>> THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS A
PBS WISCONSIN ORIGINAL
PRODUCTION.
>> FIREWORKS OVER FISERV FORUM
IN MILWAUKEE TUESDAY NIGHT, AS
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FANS PARTY
IN THE BEER DISTRICT AFTER THE
BUCKS WIN THE NBA CHAMPIONSHIP
AND BRING AN ECONOMIC BOUNCE TO
THE CITY.
UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE CROWDS
CONCERN STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS
WHO ARE SOUNDING THE ALARM OVER
UNVACCINATED PEOPLE IN WISCONSIN
AND THE RISK FOR COVID-19.
>> FOR THE PAST TWO WEEKS, WE
HAVE SEEN WISCONSIN
HOSPITALIZATIONS RISE FROM 74
PEOPLE WITH COVID HOSPITALIZED
ACROSS THE STATE TO 143 REPORTED
YESTERDAY, ALMOST DOUBLE THE
PATIENTS.
NEARLY ALL OF THESE PATIENTS
COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS FATE IF
THEY HAD BEEN VACCINATED.
SO WHY DIDN'T THEY?
MANY OF THEM RECEIVED INCORRECT
INFORMATION ABOUT VACCINES VIA
SOCIAL MEDIA OR FRIENDS OR
FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE ALSO
INFORMED BY ERRANT SOURCES.
>> I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
TONIGHT ON "HERE AND NOW," THE
DELTA VARIANT IS TAKING
ADVANTAGE OF THOSE WHO ARE NOT
YET VACCINATED, WHICH IS HALF
THE STATE'S POPULATION.
DR. MICHAEL OSTERHOLM GIVES US
HIS TAKE.
AND THE MILWAUKEE BUCKS WIN
THEIR FIRST NBA CHAMPIONSHIP IN
50 YEARS.
MILWAUKEE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DAVID
CROWLEY TELLS US JUST HOW MANY
BUCKS THE BUCKS ARE BRINGING IN.
AND WISCONSIN IS IN ITS
PRESEASON FOR THE 2022 ELECTION.
WE PREVIEW THE CANDIDATES FOR
U.S. SENATE AND HEAR FROM A
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR STATE
ATTORNEY GENERAL.
IT'S "HERE AND NOW" FOR JULY 23.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
JOURNALISM AND FRIENDS OF PBS
WISCONSIN.
>> OUR FIRST GUEST HAS SAID WE
ARE LITERALLY SITTING ON THE
EDGE OF WHAT COULD BE A MAJOR
CRISIS, THE LATEST THREAT FROM
COVID-19.
EPIDEMIOLOGIST DR. MICHAEL
OSTERHOLM IS DIRECTOR OF THE
CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS RESEARCH
AND POLICY AT THE VR UNIVERSITYF
MINNESOTA.
HE JOINS US NOW FROM MINNEAPOLIS
AND THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING
HERE.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> SO THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE
WITH YOU IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR
YOU SAID WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING
BUT TURNING OVER OUR CREDIT
CARDS TO THIS VIRUS, GIVING IT
EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO BE
TRANSMITTED AND THAT WAS BEFORE
THE DELTA VARIANT BECAME THE
DOMINANT STRAIN IN THE U.S.
WHAT ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW
AND WHERE DO YOU SEE THIS GOING?
>> MY COMMENTS BACK THERE WERE
REFERRING TO THE VARIANTS IN
GENERAL.
IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR WE
RECOGNIZED THAT THESE MUTATED
VIRUSES HAD TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON
HOW INFECTIOUS THE VIRUS COULD
BE, WHETHER IT CAUSED MORE
SEVERE ILLNESS OR WHETHER IT
EVEN HAD THE ABILITY TO EVADE
THE IMMUNE ABILITY OF THE
VACCINE.
WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE THEN IS WE
HAVE SEEN ADDITIONAL VARIANTS
SPIN OUT THAT HAVE BEEN EVEN
MORE CONCERNING.
THIS PARTICULAR VARIANT, DELTA,
IS ONE OF THE MOST INFECTIOUS
VIRUSES ANY OF US HAVE EVER
SEEN.
IT IS NOW 40% TO 60% MORE
INFECTIOUS THAN THE ORIGINAL
ALPHA STRAIN WHICH APPEARED LAST
MARCH AND APRIL.
AND THAT MEANS THAT AT THIS
POINT THIS THING IS GOING TO A
PLACE WHERE NONE OF US HAD
IMAGINED EARLY ON IN THE
PANDEMIC.
