials in order to get both Alamea-Xian and Julie extradited, which was unsuccessful when both Alamea-Xian and Julie received copies of the false Delavan Police supplement report filed by Detective Trevor G. Hinman and challenged Hinman’s false police supplement report. Both Alamea-Xian and Julie were not officially charged with kidnapped minor for sexual assault that Det. Hinman attempted to falsely indicate.

Alamea-Xian posted the following Facebook (FB) post shortly after learning that Julie had been detained (arrested) again when she appear at a CBSA weekly report session mandated under her released conditions. FB link: https://tinyurl.com/mv6kj85p

Alamea-Xian’s alleged claims on her FB post over the weekend reads, Refugee claimant and adjudged “vulnerable person,” Julie Valadez, was unconscionably arrested and detained again by CBSA on Thursday, July 27, 2023, despite the fact that she was determined by the IRB to be innocent of the fraudulent crimes that her ex-husband and domestic abuser, Ricardo Valadez and Delavan Police Det. Trevor Hinman, et al, have fabricated.

Last year, she sought refuge in Canada as an inland claimant, but CBSA interceded in her claim during the April federal worker strike and subjected the both of us to traumatic denials of our liberty. And the Ministry of Public Safety has accused me of being a threat to national security.

Let it now be known that the real reason why Julie suffers this injustice and why I bare the brunt of the outlandish false accusations of scared little American men who think they are above the law, is because Julie and I fell in love.

However, we are no longer together because of the extreme persecution, trauma, and toxicity of everyone surrounding Julie—people who had the moral duty or familial obligation to support her during her time of need.

But I will nevertheless continue to declare the injustice and pure evil that befalls her simply because she persists and strives to be finally free of their controlling and silencing snares.

The first time we were unconstitutionally detained, Julie spent both Mother’s Day and her 39th birthday in detention. Her emotionless homophobic parents never called her once. We were there over 5 weeks.

Before all this preventable injustice occurred, Julie wrote this poem that goes along a picture she drew that I hung on the wall:

“Pink and blue
which is you
swirling and twirling
lines and binds.
Together the picture is complete.
Sun and sand
sky and land
ocean with its calming sea.
The sky with its beauty
coming together and appreciating
each part.
We see things as they are.
Not as we are confined to be
but all of it together and free.”

Alamea-Xian was Julie’s domestic abused advocate and spokesperson from 2022 to 2023 through Protective Makua during the Waukesha County divorce case Julie Valadez v. Ricardo Valadez # 2018FA000296.

Julie’s four special needs children were illegally taken by Waukesha County family court Judge Michael J. Abrahamian and later affirmed by Judge Ralph M. Ramirez who replaced Aprahamian in the divorce case. Judge Ramirez continued to ignore the Wisconsin Court of Appeals order to remand and reverse the illegal decision by former Judge Aprahamian in the case to prevent divorced mother Valadez from seeing her own four kids.

Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) also learned that Julie Valadez has dropped out of a $75,000,000 federal Civil Rights lawsuit filed by Alamea-Xian against Wisconsin Guardian Ad Litem Attorney Molly Jasmer and more than 30 other defendants that included Waukesha and Walworth County judges, assist. D.A.s, law enforcement officers from the City of Delavan and Waukesha, multiple attorneys from Wisconsin, Ricardo Valadez and etc. Lawsuit link: https://tinyurl.com/5bcerm5t

Alamea-Xian confirmed that she will amend the pleading in the federal Civil Rights lawsuit in Hawaii to personally sue the Wisconsin STATE Defendants as it has become clear that the Federal Defendants were misrepresented by Det. Trevor Hinman in his fabricated police reports, according to the federal court review in Hawaii.

HNNUSA also learned that the Wisconsin State Public Defender Attorney Kathilynne A. Grotelueschen who currently represents Julie in her divorce case in Waukesha County is the wife of Walworth County District Attorney Zeke Wiedenfeld whose office decided to file criminal charges against Julie in connection with interfering with child custody of another parent stemming from her 15-year-old son’s run away incident last January 2023 in Delavan.

Attorney Grotelueschen on July 7, 2023 filed a letter in Waukesha County court to Judge Ramirez alleging that he illegally and unconstitutionally prevented Julie from filing any motions in court because she owed $750 to her ex-husband’s attorney.

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City of Waukegan Approved Fiestas Patrias Parade Special Events Permit For September 17, 2023

Fiestas Patrias will proceed with their annual Mexican Independence Day parade for September 17, 2023.

By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

July 24, 2023

Waukegan, Illinois – On Monday, Margaret Carrasco, the President of the Fiestas Patrias organization in Waukegan confirmed that the City of Waukegan approved their annual Mexican Independence Day parade for Sunday, September 17, 2023. Last week, Fiestas Patrias won an appeal on July 17th, when the Waukegan City Council voted 7-2 that indicated the City didn’t follow proper policies and procedures when Fiestas Patrias filed for a parade permit shortly after the January 9th application process initially began. Fiestas Patrias (FP) had applied for a parade permit from the City prior to January 9th and the City didn’t accept the parade permit application because it was to early to submit one. The FP organization attempted to re-apply and the City wouldn’t accept their application because they allegedly had an outstanding police service debt of at least $6,000.

Carrasco and her FP organization tried to pay nearly $3,000 that was actually owed for police services and not $6,000 that the City and the Waukegan Police Department were requesting. A new police chief was hired and later determined that indeed, Fiestas Patrias only owed at least $3,000 for police services, which they attempted to pay immediately, but it took the City nearly 7 months to bill Fiestas Patrias with an invoice. By then, Oscar Zepeda who operates and owns Puro Futbol Newspaper submitted a Mexican Independence Day parade permit application under Puro Futbol in February 2023 for a September 17th event, and afterwards Fiestas Patrias also reapplied again for a City parade permit on June 2023 for their special event on September 17th, according to the City of Waukegan Special Events coordinator.

Carrasco appealed the City’s multiple rejections of the FP’s permit application and won her appeal that indicated that the City erred in their procedures against FP.

Carrasco also claimed that Zepeda doesn’t have his business Puro Futbol registered with the State of Illinois, so Carrasco registered Puro Futbol in her name with the State.

FP will hold community events from September 1st to the 17th leading to the Mexican Independence Day parade and festival.

Fiestas Patrias has been organizing and holding a Mexican Independence Day parade and festival for the last 40 years in Waukegan.

Waukegan Mayor Ann Taylor was promoting Puro Futbol and their Mexican Independence Day parade for September 17th, but apparently, the City never approved a City parade permit for Puro Futbol.

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Edward Fallone And Amanda Avalos Resigned From The Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission Over Republican Act 12 Restrictive Provisions

Fallone and Avalos submitted their resignation from the Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission effective July 21, 2023.

By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

July 20, 2023

Milwaukee, Wisconsin – The Milwaukee Common Council confirmed on Thursday that both Edward “Ed” Fallone, Chairman and Amanda Avalos, Vice-chair of the Milwaukee Fire & Police Commission (FPC) have submitted their resignations effective Friday, July 21, 2023.

The Milwaukee Common Council released the following joint statement, the Wisconsin Act 12 included a number of outrageous provisions aimed specifically at the City of Milwaukee. Among them was removing the FPC’s authority to set policies for the police and fire departments, and transferring that responsibility to each department’s chief. This overreaching provision greatly diluted an important oversight responsibility held by the FPC, and is already causing talented, thoughtful individuals to leave their posts, in the end hurting the citizens of Milwaukee the most.

We on the Common Council have opposed these State-mandated provisions at every turn, and will continue to do what we can to right these wrongs.

