>> We all think we know what government is.
>> How it works and what it does.
>> But what is it really?
What do we mean by "government"?
>> Is it this? >> Or this?
>> Are these people the government? >> Are you?
>> These are just some of the questions we'll
try to answer for you today. >> On Engage.
>> Hi, I'm Paloma. >> My name's Zach.
And we're at a crime scene. There's no police tape.
Nobody was hurt. But property was damaged.
And the community is suffering.
>> Tagging like this makes the whole neighborhood look bad.
A trashed neighborhood affects everyone involved.
>> And who helps clean this up?
Neighbors? Police? Politicians?
>> How about all of the above?
Let's take a look at a brand new plan
that gets everyone involved.
>> The city of Milwaukee is a city of neighborhoods.
And some of those neighborhoods face significant challenges
with graffiti and other crimes. In recent years, community
groups have joined with the police to fight crime
at the neighborhood level. A few years ago, after the
arrest of a group of taggers, the police, along with state
and local government, teamed up with a non-profit group
to create a new program called Operation Payback.
>> It all started with a group of
individuals who were arrested for graffiti.
>> I was assigning cases.
And I had gotten one case that was for graffiti.
>> A group of between 12 and 14 individuals
who did graffiti throughout Milwaukee.
>> Then a couple of days later, I got
two other cases that were for graffiti.
>> Tens of thousands of dollars worth of graffiti damage.
>> And I was looking at what the judge had ordered.
>> The judges ordered that they had to do community
service, 250 hours, plus.
>> Where they had to remove graffiti.
>> 250 hours is a lot of hours.
>> We didn't have resources. How can we get this done
without resources? And I thought to myself, wow,
this is going to take a lot of coordination.
What do I do? So, I got on the horn, got on the telephone.
>> I told her that, you know,
this is something that community partners has done in the past,
and we'd definitely be able to help her out, you know,
help her with this project.
My name's Aaron Edwards. I work with Safe & Sound
Community Partners. I'm a community organizer.
Safe & Sound is an anti-crime organization, where we
basically work off a three-pronged approach with community,
law enforcement, and youth. We met at a target team meeting
that we hold on a monthly basis at all the police districts.
>> The Captain was there, and Aaron was there, and other
community partners were there.
>> We came up with a plan that, you know, we'd work in partnership
with Probation and Parole, Safe & Sound Community Partners,
the Milwaukee Police Department to go out into the
neighborhoods and remove graffiti.
>> Alderman Bob Donovan was in that
meeting and liked what was said.
>> We have to combine our resources and bring everyone
to the table. That's what's happened with this program.
>> Despite the agencies, despite the different
departments, we've got to get this done.
>> Together, that's where that power of collaboration came.
>> We talked about what we would need, who was going to do what.
>> We set up another meeting. Worked out the details,
and just went from there. We went full force with it.
All these organizations coming together and working effectively.
>> Operation Payback started as a
program for taggers to clean up their
own graffiti, but once they were done,
the program kept going, as other
offenders with community service hours to fill joined in.
The program also expanded beyond cleaning up graffiti.
>> How can we make this more than just painting out graffiti?
Somebody said, well, we can do neighborhood cleanup,
picking up trash, as well as flyering the neighborhoods to let the
neighbors in the area know, you know, how these
offenders are paying back to the community.
The offenders report to the station.
>> Everyone did something wrong, but you're giving back.
We also want to give back to you. We talk to them.
We let them know, you know, we're here to help.
You're here to serve your sentence, serve
your community time that the judge ordered.
>> You get out there, we get the job done,
and we get the job done right.
>> We let them know, kind of like the ground rules.
No cell phones. No goofing around.
>> We let offenders know,
you did something wrong. You're giving back
to the community by doing community service.
But we also want to let you know that we're giving back to you.
>> So once we have our little talk, we load up the vehicles
with the paint supplies and cleanup supplies.