WE SAW AN AVERAGE CASE
TRANSMITTING TO 1.5, 1.8 OTHER
PEOPLE, WHICH MEANT THAT THE
OUTBREAK GREW.
WELL, NOW THIS IS TRANSMITTING
TO BETWEEN SIX TO EIGHT PEOPLE
PER ON AVERAGE CASE.
AND SO THE CASE NUMBERS ARE
GROWING VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
AND THIS IS A BIG CHALLENGE FOR
US.
>> HOW DANGEROUS IS THIS
SITUATION THEN FOR THE
UNVACCINATED?
>> WELL, I THINK YOU'VE REALLY
HIT A VERY IMPORTANT NOTE HERE
IN THE SENSE THAT IF YOU LOOK AT
THE WORLD, FIRST OF ALL KNOW
THAT THE PANDEMIC IS RAGING ON
AND IT REALLY IS IN SOME WAYS
ONLY REALLY STILL GETTING
STARTED.
OF THE 6.4 BILLION IN THE LOW
AND MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES,
LESS THAN 2% HAVE HAD ANY ACCESS
TO VACCINE AND THERE'S STILL A
LOT OF PEOPLE YET TO GET
INFECTED.
SO THIS PANDEMIC IS STILL
UNFOLDING IN THE REST OF THE
WORLD.
HERE IN THE UNITED STATES WE'VE
DONE A MUCH BETTER JOB WITH OUR
VACCINATION PROGRAMS, BUT THERE
STILL ARE 100 MILLION AMERICANS,
LET ME REPEAT THAT, 100 MILLION
AMERICANS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN
VACCINATED AND THEY SURELY SERVE
AS YOU MIGHT SAY THE HUMAN WOOD
FOR THIS CORONAVIRUS FOREST FIRE
TO BURN.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE CONCERNED
ABOUT OVER THE COURSE OF THE
NEXT UPCOMING WEEKS.
AT THIS POINT, ALL OF THE 50
STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA ARE SEEING CASE NUMBERS
INCREASES AND FOR SOME OF THE
STATES WHERE IT'S TAKEN OFF
FIRST, THE NUMBERS ARE
INCREASING QUITE DRAMATICALLY.
>> THERE'S A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF
PEOPLE WHO ARE VACCINATED
GETTING SO-CALLED BREAKTHROUGH
INFECTIONS.
SHOULD THIS BE A CONCERN?
>> BREAKTHROUGH INFECTIONS WERE
ANTICIPATED RIGHT FROM THE
BEGINNING.
WHEN WE TOLD YOU THAT THE
VACCINES MIGHT BE 90% TO 95%
EFFECTIVE EARLY ON, THAT MEANT
THERE WOULD BE A SMALL
PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO, ONCE
VACCINATED, WHEN EXPOSED TO THE
VIRUS WOULD ACTUALLY STILL GET
INFECTED AND POTENTIALLY EVEN
ILL.
NOW, THE GOOD NEWS IS IS THAT
FOR MOST OF THESE, IT'S VERY
MILD ILLNESS AND IT'S NOT A
SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE.
SO THE VACCINE IS STILL REDUCING
THE SEVERITY OF THE DISEASE,
WHETHER YOU NEED TO BE
HOSPITALIZED AND EVEN DYING.
THERE ARE A FEW, PRIMARILY THE
ELDERLY POPULATION, WHERE EVEN
HAVING BEEN VACCINATED THEY
STILL GET QUITE ILL AND CAN DIE.
BUT I THINK THE MESSAGE IS TO
GET ACROSS RIGHT NOW IS THAT IF
YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING
WITH HOSPITALIZATIONS, 97% OF
THE CASES IN THIS COUNTRY AMONG
COVID PATIENTS ARE CURRENTLY
AMONG THE UNVACCINATED.
99% OF THE DEATHS ARE OCCURRING
AMONG UNVACCINATED COVID
PATIENTS.
SO IF THERE WAS EVER A
COMPELLING REASON, NOW IS THE
TIME.
PLEASE GET VACCINATED.
IF NOT FOR YOURSELF, BUT YOUR
LOVED ONES, THE PEOPLE YOU COULD
TRANSMIT THE VIRUS TO.
>> DOES THIS KIND OF HALF
MEASURE OF VACCINATIONS LIKE THE
50% IN WISCONSIN MAKE US MORE
SUS ACCEPT SUSCEPTIBLE TO EVER-E
VARIANTS.
>> THE UNITED STATES'S
CONTRIBUTION TO THE VARIANTS
CANNOT BE DENIED, BUT IT PALES
IN COMPARISON TO THE REST OF THE
WORLD, WHO HAVE NO ACCESS TO
VACCINE.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SEE
THE VAST MAJORITY OF
TRANSMISSION OCCUR.
