"I am here to say 'thank you:'" Milwaukee mayor applauds Northwestern Mutual for its commitment to hiring

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett applauded Northwestern Mutual on Tuesday morning, January 9th for its commitment to hiring within the City of Milwaukee as it relates to the construction of its new high-rise business tower.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett

"I am here to say 'thank you,'" said the mayor. "This was something that was not a slam dunk. This was not something that was necessarily easy to do."

Barrett reported local small business enterprises were awarded $127.1 million in contracts.

"That's 31.4 percent of the total value of applicable construction and professional services contracts. This is six percent above the city's 25 percent requirement," Barrett said.

The mayor also touted the success of the city's Residence Preference Program. It is a program that makes sure residents of the city who pay taxes are able to benefit from the partnerships that are created that use tax dollars.