Barrett’s on the mark

Mayor Tom Barrett’s announcement that $20 million will be dedicated toward residential lead hazard reduction as part of the 2019 budget is an appropriate response to community outcry for a more comprehensive strategy to address lead exposure in Milwaukee poorest neighborhoods (“’19 budget plan: $20M for lead removal,” Sept. 23).

The fact that this historic level of city level funding will target both paint and water hazards is equally noteworthy. No longer can spurious arguments be conjured and framed as an “either/or” choice as to which particular source of lead exposure is more important. As we have been reminded time and time again, any level of lead exposure is unacceptable.

In addition, the funding does not rely solely on federal and state resources to remedy the problem. While some may argue that the Milwaukee funding is not nearly enough to address the magnitude of adverse lead exposure present in the city of Milwaukee, it does represent an acknowledgment of the important role that public health plays in a city’s economic and social prosperity.

Indeed, when viewed through a sufficiently wide lens, cities rise and fall based on the health of their residents, workers and visitors. Monitoring, maintaining and supporting public health as a political priority and strategic imperative ensures a return on investment for generations to follow. This can be measured by population longevity, quality of life and preferences as to where to work, recreate, raise a family and retire.

Making Milwaukee truly lead safe may be years in the making, but what better legacy and contribution can our city’s political machinery create than putting the health and welfare of its citizenry first through fiscal action rather than hollow rhetoric. This is the key to unlocking the potential for Milwaukee to once again become the healthiest city in the nation.

Paul A. Biedrzycki Milwaukee

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