THE DELTA VARIANT AROSE IN
INDIA.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO SEE
NEW VARIANTS COME SPINNING OUT
OF.
THE QUESTION IS IS THIS IT.
IS DELTA THE WORSE ONE?
WILL THEY GET MILDER AFTER THIS?
WE HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT.
IT'S HARD FOR US TO IMAGINE
GETTING SOMETHING WORSE THAN
DELTA, BUT IN FACT WE COULD SEE
THAT OVER TIME, THAT THAT IS THE
CASE.
>> MEANWHILE, YOU SAW THE
100,000 PEOPLE ATTENDING THE
MILWAUKEE BUCKS GAME SIX IN
MILWAUKEE.
NOT TO RAIN ON THAT PARADE, BUT
ARE YOU CONCERNED AS WISCONSIN
PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE
ABOUT THAT GATHERING IN TERMS OF
BEING A SPREADER EVENT?
>> I'M ABSOLUTELY CONCERNED.
ANY OF THESE EVENTS LIKE THIS
RIGHT NOW, WHERE PEOPLE DON'T
REALIZE THAT THE DELTA VARIANT
IS AROUND, WHERE WE SEE THE
TRANSMISSION OF THIS VIRUS IN
SETTINGS JUST LIKE THAT, THERE
WAS A LARGE FESTIVAL IN
MASSACHUSETTS TWO WEEKS AGO THAT
HAS RESULTED NOW IN MANY
THOUSANDS OF CASES FROM HAVING
BEEN AT AN OUTDOOR FESTIVAL,
LARGELY.
SO, YEAH, WE'RE VERY CONCERNED
ABOUT IT.
AND PARTICULARLY BECAUSE MOST
PEOPLE HAVE THE SENSE THIS IS
OVER WITH.
THEY THINK THE PANDEMIC IS DONE.
AND IT'S NOT.
WE MIGHT BE DONE WITH THE VIRUS.
WE MIGHT BE TRYING TO RUN OUT
THE CLOCK.
BUT THE VIRUS IS NOT DONE WITH
US.
AND ALL I CAN SAY IS IF YOU ARE
NOT VACCINATED WITH THIS VIRUS,
IT WILL FIND YOU EVENTUALLY.
>> WE LEAVE IT THERE.
DR. MICHAEL OSTERHOLM, THANK
YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ONE THING IS FOR SURE, THE
CROWDS OUTSIDE THE FISERV FORUM
FOR GAME SIX SHOWED JUST HOW
MUCH WISCONSIN IS BURSTING WITH
PRIDE OVER THE MILWAUKEE BUCKS'
NBA CHAMPIONSHIP WIN.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> AND THE CELEBRATION PLAYED ON
INTO THE WEEK, INCLUDING WITH A
BUCKS VICTORY PARADE THROUGH
DOWNTOWN MILWAUKEE.
IN THE LEAD, BUCKS PLAYERS
THEMSELVES AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS,
LIKE THE GOVERNOR, MAYOR AND
MILWAUKEE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DAVID
CROWLEY.
JUST HOW MUCH DO THE CHAMPS AND
THEIR ORGANIZATION MEAN TO
MILWAUKEE AND, BY EXTENSION, THE
STATE?
WE ASKED DAVID CROWLEY, WHO
JOINS US NOW.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE
AND CONGRATULATIONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THIS IS AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY.
AS YOU CAN PROBABLY TELL BY MY
VOICE, IT WAS AN AGREED PARADE.
>> LOTS OF CHEERING.
>> WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR
HEAD AS YOU RODE THROUGH THE
STREETS IN THE VICTORY PARADE
THIS WEEK?
>> THIS MEANT A LOT FOR
WISCONSINITES, MILWAUKEEANS, THE
WHOLE REGION.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A LIFELONG FAN
OF MILWAUKEE BUCKS.
IT WAS PHENOMENAL.
THE FIRST TIME WE WON A
CHAMPIONSHIP RIGHT IN OUR OWN
BACKYARD.
YOU THINK ABOUT THE BREWERS BRES
YEARS AGO.
BUT TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE OUT
AND REALLY COME OUT TO SUPPORT
THIS TEAM, SUPPORT THIS CITY WAS
JUST AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY.
>> SO SEEING THE CROWDS FOR THE
GAMES AND THE AFTER-PARTY, WAS
IT LIKE, YES, THE INVESTMENT,
WHICH WAS ROUGHLY $250 MILLION
IN PUBLIC FINANCING TO KEEP THE
BUCKS IN MILWAUKEE AND CONSTRUCT
THE ARENA, IT PAID OFF?
