MMAc's sheehy looks toward a greater milwaukee
By: Zachary Kozinski
Tim Sheehy envisions a Milwaukee where everyone has a job, where low-income kids can afford to go college, and where Milwaukee is a heavy hitter in the world market. If Sheehy has his way, this dream will become a reality.
Sheehy is president of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC), an organization of over 1,800 businesses committed to improving the economic future of Milwaukee. The MMAC’s goals are to make Milwaukee globally competitive in economics; create a workforce of skilled workers; and transform Milwaukee into a city of talent and commerce.
When asked about where the city is progressing as a whole, Sheehy explained that Milwaukee is at a stand still, with no change from how it was 10 years ago.
“Well, to answer this, it’s kind of a relative question,” said Sheehy, “A better question would be where we are compared to a year ago, five years ago, or even 10 years ago? When the recession hit in 2007 and 2008, we’ve just recently recovered from then. But 10 years later, we’ve stayed the same.”
Sheehy and other MMAC leaders believe a new downtown arena and sports and entertainment complex is one answer to helping Milwaukee move forward. While Sheehy believes there are more urgent issues for Milwaukee, he says building the arena is an economic priority.
The MMAC isn’t the only private source that supports a new arena for Milwaukee, Marquette University’s athletic officials see it as a priority, as well, said Marquette Spokesperson Brian Dorrington.
“We see this as being much bigger than Marquette basketball, or Milwaukee Bucks Basketball, but really being a significant catalyst for the entire region,” Dorrington said.
If Milwaukee lost the Bucks, then the state of Wisconsin would be missing out on $400 million in player salary taxes, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. On the contrary, building the stadium would cost Wisconsin $500 million, half being covered by private donations, the other half by tax funds.
The stadium would generate an estimated $750 million in capitol investments for the state, Sheehy said. In addition, it would bring many jobs to Milwaukee such as people needing to build the stadium, working the stadium, and marketing it through billboards and others ads.
The stadium is expected to bring in millions in marketing dollars for Milwaukee by drawing tourists to the city, which would be a boon to local businesses. Those dollars would also help better balance the state budget, which in turn, would help fund education.
Education, especially in Milwaukee, has taken a huge hit recently from state budget cuts. One example is the $250 million-budget cut to the University of Wisconsin college system. Not only was the UW System hurt by the budget cuts, the Milwaukee Public Schools also have been adversely impacted.
While the budget cuts were necessary to balance the budget, Sheehy believes the funds are being pulled from the wrong source: Education.
Last March, MPS took a $28 million cut in funding, according to a recent report by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
“Money does play a big factor in deciding if a district flourishes or not,” said Sheehy, “But you can’t throw money at a school district and expect it to get better.”
One problem that Sheehy sees is that young people in Milwaukee aren’t achieving to their full potential due to difficulties at home. Many kids come from low-income households, and come to school with a burden already on them, making education more of a challenge, he said.
Since the MMAC doesn’t have any influence on the state budget, it has to be creative in order to help Milwaukee’s low-income youth, Sheehy said.
The organization gives numerous scholarships to disadvantaged students to help them get to college. The MMAC also makes many private donations to education to alleviate the loss of funding allocated due to state budget cuts.
“It’s kind of like indirect self interests,” Sheehy said. “We do want to help these people, but we end up saving ourselves in the process. Who’s going to be the next MMAC if no one owns businesses?”
Tim Sheehy envisions a Milwaukee where everyone has a job, where low-income kids can afford to go college, and where Milwaukee is a heavy hitter in the world market. If Sheehy has his way, this dream will become a reality.
Sheehy is president of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC), an organization of over 1,800 businesses committed to improving the economic future of Milwaukee. The MMAC’s goals are to make Milwaukee globally competitive in economics; create a workforce of skilled workers; and transform Milwaukee into a city of talent and commerce.
When asked about where the city is progressing as a whole, Sheehy explained that Milwaukee is at a stand still, with no change from how it was 10 years ago.
“Well, to answer this, it’s kind of a relative question,” said Sheehy, “A better question would be where we are compared to a year ago, five years ago, or even 10 years ago? When the recession hit in 2007 and 2008, we’ve just recently recovered from then. But 10 years later, we’ve stayed the same.”
Sheehy and other MMAC leaders believe a new downtown arena and sports and entertainment complex is one answer to helping Milwaukee move forward. While Sheehy believes there are more urgent issues for Milwaukee, he says building the arena is an economic priority.
The MMAC isn’t the only private source that supports a new arena for Milwaukee, Marquette University’s athletic officials see it as a priority, as well, said Marquette Spokesperson Brian Dorrington.
“We see this as being much bigger than Marquette basketball, or Milwaukee Bucks Basketball, but really being a significant catalyst for the entire region,” Dorrington said.
If Milwaukee lost the Bucks, then the state of Wisconsin would be missing out on $400 million in player salary taxes, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. On the contrary, building the stadium would cost Wisconsin $500 million, half being covered by private donations, the other half by tax funds.
The stadium would generate an estimated $750 million in capitol investments for the state, Sheehy said. In addition, it would bring many jobs to Milwaukee such as people needing to build the stadium, working the stadium, and marketing it through billboards and others ads.
The stadium is expected to bring in millions in marketing dollars for Milwaukee by drawing tourists to the city, which would be a boon to local businesses. Those dollars would also help better balance the state budget, which in turn, would help fund education.
Education, especially in Milwaukee, has taken a huge hit recently from state budget cuts. One example is the $250 million-budget cut to the University of Wisconsin college system. Not only was the UW System hurt by the budget cuts, the Milwaukee Public Schools also have been adversely impacted.
While the budget cuts were necessary to balance the budget, Sheehy believes the funds are being pulled from the wrong source: Education.
Last March, MPS took a $28 million cut in funding, according to a recent report by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
“Money does play a big factor in deciding if a district flourishes or not,” said Sheehy, “But you can’t throw money at a school district and expect it to get better.”
One problem that Sheehy sees is that young people in Milwaukee aren’t achieving to their full potential due to difficulties at home. Many kids come from low-income households, and come to school with a burden already on them, making education more of a challenge, he said.
Since the MMAC doesn’t have any influence on the state budget, it has to be creative in order to help Milwaukee’s low-income youth, Sheehy said.
The organization gives numerous scholarships to disadvantaged students to help them get to college. The MMAC also makes many private donations to education to alleviate the loss of funding allocated due to state budget cuts.
“It’s kind of like indirect self interests,” Sheehy said. “We do want to help these people, but we end up saving ourselves in the process. Who’s going to be the next MMAC if no one owns businesses?”