The Act 12 included $21.7M in supplement Share Revenue aid to the City of Milwaukee, only if the Common Council accepted the restrictive provisions provided to the City. No Share Revenue restrictions were included for other municipalities in the state.

The City of Milwaukee is facing a $183M Gap (deficit) and by 2025 it will increase to $190M.

The majority of the Milwaukee Common (12-3 vote) accepted the 2% Sales Tax increase totaling 7.9% effective January 2024, thus accepting the provisions, which restricts the policy making authority of the FPC.

The FPC policy making is now shifted to the Milwaukee Police Department chief of police and the Milwaukee Fire Department chief.

Apparently, the Milwaukee Common Council failed to allow City taxpayers to decide on their own with a referendum, whether a 2% Sales Tax should be approved instead of the Common Council voting to approve it, strongly indicating a conflict of interest because they voted to fund and secure their own pensions with a sales tax increase.

Two Men Beaten By Outlaws MC Members From Out Of State At E. Brady Street During H-D 120th Anniversary And Homecoming Outdoor Gatherings In Milwaukee

Several unidentified men were beaten by multiple members of the Outlaws MC biker gang on E. Brady Street over the weekend while others watched.

By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

July 19, 2023

Milwaukee, Wisconsin – Over the weekend, several unidentified men were beaten by multiple members of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club (MC) biker gangs from Jacksonville, FL and Massachusetts at the 1300 E. Brady Street in Milwaukee. Hundreds of H-D enthusiasts gathered along E. Brady Street to drink and enjoy the local 4-day festivities in the Eastside of Milwaukee

The video (https://youtube.com/shorts/YPT99g-0_sQ) of the Outlaws altercation with several men circulated in social media without sound. Milwaukee police have not reported the assault of the two men or incident.

No other biker gang assaults or altercations were reported at the H-D 120th Anniversary and Homecoming events in Milwaukee.

Fiestas Patrias Wins Waukegan City Council Vote 7-2 For Appeal Review Against Conflicting Event By Puro Futbol To Hold September 17th Mexican Independence Day Parade On Same Day

The Waukegan City Council voted not to deny Fiestas Patrias appeal to seek a permit review to hold their Mexican Independence Day parade and festival on September 17, 2023.

By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

July 19, 2023

Waukegan, Illinois – On Tuesday, the Waukegan City Council voted 7-2 not to deny Fiestas Patrias appeal seeking approval for the September 17, 2023 City permit to hold their annual parade and festival in celebration of the Mexican Independence Day weekend, which is celebrated in Mexico on September 16.

The majority of the City Council on Tuesday decided that the City didn’t follow it’s policy and procedures when it denied a City department permit to Fiestas Patrias.

The City Council sent back the Fiestas Patrias appeal to the City departments for a permit review and decision whether Fiestas Patrias or Puro Futbol will get a City Special Events permit for a parade and festival in celebration of the Mexican Independence Day on September 17th.

During the City Council hearing on Tuesday, Margaret Carrasco, the President of the Fiesta Patrias Organization, a non-profit organization claimed that the City events department failed to fully investigate whether Puro Futbol operated by Oscar Zepeda was legally registered with the State of Illinois. According to some Waukegan officials, Puro Futbol didn’t have to be registered with the State to operate as a Spanish language publication. (Waukegan City Council hearing dated July 17, 2023 of the Fiestas Patrias appeal at time stamp 4:40:00: https://www.youtube.com/live/wCNM4uk2Qlc)

Carrasco informed the City Council that she recently registered the Puro Futbol name with the State and that Zepeda doesn’t own the business name, since it was never legally registered in his name with the State.

The City of Waukegan Special Events coordinator confirmed during the hearing that Fiestas Patrias permit application for a parade and festival was not accepted the first time because the Fiestas Patrias organization applied for the permit on January 1, 2023, for their anticipated event dated September 17th, which the actual day to begin applying for a City special events permit was on January 9, 2023.