THE INVESTMENT PAID OFF?
IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE THINKING?
>> OH, ABSOLUTELY.
I REMEMBER BEING PART OF THE
LEGISLATURE AS AN AIDE AND I
THINK IT HAS PAID OFF.
THANK YOU TO HERB KOHL FOR
MAKING SURE THAT THE BUCKS STAY
HERE, THE OWNERS FOR THEIR
COMMITMENT TO THIS REGION.
BUT THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE
ECONOMIC BOOST FOR A LOT OF
DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS,
ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WITHIN THE
DISTRICT IN DOWNTOWN MILWAUKEE,
TO SEE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
COMING INTO THIS CITY, SPENDING
THEIR MONEY, JUST LET YOU KNOW
THAT THIS IS SOMETHING NEW FOR
US.
AND WE SHOULD GET USED TO BEING
ON THE NATIONAL STAGE.
HAVING THE BUCKS RIGHT NOW AS
THE WORLD CHAMPIONS, SEEING THIS
GREAT RUN WITH THE BREWERS, THIS
IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO GET USED
TO.
SO WE SEE THE ECONOMIC IMPACT
AND IT'S BEEN GREAT TO SEE SO
MANY FOLKS SPENDING THEIR
DOLLARS, PATRONIZING OUR
COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE
PAST TWO YEARS THAT WE HAVE
SEEN.
>> DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH SPIN-OFF
ECONOMIC EFFECT THERE HAS BEEN
FROM THE BUCKS AND THEIR
PRESENCE?
I MEAN, IS THERE LIKE A DOLLAR
AMOUNT THAT PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF
AND OTHERS IN THE CITY TALK
ABOUT?
>> YOU KNOW, AFTER READING SOME
OF THE REPORTS, YOU KNOW,
ANYWHERE BETWEEN $2 TO $3
MILLION WERE BEING SPENT RIGHT
HERE DURING THOSE HOME FINAL
GAMES.
EVEN WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE
AWAY GAMES, WE STILL HAD TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AT THE DEER
DISTRICT PATRONIZING LOCAL
RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES.
AND SO WE SEE A LOT OF MONEY
BEING SPENT.
BUT NOW IT'S ABOUT HOW DO WE
MAKE SURE THAT THOSE DOLLARS
BEING SPENT HERE LOCALLY, WE CAN
CAPTURE THOSE DOLLARS RIGHT
HERE.
I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE
OPPORTUNITY IT BRINGS WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT THE LOCAL SALES TAX
FOR US TO BE ABLE TO INVEST
THOSE DOLLARS BEING SPENT HERE
LOCALLY.
>> DOES RALLYING AROUND THE TEAM
CREATE UNITY AMONG PEOPLE, UNITY
THAT WE REALLY NEED ABOUT NOW?
>> YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU THINK
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OUR MISSION AND
VISION HERE IN MILWAUKEE COUNTY
IS THAT WE BELIEVE WE CAN BECOME
THE HEALTHIEST COUNTY.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SPORTS,
RIGHT HERE IN MILWAUKEE, IN THE
MOST DIVERSE COUNTY THROUGHOUT
THE WHOLE STATE, YOU SEE ALL
TYPES OF PEOPLE, NO MATTER THEIR
AGE, NO MATTER WHAT THEY LOOK
LIKE, NO MATTER WHO THEY LOVE.
THEY WERE AT THAT BUCKS ARENA.
SO I GOT TO GIVE A GREAT THANKS
AGAIN TO ALL SPORTS FANS BECAUSE
IT'S ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE
PLACES YOU CAN GO RIGHT HERE IN
OUR OWN BACKYARD.
WE SEEN PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER
FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, FROM ALL
ACROSS THIS REGION TO COME
CELEBRATE, TO COME SUPPORT OUR
MILWAUKEE BUCKS.
SO IT WAS A GREAT THING TO SEE.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE TO
HAVE THIS TYPE OF MORALE BOOST
FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.
>> NOW, I KNOW THAT AS PART OF
THE STATE FINANCING PACKAGE,
MILWAUKEE COUNTY HAS TO FOREGO
SOMETHING LIKE $4 MILLION A YEAR
IN SHARED REVENUE FROM THE STATE
AND THERE ARE CERTAINLY SOME
PEOPLE WHO WOULD SAY THAT MONEY
COULD BE GOING TO NEEDED
SERVICES UNRELATED TO
PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL.
WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE
BEEN USING THESE DOLLARS.
