By Lynda L. Jones
Mayor Tom Barrett (center) is joined by Eric Gass, Public Health Research and Policy Director, City of Milwaukee Health Department (l), and City of Milwaukee Health Commissioner, Dr. Bevan Baker (r) at a press conference this week, where the mayor made his appeal to the governor for the grant application. (Photo by Robert A. Bell)
Mayor Tom Barrett called a press conference this week to make an appeal to Governor Scott Walker to write a letter of support regarding the City of Milwaukee’s grant application for more than $20 million in federal health care funds.
Accompanied by Milwaukee Health Commissioner Bevan Baker and Eric Gass, Public Health Research and Policy Director City of Milwaukee Health Department, Barrett said that he does not know exactly where Gov. Walker stands on the issue, but he does know that Dennis Smith, state secretary of Health Services, is not in support of the state receiving the funds, nor is he supportive of Milwaukee, the largest city in the state receiving them either.
“The state already has accepted $37 million from the same pot of federal money for technology,” Barrett stated.
For Secretary Smith to take a stance against federal funds now is not part of the reality that Milwaukee faces on a daily basis. Because the funds were authorized as part of President Barack Obama’s health care reform package, which Walker opposes, Barrett said of state officials, “They want to walk away from this money for ideological purposes.” If Wisconsin doesn’t apply, the federal government will spend the money in other states, Barrett said.
The city’s Health Department is seeking $959,521 a year, for five years, for prevention and education programs on quitting smoking, reducing secondhand smoke, encouraging physical activity and nutrition, fighting diabetes, obesity and reducing deaths from heart attack and stroke throughout Milwaukee County. University Health Services, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is seeking another $23 million for similar programs in the state’s other 71 counties.
Milwaukee is the 16th highest in the country for obesity.
“I am asking for the Governor to please let Milwaukee have a chance at these funds.” Barrett said.
The deadline for this application is July 15, and Commissioner Baker has already been instructed by the mayor to prepare the letter. The process for the grant requires a letter of support from the governor, nothing more. The state loses nothing, but Milwaukee has much to gain.
And like the high speed rail funds, if Milwaukee doesn’t apply, the funds will just go to another state, and again Milwaukee will lose out.
The mayor also stated that there are already coalitions formed to work together for this grant, if Milwaukee gets the money. Organizations such as the YWCA, the Boys and Girls Clubs and the Medical College are a few of the organizations that are already in place to begin the work.
The mayor stressed that this is not the time for ideology or in this reporter’s words “politics”. Preventive health care saves money, does it not, and how can these funds be duplicating anything as Smith has reportedly stated. These programs cost the state nothing, if this issue is looked at from a tax and financial issue, then individuals like Smith should be in favor of it.
Congresswoman Gwen Moore, who has been trying to plead a case for Wisconsin and Milwaukee in spite of the current state administration made a request to Kathleen Sebelius, federal secretary of Health and Human Services, to waive the rules and allow the city to apply without state support. However, Barrett stated that this would not help Milwaukee for the current application process. But he did and continues to thank Cong. Moore for her efforts in fighting for Milwaukee on the federal level.
Gov. Walker’s office had no comment on the matter at the time that we went to press.