Zepeda submitted a Mexican Independence Day parade and festival permit application under Puro Futbol in February 2023 for a September 17th event, and Fiestas Patrias also reapplied for a City permit on June 2023 for their special event on September 17th, according to the City of Waukegan Special Events coordinator.

Fiestas Patrias organization had been organizing and holding a Mexican Independence Day parade and festival for more than 40 years in the City of Waukegan and has always paid the costs for police service during the one-day event.

The Waukegan City Council majority vote automatically referred Fiestas Patrias appeal back to the City departments to review and decide whether Fiestas Patrias or Puro Futbol will get the City permit to hold their Mexican Independence Day parade on Sunday, September 17th.

Zepeda on Tuesday did not appear before the City Council’s hearing nor did he contest Fiestas Patrias appeal to challenged Puro Futbol’s permit application for the same day Mexican Independence Day parade and festival event.

The City of Waukegan doesn’t have the police resources to provide services for two similar events on the same day, the Waukegan City Council and the Waukegan Police Department confirmed.

Update:

Fiestas Patrias released letter dated July 19, 2923 to the Waukegan City Attorney’s Office.

Margaret Carrasco, President
FIESTAS PATRIAS
Waukegan, IL. 60085

Dear Attorney Stewart Weiss and Kelly Gandurski,

On Monday July 17, 2023, in response to my appeal submitted on June 17, 2023, of the denial of my two special event permit applications

I submitted to the City of Waukegan, for the Fiestas Patrias Parade and Celebration on Sept 17, 2023, the City Council conducted a hearing at its Regular City Council meeting on Monday 7/17/23 under agenda Item:

#8 Special Order of Business

A. HEARING ON APPEAL of DENIAL of SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT requested by Petitioner Margaret Carrasco /FIESTAS PATRIAS PARADE & CELEBRATION

The meeting commenced at 7:00 pm and Waukegan Aldermen were given an opportunity to hear my appeal along with a review of my supporting additional documentation I distributed to City Council Members and my witnesses Elizabeth Marrero and Uriel Vieyra as did the City of Waukegan’s Licensing and Finance Department Staff members Carlos Parrada and Shawn Nunag.

At the conclusion of the hearing, the City Council Members voted 7-2 in favor of our Appeal with 9th Ward Alderman Tom Hayes and 8th Ward Alderman Lynn Florian casting their vote against our appeal.

To date, I have not yet received any communication about this matter and have several questions. I have a meeting TONIGHT with all my volunteers and want to communicate the ACCURATE information to them to avoid any confusion or create any more chaos to the matter.

Our group would like to move forward in a POSITIVE format and avoid any more drama and focus on the celebration especially since the event is less than 2 months away.

1)  Please forward the minutes to agenda item reflecting the voting on the appeal and/ or advise what are the procedures to attain them or if I have to submit a FOIA request.

2) What is the approximate time frame that we can expect a formal letter from the City regarding the outcome.

3) What are the next steps?

4) What is the timeline of events of the next steps?

5) What are the possible outcome options, especially in light of the fact that the other applicant submitted FALSE informatio and I together with the members of FIESTAS PATRIAS are legally effective JULY 14, 2023 now the OWNERS of the opposing applicants “ FAKE “ company-

a) PURO FUTBOL – official  registered ” Assumed Business Name ”

b) PURO FUTBOL NEWSPAPER – File # 13501939

c) PURO FUTBOL NEWS – official  registered ” Assumed Business Name ”

Respectfully,

Margaret Carrasco

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25-year-old Christopher Cruz-González Charged With The Homicid e Of Orlando Rodriguez-Rivera, 33, In The Southside Of Milwaukee

Cruz-González is facing life in prison for the July 13, 2023 homicide of Rodriguez-Rivera in the Southside of Milwaukee.

