Message from the Mayor: Residency Requirement Legislation | Murray Hill Neighborhood Association

Passing along this note from the Mayor. (Note: MHNA as an organization currently has no position on this issue.)

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Dear Milwaukee Residents, Business and Community Leaders:

I need your help with an issue that’s of critical importance to the City of Milwaukee’s future.

Since 1938, Milwaukee has required all city employees to live within its municipal boundaries as a condition of employment. The residency requirement has helped maintain a strong middle class in our neighborhoods, bolstered property values and ensured that municipal employees live among the people they serve.

But now, Governor Scott Walker is proposing in his state budget to do away with residency laws, potentially thwarting the local control of cities, villages, towns and counties. If the state legislature signs off on his proposal, it could destabilize Milwaukee, the key economic engine for the entire state.

Your action is needed to help ensure that Milwaukee retains the ability to determine its own future.

Concerned residents can call or send emails to their elected representatives and to members of the Joint Finance Committee in the State Capitol expressing their opposition to Governor Walker’s plan to do away with residency. You can find below a list of contact information for Joint Finance Committee members.

If lawmakers hear a serious outcry from residents, particularly those from Republican-controlled parts of the state, the chances are greater that the legislature will remove the Governor’s residency proposal from the state budget.

Thank you for your concern and your action. To learn more about this issue, please visit our residency Web page.