We keep all the graffiti removal equipment, the paint,
supplies for that, supplies for garbage pickers,
the bags for picking up garbage, we have it secured
at the Police Station. As a group, the officers, Probation
and Parole officers, and the community partners will
go to the different locations that have the graffiti.
>> It's kind of like the broken windows theory.
>> The broken windows theory or philosophy is if
you leave the windows broken, or garbage around,
it's going to expand and it's going to get worse.
So this is fixing the broken windows.
It's weeding out the garbage, weeding out the graffiti,
making it look a little neater so the undesirable element
doesn't want to be there. We're taking care of the
street and the graffiti. Hopefully, the owner will
take pride in their own yard and make sure that
it's cleaned up and looks nice, too, to get rid
of that broken window.
A lot of the offenders, when they first come, they're
very apprehensive in talking with the officers.
But as they come week after week, it's interesting
to see how the offenders are interacting with them.
We're working with offenders who have never known the police officers
as a friend, or as an ally, that they can go to for resources.
>> I think that what happens, they get to
see each other in a whole different light.
Instead of being chased, or feeling like
this is an adversarial type of relationship,
they're working hand-in-hand on doing something positive.
>> A lot of these kids go out and do this, thinking it's a
victimless crime, that they're not hurting anybody by doing it.
>> I feel like it's a bad thing that they done.
I feel like it's a good thing that we're doing.
But I feel like it's bad what they've done.
>> A lot of people could say it's a victimless crime,
but it costs a lot of money to clean up. It causes
a lot of people harm, looking at this every day.
It's just not pretty.
>> That brings about, we hope, a change in how
they feel about themselves, how they feel
about what they contributed to the community, and maybe
change some of those behaviors that brought them
to the Corrections system to begin with.
>> One of our main aspects is to go door to door in
our sectors, and talk to the residents to see what's
going on in their blocks. >> We go out every Tuesday
with Operation Payback, in collaboration with the
Police Department, Probation and Parole, and Safe & Sound.
>> We try to set up block watches with residents.
We take in their concerns, and then forward those
to the appropriate areas. >> I go door to door, and
I try to speak with residents. I knock on every
door in the area. And I give them the information
about our agency, to start with, Safe & Sound.
(speaking Spanish)
>> We then empower those residents with the tools
and the know-how on how they can handle it.
(speaking Spanish) >> Okay.
What we did, is we came up with several flyers
that reach out to residents on the graffiti problem.
So, I talk to the residents and I ask them,
have you had any problems with graffiti on your block?
And if so, what have you done? Have you called to report it?
>> So, by having a block watch on your block,
you become the ears and eyes of that neighborhood.
>> The main thing is to educate residents on
the importance of reporting.
>> It's amazing, we're walking the streets
picking up garbage with the offenders.
>> Nice to meet you. It's a good thing you guys are doing.
>> The number of citizens that will come up and talk to
us, and ask us what's going on, so we can build that
relationship with them. The main purpose is to better
equip the residents with resources, overall quality
of life, bettering that in the neighborhoods.
I mean, just trying to make it a cleaner and safer place.
The one thing you want people to know is you have folks
that are out there to help you. And as an organizer,
I'm one of those that can do that.
>> I'm a big advocate of city departments, other community
based organizations working together. I think that's certainly
the wave of the future.
>> I think it's important for the residents
to see all the groups working together.
After all, they are the taxpayers, but what better way to
see your local government and police and community based
organizations working all together for them?
We're giving back. And you know, the offenders are
an aspect of that, where they're giving back to the community.
>> I have seen individuals who have come through this program
where the police have connected them with job opportunities,
with GED and educational opportunities. That's important.
>> To help these offenders who are on Probation
and Parole to be successful in the community,
to become part of the community.
>> It's been a great, positive thing,
in the fact that we've got this relationship
we now have with the police.
That has just been enhanced because of this.
