"It doesn't add up:" Residents weigh in on new home of the Milwaukee Bucks

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukeeans get a chance to weigh in on the Milwaukee Bucks arena project. At the end of the month, Milwaukee Common Council is going to start figuring out how to finance the new arena. The city is tagged to come up with $47M toward the project.

A town hall meeting organized by Milwaukee Alderwoman Milele Coggs was held at the Hillside Family Resource Center in Milwaukee on Thursday evening, August 20th. It was a chance for residents living nearby to asked questions about what's next.

While it may be too late, a lot of folks believe no public dollars should go toward financing the arena.

"We're looking to cut education, but we come up with money to buy an arena for millionaires. It doesn't add up to me as a regular citizen," said Gilbert Johnson, lives near 30th and Michigan.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has pledged no tax dollars would support the city's contribution. Instead, a TID, or tax incremental district, will be established -- taxing new development and utilizing that money to finance the project.

Coggs and the rest of the Common Council will begin discussions at the end of this month. She says this is far from a done deal.

"You won't know that until we actually vote. The Bucks have the option to take the team to another city," said Coggs.

City leaders also address concerns about jobs. It's estimated 15,000 permanent and temporary construction jobs will be generated. There's also a binding agreement with the Bucks, that a certain percentage of workers must be women and minorities.