Can the Private Sector Help Address Greater Milwaukee’s Infrastructure Woes?
By Jeffrey Schmidt
More than 200 people attended our Viewpoint Luncheon in Milwaukee, Can the Private Sector Help Address Greater Milwaukee’s Infrastructure Woes? which explored the role the private sector might play in addressing local government infrastructure challenges.
The Wisconsin Policy Forum’s series of reports on local government infrastructure has pointed to vast repair and replacement needs that exceed the financial capacity of the region’s major governments to address them. What role might private sector financing play in addressing local governments’ capital needs? Would public-private partnerships work for big projects like a new criminal courthouse or the Domes, and what are the downsides? Can private philanthropy do more, or is the capacity of private donors already being drained?
Forum President Rob Henken began by reviewing the findings of our recent infrastructure reports. Then, we heard from a panel of subject matter experts: Chris Abele, Milwaukee County Executive; Grady Crosby, VP Public Affairs & Chief Diversity Officer, Johnson Controls; Jodi Gibson, President & CEO, Zoological Society of Milwaukee; and, Charles Renner, Partner, Husch Blackwell.
WisconsinEye covered the event – you can watch it here!