>> I enjoy working with people
and helping them. The reward at the end of the day is
knowing that I gave them something that can either
better equip their life or their situation that they're in.
Overall, just helping people, that's my goal.
That's where my passion is. We hope to keep moving
it forward, because it is a very rewarding program.
It feels good at the end of the day.
>> For more information, visit
us on the Web at: ecb.org/engage
>> We all think we know what government is.
>> How it works and what it does.
>> But what is it really?
What do we mean by "government"?
>> Is it this? >> Or this?
>> Are these people the government? >> Are you?
>> These are just some of the questions we'll
try to answer for you today. >> On Engage.
>> Hi, I'm Zach. >> And I'm Paloma.
One of the most important things that local government
does is run public schools, like this one.
>> And who pays for these schools, the buildings,
the equipment, teachers? We do. You, me,
parents, friends, anyone who pays their taxes.
>> So when it comes time to pay the bills, it's a pretty
good bet that people will have something to say about it.
And what happens if there isn't enough money to pay those bills?
What happens to the schools?
>> Let's take a little trip and find out.
Welcome to Paris!
(screeching sound) No, not that Paris.
Paris, Wisconsin.
Tucked away in the southeast corner of the state,
near Kenosha, this rural town is home to just over 1,500
men, women and children. Of the many notable
landmarks, one in particular might not catch your eye.
But right now, an event is taking place inside this
building that will shape the future of this town
for years to come. It all starts in this building, Paris
Elementary School, rated one of the top schools in Wisconsin.
>> It's still a small, close-knit group of students.
The teachers know all the students. All the students
know all the teachers.
>> My math teacher is Mrs. Schon.
>> My teacher is Mrs. Renak.
>> My math teacher, she's really cool.
>> She's probably my favorite teacher.
>> She's awesome. >> I don't really have
a favorite teacher. They're all really nice.
>> I am a graduate of the class of 1982. That's me,
right there, with the really slick plaid sports coat.
>> It's not just the outside
of the school that's good, it's the inside.
>> Paris has a very family-like setting.
>> As always, a fun place to be, a fun place to learn.
>> The school itself, I think, is wonderfully run.
I think the administrator does a great job.
I've been impressed with the teachers that my children have had.
>> They love their school.
>> I think it's a great community.
>> It's a great environment for them.
>> It's a great school.
>> But for all the wonderful things about Paris and its school,
a storm is moving through, and it's splitting the residents apart.
>> Currently, we are showing that we will not have
enough money to run the operations of the school.
>> Yes, we are in financial trouble right now.
>> If another source of income is not found.
>> We were in very serious shape.
There was a crisis at hand.
>> This school is in danger of closing.
>> With funding from the state, and revenue limits in place,
we're not able to generate the revenue
that's necessary to operate our building.
>> Expenditures are just exceeding our revenues.
>> It's shocking to see that this situation was
created so quickly. And you know, it's a train wreck.
>> To school officials, the answer seemed simple.
Raise more money by increasing taxes.
So in April, the town of Paris held a referendum.
>> A referendum is where you go to the public asking a question.
And in this case, we are asking the question, can we
have operating funds to continue operating the school?
>> A referendum is kind of the natural step that you take
if you're a school district, if you're facing a shortfall.
>> So, the referendum is basically asking the people
for permission to tax them above the revenue caps
that are set by the state.
>> And on April 7, the residents of Paris voted.
>> The first referendum failed.
>> The April referendum failed 3-1.
>> And I was actually shocked that it failed 3-1.
I was overjoyed that it failed. But I thought
it would be much closer. Being a retired fella,
living on a fixed income, I don't want my taxes to go up.
And that's when I started taking an interest in saying,
well, why are you asking for a tax increase?
What about spending?
>> They were spending too much money at the school.
>> It's all just reckless spending.
>> I say they used our money poorly.
>> We heard from the people that it was too much money.