THERE WERE DIFFERENT CHANGES IN
THE LEGISLATION THAT REQUIRED US
TO GIVE THE $4 MILLION IN OUR
SHARED REVENUE BACK.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS
IS ABOUT GIVING US SOME TOOLS,
GIVING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THE
OPTIONS TO RAISE DIFFERENT TYPES
OF REVENUES.
AND THIS IS WHAT THE LOCAL SALES
TAX CAN DO FOR US.
IT HAS ALSO GIVEN US AN
OPPORTUNITY AS WELL TO REALLY
BRING MORE PEOPLE TOGETHER.
BUT WE DO NEED THOSE DOLLARS.
BUT THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO
THE STATE LEGISLATURE, BUILDING
RELATIONSHIPS WITH FOLKS ON BOTH
SIDES OF THE AISLE WHY WE NEED
THE LOCAL SALES TAX.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, EVEN WITH
THAT $4 MILLION IT'S NOT GOING
TO SOLVE ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS.
SO BETWEEN NOW AND 2027, IN THE
NEXT SIX YEARS, WE'RE FACING
ABOUT A $150 MILLION BUDGET GAP.
TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE.
OUR MILWAUKEE COUNTY TRANSIT
SYSTEM BUDGET IS $150 MILLION
ALONE.
EVEN IF WE TALK ABOUT THE $4
MILLION WE NEED THE ADDITIONAL
REVENUES TO MAKE SURE OUR BUSES
ARE RUNNING TO GET PEOPLE TO
WORK, TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE GREAT
PARKS PEOPLE CAN ENJOY.
ALSO TO MAKE SURE WE CAN INVEST
LOCALLY IN OUR YOUNG PEOPLE,
SENIORS AS WELL AS EVERYTHING
ELSE THAT MAKES US GREAT.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE NEED TO LEAVE IT THERE.
MILWAUKEE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DAVID
CROWLEY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GO, BUCKS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING
ME.
GO, BUCKS.
>> THERE IS THIS, THOUGH.
U.S. CITIES LIKE MILWAUKEE SAW A
BOOST IN FUNDING FROM THE
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, A BILL
PASSED IN MARCH.
MILWAUKEE'S SLICE OF THE PIE
WILL BE ROUGHLY $4 MILLION OVER
THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
WILL KENNEALLY HAS DETAILS OF
HOW THAT MONEY IS EXPECTED TO BE
SPENT.
>> 2020 WAS A HARD YEAR BUT
MAYOR TOM BARRETT SEES A SILVER
LINING.
>> THIS IS A CHANCE TO ADDRESS
CHALLENGES THIS CITY FACES.
>> MILWAUKEE IS SET TO RECEIVE A
TOTAL OF NEARLY $400 MILLION
OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS AS PART
OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.
BARRETT RELEASED HIS PLAN <!0>
MONTH FOR HOW TO SPEND THE
INITIAL $93 MILLION OF THAT
MONEY, TO GO TOWARDS HOUSING,
JOBS AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
FUNDING WOULD GO TO LOW-INCOME
HOUSING PROJECTS, RENTAL
ASSISTANCE AND A LOAN PROGRAM TO
HELP HOMEOWNERS MAKE REPAIRS.
THE MONEY WOULD ALSO GO TO HELP
FUND JOB TRAINING, WITH A
PRIORITY ON GETTING PEOPLE TO
WORK, CLEANING UP THE CITY'S
LEAD PROBLEM.
>> THIS WILL INCLUDE
HIGH-QUALITY WORK EXPERIENCES
WITH CONNECTIONS TO EMPLOYERS IN
IN-DEMAND FIELDS.
LEAD ABATEMENT IS ONE OF THE
MAJOR ISSUES WE FACE AS A
COMMUNITY.
>> IT WOULD ALSO INCLUDE STREET
IMPROVEMENTS AND FUNDS TO HELP
THE MILWAUKEE POLICE CRACK DOWN
ON RECKLESS DRIVING.
>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AN
INFUSION OF FUNDS EQUAL TO ABOUT
25% OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET OF THE
CITY.
NOW, THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE
EVERYTHING OVERNIGHT.
IT'S NOT GOING TO SOLVE ALL THE
PROBLEMS IN THE CITY.
BUT THAT'S A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL
AMOUNT OF MONEY.
>> UW-MILWAUKEE ECONOMIST MARK
LEVINE SAYS IT'S TARGETED TO
HARD-HIT PARTS OF THE CITY.
>> CERTAINLY THE ECONOMIC
EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC WERE
MOST STRONGLY FELT IN THE
HOUSING AND THE EMPLOYMENT
AREAS.
