[Lekooks] Reason why we're walking

[Kerry Duma]

*Dear Kooks,*

*Below is an editorial that appeared in the Journal Sentinel on 2/22 that
explains why many of us are walking in Milwaukee neighborhoods on March
12.  There's also a news clip about the walks that you can watch here:  *
*http://fox6now.com/2016/02/20/mkes-common-ground-goes-door-to-door-to-increase-voter-turnout-in-mayoral-aldermanic-elections/
<http://fox6now.com/2016/02/20/mkes-common-ground-goes-door-to-door-to-increase-voter-turnout-in-mayoral-aldermanic-elections/>*

*If you'd like to join us, please let me know.*

Kerry
Neighborhoods matter

It is time for the citizens of Milwaukee to send a message to the
candidates for mayor and the Common Council that Milwaukee's neighborhoods
are as important as downtown.

Common Ground has begun the MKE Neighborhoods Now campaign, asking the
candidates for mayor and the Common Council to commit to work with us to
ensure that $80 million in new capital improvement funds are invested in
Milwaukee's neighborhoods. The city invested a similar amount to build a
new Bucks arena.

The $80 million neighborhood capital investment will be used to improve
outdoor athletic fields for our children, build a new south side indoor
youth and family soccer facility, revitalize the Center Street business
district, provide home improvement grants, repair streets and sidewalks,
demolish deteriorated properties and improve alley and street lighting
These are capital improvements that will strengthen Milwaukee neighborhoods.

Two-hundred and fifty Common Ground leaders talked to 1,000 fellow citizens
in the past two months identifying what improvements would be most
important to their neighborhoods. These leaders are now going door to door
in three aldermanic districts asking over 4,000 fellow citizens to vote in
the April 5 election. Common Ground will not tell people who to vote for,
but we will let them know that the quality of their neighborhood is
directly related to their willingness to be informed and to vote on April
5. Our goal is to increase voter turnout in selected wards by as much as
20%.

Common Ground is organizing aldermanic and mayoral candidate forums during
which candidates will be asked to respond to the MKE Neighborhoods Now
capital improvement plan. While Common Ground does not endorse candidates,
we believe that voters have a right to know which candidates are willing to
publicly commit to revitalizing Milwaukee neighborhoods.

Democracy only works when ordinary citizens are engaged in the local
political process, understanding who is truly representing the needs of the
communities we live in every day.

*Maria Barker*
*The Rev. Will Davis*
*Kathleen Wichman*
Co-Chairs, Common Ground
Neighborhoods Now Campaign
*Milwaukee*
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