>> Once we cut our spending, and
altered the way that we operate,
we realized that that still wasn't enough to cover that gap.
>> At that point, the board had a meeting. We decided that
we needed to go back to referendum again.
We went back for a lesser amount. And we went for a set
period of time. It's very important to
hear input from the community. They are the people who
elected us to represent them on the school board.
>> With a second referendum, and the stakes more clearly laid out,
both sides geared up for a strong and vigorous debate.
>> When the referendum was defeated
so hugely in April, we started
going to the town board meetings, the school board meetings.
The first thing I learned is that when you show up to
a group a people with an agenda, they let you lead.
And that was really the beginning
of the "Vote Yes" movement. The purpose of the Vote Yes
committee was to get the word out to the community
about the referendum issue. We really wanted to educate
all the voters in the community about the ramifications
of a "No" vote, and the benefits Paris
School brings to our community. We sponsored
a sign painting event. The purpose was to involve
the students of Paris School in the process.
We painted large, 4x8 plywood signs:
Save our School, Save Paris School.
We had the kids put their handprints on them.
>> There are many people who are very organized right now
in support of the referendum and against the referendum.
>> How do you get your message into every home so
that they can read it and evaluate it for themselves?
I started by doing a mailing list. I said,
how many people do I have to reach?
I sent out 635 direct mailers to all of these people.
That way, I got my points across to counter their points.
>> Well, I'm a graphic designer, so I was able to contribute
all the print pieces and help with laying out the signs
that are all over our community. I help spread the word that way.
>> One of the things, you know, I personally like
to do is email stuff. Because I can put facts and
information in an email, where it's right there
for somebody to see. You have to educate your friends,
your neighbors. And you have to talk to them.
You have to email them.
You have to get the word out by any means possible.
>> We stayed positive. We put out
our facts and let them stand.
And that's been our mission. I'm hopeful that we'll prevail.
>> I guess we'll find out later today.
>> Today, we are voting on the referendum
for the Paris School district.
>> I went to Paris. I graduated from there.
I don't want to see the school get closed, so I came to vote.
>> Just make sure that there's ten in each one.
I'm the elected Clerk-Treasurer. I set up the election. I get my
poll workers ready here. I've been here since 5:45 this morning.
>> We just sign them in so they can vote, that they're a
legitimate voter. And we give them a ballot and keep track.
>> I was at one of the town meetings, where they
were discussing it. That's how I found out about it.
>> These issues don't affect us quite at this time
in our age, but later on, they will affect us.
That's why we should start voting now.
>> If you don't vote, then don't
complain about what's happening.
>> This voting right here is pretty
much going to make it happen.
>> It's all dependent on this voting.
>> Yes, it is the first time voting.
>> So far, it's been a good turnout. Better than 50% already.
So, any time you get 50%, I guess it's a good election.
>> Okay, quitting time.
What you'll want to do first is just
separate all the yesses and nos.
The yesses, there were 406 yesses, and 274 nos.
I believe it's actually brought people
closer together. People that probably
didn't have a cup of coffee together
before this, and now they have been.
>> I voted yes, because as the
schools go, so does our community.
>> Local government has tons of power.
>> All of us are more effective in our own ways.
>> Our fathers and grandfathers have fought for
freedom in this country, to give us the right to live
in a democracy, which allows us to all have a
voice in this country. And for us to not take
advantage of that, I believe, would be a serious mistake.
>> I always take my kids to vote.
It's their privilege for living here.
>> I need to keep going to school board meetings.
I need to stay active online with the other people
that are observing this process. You can't wait till
there's a crisis to organize. You can avert
crises by being involved and staying active,
and holding elected officials accountable.
>> You're your own greatest asset.
Go learn. Go solve it for yourself.
It doesn't have to be my way. I was persistent.
I never gave up.
>> At least be willing to talk one on one, which is
where any changes happen. It's been a great experience.
>> For more information, visit
us on the Web at: ecb.org/engage