YOU HAD TREMENDOUS -- WITH
BUSINESSES CLOSING, YOU HAD A
TREMENDOUS DECLINE IN
EMPLOYMENT.
>> HE SAYS MOST IMPORTANTLY IS
HOW THE FUNDS ARE SPENT.
>> EVERY PROGRAM FUNDED IN MY
PLAN HAS BEEN VIEWED FROM A
RACIAL EQUITY LENS.
>> THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT
ASPECT OF THIS AND THAT'S
PARTICULARLY SEEN IN THE AREA OF
HOME OWNERSHIP, RIGHT, WHERE
MILWAUKEE HAS THE SECOND LOWEST
RATE OF BLACK HOMEOWNERSHIP IN
THE COUNTRY.
ONLY 27% OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN
MILWAUKEE OWN THEIR OWN HOMES
COMPARED TO 70% OF WHITES.
>> LEVINE SAYS THIS RACIAL
DISPARITY WAS EXACERBATED DURING
THE PANDEMIC AND WAS ALSO SEEN
IN UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS.
CHYTANIA BROWN HEADS EMPLOY
MILWAUKEE.
>> THIS MUST HAVE A VISION THAT
ENSURES TRANSFORMATION, FOSTERS
COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION AND
PROVIDES INDIVIDUALS WITH CAREER
AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
WE SEE THIS AS AN HISTORIC
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE IMPACTFUL
CHANGE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
>> MEMBERS OF THE COMMON COUNCIL
SAY THEY WILL TAKE THE TIME
BETWEEN NOW AND SEPTEMBER TO
STUDY THE MAYOR'S PLAN.
REPORTING FOR "HERE AND NOW,"
I'M WILL KENNEALLY IN MILWAUKEE.
>> SHIFTING TO THE 2022
PRESEASON, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
MANDELA BARNES ANNOUNCED HIS
CANDIDACY FOR U.S. SENATE THIS
WEEK IN MILWAUKEE.
>> I'M RUNNING FOR THE SENATE TO
PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY, TO FIGHT
FOR HARD-WORKING PEOPLE JUST
LIKE MY PARENTS AND SO MANY
OTHER PEOPLE ACROSS THIS ENTIRE
GREAT STATE.
>> 34-YEAR-OLD MANDELA BARNES IS
THE FIRST BLACK PERSON TO SERVE
AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR IN
WISCONSIN.
VOTERS WILL SELECT HIS
REPLACEMENT IN THE AUGUST 2022
DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.
THE WINNER OF THAT RACE WILL BE
ON THE TICKET WITH GOVERNOR TONY
EVERS IN THE GENERAL ELECTION.
AS TO THE LOSS OF HIS RUNNING
MATE TO THE CROWDED FIELD OF
DEMOCRATS RUNNING FOR U.S.
SENATE AGAINST THE REPUBLICAN
INCUMBENT, EVERS RELEASED A
STATEMENT SAYING, IN PART,
QUOTE, WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE
STRONG DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES WHO
ARE RUNNING TO SEND HIM PACKING
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING
WISCONSIN DEMOCRATS' CHOICE TO
TAKE ON RON JOHNSON IN 2022.
OTHER ANNOUNCED DEMOCRATIC
CANDIDATES FOR THE SENATE SEAT
INCLUDE STATE TREASURER SARAH
GODLEWSKI, SATE SENATOR CHRIS
LARSON, OUTAGAMIE COUNTY
EXECUTIVE TOM NELSON, MILWAUKEE
BUCKS EXECUTIVE ALEX LASRY,
WAUSAU PHYSICIAN GILLIAN
BATTINO, FORMER STATE SENATE
CANDIDATE ADAM MURPHY, MILWAUKEE
ATTORNEY PETER PECKARSKY AND
MILWAUKEE ALDER.
INCUMBENT SENATOR RON JOHNSON
HAS NOT YET ANNOUNCED HE WILL
RUN FOR REELECTION, BUT THE
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN SENATORIAL
COMMITTEE SAID THIS.
QUOTE, WHILE WISCONSIN DEMOCRATS
TRIP OVER THEMSELVES TO PROVE
WHO'S MORE LIBERAL, SENATOR RON
JOHNSON CONTINUES TO WORK HARD
TO BRING COMMON SENSE TO
WASHINGTON AND FIGHT FOR THE
PEOPLE OF WISCONSIN.
ANOTHER STATEWIDE RACE ON THE
DOCKET IN 2022 IS FOR WISCONSIN
ATTORNEY GENERAL.
TWO REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES WILL
FACE OFF IN THE PRIMARY SET IN
THE SPRING OF NEXT YEAR,
INCLUDING UW-MADISON POLITICAL
SCIENCE PROFESSOR RYAN OWENS.
AFTER COMPLETING HIS UNDERGRAD
AND LAW DEGREE AT UW-MADISON,
OWENS GOT HIS PH.D. IN POLITICAL
SCIENCE AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
IN ST. LOUIS.
HE WENT ON TO BE A ASSISTANT
PROFESSOR AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY.
HE THEN WENT ON TO WORK IN THE
LEGAL OFFICE OF FORMER GOVERNOR
TOMMY THOMPSON.
LAST WEEK WE HEARD FROM THE
DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENT.
WE WILL HEAR FROM BOTH
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES ON OUR
PROGRAM.
TONIGHT IT'S RYAN OWENS AND HE
JOINS US FROM WASHINGTON AND,
PROFESSOR, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR
BEING HERE.
>> HAPPY TO BE HERE.
THANKS.
>> SO OUR FIRST QUESTION IS WHY
SHOULD VOTERS ELECT YOU AS
WISCONSIN ATTORNEY GENERAL?
>> WELL, FOR ME, AS I TAKE A
LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON IN
WASHINGTON AND WISCONSIN RIGHT
NOW, EXCUSE ME.
I'M IN WASHINGTON.
BUT AS I LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON
IN WISCONSIN RIGHT NOW I SEE A
TREMENDOUS LEADERSHIP DEFICIT.
OUR LEADERS OVER THE LAST YEAR
AND A HALF HAVE SHOWED US
BASICALLY FAILURES ON NUMEROUS
LEVELS.
SO WHAT I'M DOING IS GOING
AROUND ASKING PEOPLE IN THE
STATE OF WISCONSIN ARE YOU FREER
TODAY THAN YOU WERE TWO YEARS
AGO?
ARE YOU SAFER THAN YOU WERE TWO
YEARS AGO?
AND ARE YOU MORE PROSPEROUS
TODAY THAN YOU WERE TWO YEARS
AGO?
I THINK THE VAST MAJORITY OF
PEOPLE THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO,
ALMOST ALL OF THEM, HAVE SAID
THAT THEY'RE NOT.
I THINK WE CAN TIE THE ANSWERS
THAT THEY GIVE TO BAD POLICIES
BY THIS ADMINISTRATION.
>> I WANT TO GET TO SOME OF THAT
IN MORE DETAIL, BUT IF YOU COULD
JUST GIVE US A THUMBNAIL OF YOUR
PLATFORM.
>> TAKE A LOOK AT SAFETY, FOR
EXAMPLE.
IN MADISON, WISCONSIN, CRIME IS
UP, HOMICIDES ARE UP 100% THAN
THEY WERE A YEAR AGO.
IN MILWAUKEE WE'RE UP 85% HIGHER
THAN THEY WERE.
AND IN GREEN BAY THEY ARE
DOUBLED FROM WHAT THEY WERE TWO
YEARS AGO.
THIS IS A TREMENDOUS PROBLEM AND
I THINK IT'S TIED DIRECTLY TO
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S
LEADERSHIP.
>> ALSO YOU BELIEVE THE SITTING
AG DID NOT DO ENOUGH DURING LAST
SUMMER'S PROTESTS.
WHAT SHOULD HE HAVE DONE?
>> WELL, HONESTLY, THAT'S ONE OF
THE MAJOR REASONS WHY I GOT INTO
THIS, WAS JUST TO SEE THE
LEADERSHIP DEFICIT THERE, WHEN
WE HAD PROTESTORS TEARING DOWN
STATUES IN MADISON.
KENOSHA, WHEN IT WAS BURNING,
LITERALLY ON FIRE, AND OUR
SHERIFFS WERE ASKING THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR ASSISTANCE,
YOU KNOW, HE TOLD THEM I CAN'T
DO THAT BECAUSE IT WILL LOOK
LIKE I'M TAKING SIDES.
>> WHERE DO YOU STAND ON POLICE
REFORM?
>> I THINK THE VAST MAJORITY OF
OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN
THIS STATE WAKE UP EVERY MORNING
THINKING HOW THEY CAN HELP OUT
AND BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE
PUBLIC TRUST.
I DON'T LIKE A NARRATIVE THAT
THEY ARE ALL RACIST.
>> JOSH KAUL STATED HIS TOP
PRIORITY HAS BEEN PUBLIC SAFETY.