By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

July 18, 2023

Milwaukee, Wisconsin – On Tuesday, Christopher Cruz-González, 25, made his initial court appearance and was charged with 1st-degree intentional homicide including habitual criminal repeater and use of a dangerous weapon; 1st-degree reckless injury including habitual criminal repeater and use of a dangerous weapon; 1st-degree recklessly endangering safety including habitual criminal repeater and use of a dangerous weapon, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and habitual criminal repeater for the July 13, 2023 homicide of Orlando Rodriguez-Rivera, 33, at the 1900 block of S. 23rd Street in Milwaukee.

If convicted, Cruz-González is facing life in prison without the possibility of parole for the homicide; 25 years in prison and up to $100,000 in fines for reckless injury; 12 years and 6 months in prison and up to $25,000 in fines for endangering safety and up to 10 years in prison and $25,000 in fines for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to the criminal complaint, police were able to recover video surveillance footage from nearby homes showing Cruz-González walking up to Rodriguez-Rivera and a 27-year-old woman with a 2-year-old child by the porch steps. Cruz-González after a brief time then shot at Rodriguez-Rivera fatally striking him and at the direction of the woman and the child.

The woman was struck in the arm and the child was not injured.

Cruz-González ran from the crime scene, but returned to the scene after police arrived. A police officer at the scene spotted Cruz-González nearby after receiving a description of the suspect. Cruz-González was taken into custody and he admitted to police that he shot Rodriguez-Rivera.

Police recovered 7 spent cartridges at the scene, which matched Cruz-González’s handgun, according to the criminal complaint.

Poor Cellphone And Internet Signal Reported At H-D 120th Anniversary Veterans Park Foo Fighters Live Concert

Tens of thousands of H-D 120th Anniversary Foo Fighters live concert attendees experienced poor or nearly none existent cellphone and internet signal service at the lakefront music venue.

By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

July 16, 2023

Milwaukee, Wisconsin – On Saturday, H-D 120th Anniversary organizers at Veterans Park music concert that featured the Foo Fighters could not confirmed, if cellphone and internet signals were actually blocked by jammers to prevent copyright infringements at the music venue. Most cellphone videos and live transmission on social media was virtually non-existent within the H-D 120th Anniversary lakefront music venue.

No complimentary WiFi internet service was provided to concert attendees at the Veterans Park music venue over the weekend, except for organizers, law enforcement, medical emergency crews and security workers.

Some unconfirmed reports indicate that at least 45,000 attendees were reported on Saturday night for the live Foo Fighters (rock band) performance at Veterans Park.

Tens of thousands H-D motorcycle enthusiasts converged in Milwaukee over the weekend to help celebrate the 120th Anniversary of Harley-Davidson in Milwaukee.

Most popular music, food & beverage vendor and merchandise vendors were at the H-D Museum and local H-D dealerships in the metropolitan Milwaukee area. The House of Harley-Davidson in Greenfield had more than 70 vendors in their 4-day celebration over the weekend.

An estimated 220,000 H-D motorcycle enthusiasts from around the U.S., Caribbean, Latin America including Mexico, Asia and from other parts of the World were in Wisconsin including Milwaukee to help celebrate the 120th Anniversary of Harley-Davidson, according to H-D motorcycle enthusiasts at venues, but no official estimates have been released yet by H-D 120th Anniversary organizers and local hotel/motel business groups.

More than $150M of economic boost was contributed to the local economy by the H-D motorcycle enthusiasts during the 3-day official anniversary celebration, which some H-D dealerships in Milwaukee and around Wisconsin scheduled a four-day celebration beginning last Thursday, July 12 through Sunday, July 16, 2023.

H-D Corp. also confirmed that it will start celebrating their anniversary annually next year for their H-D 121th Anniversary beginning July 25-28, 2024 instead of every five years, which smaller motorcycle rallies were organized by area dealerships leading to the five year H-D anniversary celebration.

