Addressing the Problems Facing Working Families: A Conversation with Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson

Do you ever wonder if anyone is trying to solve the economic issues facing middle and working-class residents across Wisconsin? Civic Media’s Earl Ingram tackles this topic during a recent episode of The Earl Ingram Show with guests Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and Sandy Williams.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0TH6JqHCBNAbDaXd3afTuL

A small business incubator became a big focus of President Joe Biden’s visit to Wisconsin in late December. The President’s stop featured the efforts underway at the Wisconsin Black Chamber of Commerce in Milwaukee. It offers support, classes, information about grants and loans, and much more. Those involved describe it as a place that is replenishing hope.

The work of the Wisconsin Black Chamber also turned into a jumping-off point for a lively discussion on The Earl Ingram Show, including questions about the economic issues facing middle and working-class residents in the state. 

Targeted Investments in Milwaukee and Wisconsin

“How are we going to fix the inequality facing our middle-class families?” Earl Ingram asks.

Our city is in line for a grant which would create new, family-supporting, good paying jobs, and offering stability.

Mayor Cavalier Johnson, City of Milwaukee

“What we are working on here, lines up with the President’s goals by supporting small businesses,” Mayor Cavalier Johnson says. “We cannot leave any community behind and President Biden is making targeted investments, which includes Milwaukee and Wisconsin. Our city is in line for a grant which would create new, family-supporting, good paying jobs, and offering stability.”

“New, small businesses are important,” Ingram agrees. “We can’t rely on the old jobs or those that left the area. Those just aren’t going to come back.”

“Folks once had good paying jobs, with great opportunities for work here,” the Mayor explains. “But over time, businesses left, neighborhoods fell into poverty, violence and crime grew.”

Low-Paying Jobs

The debate about what happened in a city like Milwaukee continues when a caller shares his story.

“I was a teacher for many years,” the caller says. “I didn’t make a lot of money, but the idea today that $15 an hour can support a family is a joke! How do you even pay your taxes and other bills? Politicians don’t care about anyone but themselves.”

“When you mention jobs and pay, families now are living paycheck to paycheck,” Sandy Williams, a regular guest on The Earl Ingram Show says. “Benefits have been lost, there are too many low-paying positions, and we need to recognize this is a huge problem. There needs to be attention to this, bi-partisan support, but to make it happen, this issue of middle-class inequality has to boil up!”

“We have to get this message to resonate,” Ingram says.

“Job training is important with the trades, service sector offering the largest number of openings,” Williams says. “But we need businesses to pay a living wage. The pendulum has to swing back, and people in the middle, thinking they are alone in all of this, need to know this is a shared fight.”

Investments in Small Businesses

“I go back to the Wisconsin Black Chamber as an example,” the Mayor adds. “We need a similar investment in small businesses across the state, and we have to give everyone the ability to compete. Making sure there’s high-speed internet for all is another piece of the puzzle.”

The show comes to a close with a heartfelt thought from Ingram. “What if we all, including our officials, start thinking as we often do during the holidays,” he says. “It would mean getting together to share goodwill with a common goal to provide new jobs which offer stability, respect, and dignity.”

Listen to the full episode: