WisPolitics Budget Blog

The conundrum for Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker (story)
is how to defend his county, promote his county, fight for investment into his county, while simultaneously guarding against appearing as the candidate from Milwaukee.

Most Wisconsin voters don’t like Milwaukee much. Traffic is a hassle. The public schools are dangerous. Government just doesn’t seem to work there. So when Scott Walker says he can fix Wisconsin like he is fixing our most populous county, it can cut both directions.

Tommy Thompson understood the duality of out-state’s attitude towards Milwaukee. When faced with near blackmail from Bud Selig over a taxpayer-financed stadium for the Brewers, Tommy said he would not let Wisconsin become another Nebraska (as in, a state without Major League baseball).

Yet, when the actual legislation earmarked the southeast region for the tax hike to pay for Selig’s extortion, Tommy was quoted in newspapers north of STH 29 to stick it to Milwaukee.

And that’s the deal. We plan mini-vacations around Summerfest, Brewer games and the Bucks. For many Wisconsin families, a trip into Milwaukee marks a first visit to a big city.

Everyone, from Superior to Platteville, knows beer and Harley-Davidson is what made Milwaukee famous. And we share our Wisconsin pride in our history with those transplants from Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois.

But it will prove to be a balancing act between pride and disdain that Scott Walker must manage as he market brands himself over the next 13 months.