HE HAS EXPERIENCED PROSECUTING
VIOLENT CRIMINALS.
HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR WORK AS A
LEGAL SCHOLAR TRANSLATING TO THE
JOB OF BEING THE STATE'S TOP
COP?
>> SURE.
THIS IS ABOUT PRINCIPLES, NOT
POSITION.
I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE
WITH THE RIGHT PRINCIPLES IN
THIS OFFICE.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IN HIS PAST
WAS A PROSECUTOR AND I DON'T
THINK THAT'S GOTTEN US VERY FAR.
HE HAS FAILED TO DO THE HARD
WORK, TO WORK WITH LAW
ENFORCEMENT ON THE GROUND.
THE OTHER THING THAT PEOPLE NEED
TO KNOW ABOUT THIS POSITION IS
IT IS SUBSTANTIALLY CRIMINAL,
BUT THERE IS ALSO A SUBSTANTIAL
AMOUNT OF CIVIL WORK.
WHO IS GOING TO DEFEND
WISCONSIN'S INTEREST AT THE
FEDERAL LEVEL RIGHT NOW?
I WILL.
WE NEED SOMEONE WHO WILL RIDE
HERD OVER THE ADMINISTRATIVE
BRANCH IN WISCONSIN.
THAT IS AN IMPORTANT POSITION
FOR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
>> YOU BELIEVE PUBLIC HEALTH'S
RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC
REPRESENTS, QUOTE, GOVERNOR
OVERREACH AND UNDUE
RESTRICTIONS.
BUT AS THE NATION NOW GRAPPLES
WITH THE DELTA VARIANT, DO YOU
BELIEVE THAT INDIVIDUAL FREEDOMS
EXTEND TO THE RIGHT TO
POTENTIALLY INFECT OTHER PEOPLE
WITH A POTENTIALLY DEADLY VIRUS?
>> WELL, I THINK THAT WHAT WE
SAW OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A
HALF WAS TREMENDOUS OVERREACH AT
MULTIPLE DIMENSIONS.
AND I THINK THAT'S A PROBLEM.
CERTAINLY HERE IN WISCONSIN IF
YOU TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THIS
ATTORNEY GENERAL DID NOT DO, HE
DID NOT CHECK THE GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE WHEN THE GOVERNOR WAS
SEEKING UNCONSTITUTIONAL
RESTRICTIONS ON PEOPLE.
OUR STATE SUPREME STRUCK THAT
DOWN.
HE OUGHT TO HAVE STOOD UP FOR
OUR RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES.
HE FAILED TO DO THAT.
WE NEED AN ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO
WILL SAY IF YOU BELIEVE IN THE
SCIENCE, PUT THE MONEY WHERE
YOUR MOUTH IS, AN ATTORNEY
GENERAL WHO WILL TELL THE
GOVERNOR YOU HAVE TO SHOW US
WHERE YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO
DO THAT AND IT HAS TO PASS THE
TEST.
THIS ATTORNEY GENERAL ALLOWED
THE GOVERNOR TO PROCEED WITH
POWERS THAT WERE
UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND DID NOTHING
TO CHECK THEM.
>> WHAT ABOUT THAT QUESTION,
THOUGH?
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT INDIVIDUAL
FREEDOMS EXTEND TO THE RIGHT TO
POTENTIALLY INFECT OTHER PEOPLE
WITH A POTENTIALLY DEADLY VIRUS
BY NOT BEING VACCINATED OR NOT
MASKING?
>> I THINK WE'VE GOT TO HAVE AN
ATTORNEY GENERAL INVOLVED IN
THOSE COMMUNICATIONS TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT'S LEGAL AND WHAT'S NOT
AND MAKE SURE THAT WE PROCEED IN
AN ADULT VERSION HERE THAT
RECOGNIZES OUR FREEDOMS, OR OUR
SAFETY AND OUR PROSPERITY
WITHOUT GOING KNEE-JERK LOCKING
EVERYTHING DOWN.
>> WE LEAVE IT THERE.
RYAN OWENS, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR
JOINING US.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> TO SEE OUR INTERVIEW LAST
WEEK WITH JOSH KAUL AND FOR
ORIGINAL REPORTING ON COVID-19,
VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT
pbswisconsin.org/NEWS.
AND THAT IS OUR PROGRAM FOR
TONIGHT.
BE SURE TO TUNE IN NEXT WEEK
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE EXPIRATION
OF THE FEDERAL MORATORIUM ON
EVICTIONS AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR
PEOPLE IN WISCONSIN.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
JOURNALISM AND FRIENDS OF PBS
WISCONSIN.