Update:

H-D Inc. 120th Anniversary organizers released the following estimated stats;

• More than 80,000 attended the weekend Homecoming rally music concerts in Milwaukee

• 7,000 H-D motorcycles participated in Sunday’s parade through downtown Milwaukee

• 73,000 motorcycles were parked at the H-D Museum and the S. 6th Viaduct during the 4-day weekend Homecoming celebration

• At least 130,000 H-D motorcycle enthusiasts enjoyed food from the food trucks at various dealershipsin Milwaukee including other Wisconsin locations and H-D Museum locations

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Conflict Of Interest Raised, After The Majority Of The Milwaukee Common Council Voted To Implement A 2% Sales Tax To Benefit Their Own Pensions Instead Of Letting Taxpayers Decide By Referendum To Increase Taxes

Was it a conflict of interest for the majority of the Milwaukee Common Council to vote in favor of approving a 2% Sales Tax increase to benefit their own pension growth in the guise that they were preventing the loss of City jobs, instead of letting City taxpayers decided by a referendum vote? The City will face a 7.9% Sales Tax hike for some purchases, where’s the outrage?

By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

July 12, 2023

Milwaukee, Wisconsin – On Tuesday, July 11, 2023, the Milwaukee Common Council on a vote of 12-3 passed the 2% sales tax increase.

What a bunch of fools! The City will face a 7.9% Sales Tax hike for some purchases, where’s the outrage?

Any public elected officials that support and votes for a tax increase without a fight to get additional Share Revenues from the State, shouldn’t be re-elected.

Alders that voted in favor of the 2% Sales Tax:

Jóse G. Pérez (Council President); JoCasta Zamarripa; Marina Dimitrijevic; Jonathan Brostoff; Robert Bauman; Lamont Westmoreland; Kalif J. Rainy; Larissa Taylor; Michael J. Murphy; Mark A. Borkowski; Scott Spiker and Russell J. Stamper II

Alders that opposed the 2% Sales Tax increase

Andrea M. Pratt; Michele A. Coggs and Mark Chambers Jr.

The 2% Sales Tax increase will go into effect January 1, 2024. It is expected to generate $198M for the City, which most will be used for the City employees pension that continues to increase.

So far, no taxpayer including the City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County have attempted to challenged or filed a legal challenge against the State of Wisconsin for unfair distribution of Share Revenues.
For example, the City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County keep the State afloat economically because both contribute the largest combine tax revenue than any other municipality and County in the state. But, both get less in Share Revenue to operate efficiently per year.

In other words, the City and County taxpayers pay more than their fare share of combined taxes, but get less in Share Revenue from the State.

Milwaukee County pays nearly $3B in taxes to the State per year and the State only returned $230M in Share Revenue for 2023.

The City of Milwaukee also pays the State more than its fair share of combined taxes to the State and it only returns about $219.4M for the City of Milwaukee to operate efficiently. The estimated total of combined taxes that the City pays the State is undetermined, but it pays more than any other municipality in the State.

Since 2018, the Republican controlled legislature made it possible for the Wisconsin Department of Revenue to stop reporting or tracking how much municipalities pay the State in totaled taxes.

For any elected public official to support and vote for a tax increase in Milwaukee County and the City should not be re-elected, simply because they have failed to challenged the State for not returning more of the Share Revenues needed to operate the City and County efficiently.

The State of Wisconsin reported a $7B tax surplus for 2023.

Lastly, It also looks like the majority of Milwaukee Common Council members who voted for the 2% Sales Tax increase seemed to benefit because they are included in the pension fund, which no doubt can be considered a conflict of interest.

The Common Council failed to put the 2% Sales Tax increase in a referendum vote for the City of Milwaukee taxpayers to decide, if an increase was needed, instead for the Common Council who will benefit in securing additional tax funding for their own pensions to decide a 2% Sales Tax increase was actually needed, through the guise that it would save City jobs instead of suing the State to get more Share Revenues returned to the City in order to operate efficiently and without an annual Gap.

Update: