By Ashanti Hamilton
Ashanti Hamilton
On Monday (October 7), the Common Council’s Judiciary and Legislation Committee, which I chair, voted unanimously to oppose proposed state legislation (Senate Bill 318, authored by state Sen. Alberta Darling and state Rep. Joseph Sanfelippo, and also sponsored by a number of other Milwaukee area legislators) authorizing the City of Milwaukee to sell eligible school facilities to eligible purchasers.
In our vote, we sent a clear message to the sponsor and to supporters of the bill, encouraging them to schedule a public hearing on the bill in the City of Milwaukee.
A public hearing on the bill was scheduled to take place this morning at the State Capitol building in Madison.
We believe strongly that it is essential to give city residents – the population who would be most directly affected by this proposal – the opportunity to address their questions, opinions and concerns to the sponsors in a public hearing in Milwaukee.
In my opinion, not holding a public hearing on SB 318 in Milwaukee is akin to entirely dismissing the voices of city residents regarding this potentially far-reaching piece of legislation.