Chris Abele to deliver 2014 State of the County address
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- On the eve of his third State of the County address, Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele says Milwaukee County continues to improve. Abele previewed his address with FOX6 News on Sunday, March 23rd.
"It's a lot better from just three years ago," Abele says of Milwaukee County.
Abele says speeches like his State of the County address have the tendency to be formulaic.
"There are administrations at every level of government that will spend months preparing for a speech in which they are basically going to tell the public 'hey, things are great. Here's what we did. Thumbs up. Here are three big things we are doing next year," Abele said.
Abele says he's not convinced that's the best use of taxpayers' time.
For his State of the County address to be delivered on Monday, Abele has his checklist of praise and policy -- but says he'll avoid posturing and politics, and instead, talk about partisanship.
"Because if we put, in this country, put more energy into what we agree on in solving problems and less in into arguing who is the bad guy and who wins and who gets credit we get a hell of a lot more done," Abele said.
Abele's "good job" moment has several examples -- including the city's Lakefront Gateway Project -- a new high-rise development supported by Gov. Scott Walker and others.
"I am going to talk about a few things we are about to do. We are having it (at O'Donnell Park's Miller Brewing Company Pavilion) because we are right near the Transit Center, and we're hoping at some point to have another State of the County and we are going to have a big white tower right here," Abele said.
What we've heard before, in some cases, we'll hear again. The state's progress in mental health care:
"Finally, after 30 years, a bill at the state that will give us much more flexibility to do the rest of the job," Abele said.
He'll also address his support of the legalization of gay marriage.
Abele is set to deliver his State of the County address at 10:00 a.m. Monday. The event is open to the public.