Milwaukee is a big city, with small town charm. But don't be fooled by all the folksiness: Our town has all the crime you'd expect out of a city this size, and clearly not even our mayor is immune.
How shocking it was to hear that Mayor Tom Barrett was beaten with a metal pipe after leaving State Fair. But what I found even more shocking, is that the leader of our city actually walks around town without his security detail.
The mayor's chief of staff says Barrett usually only travels with security when he attends official functions.
(Because you know how dangerous all those executive suit types can be.)
During his private time, he prefers to go it alone.
Big mistake mayor. BIG mistake.
Sure, the guy that beat the mayor probably didn't even know who he was attacking. But what about the people who recognize Barrett, and really do resent him? These are tough times --- people are unemployed and angry and desperate. Public officials are easy targets for wrath.
Maybe the mayor is being cost conscious and has decided to use his security people sparingly. Other big city mayors have taken heat for spending too much money on their bodyguards. I mean, consider this:
In Pittsburgh, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl once made headlines when it was revealed that some of his bodyguards made more money than him! Two of them made over $100, 000.... compared to Ravenstahl's $96,511 salary.
Over in San Francisco, the salaries of full-time police officers assigned to protect Mayor Gavin Newsom topped the $1 million dollar mark.
And the mayors of Detroit and Chicago have been known to each have 15 bodyguards following them around.
So let's applaud Mayor Barrett for his thriftiness. We appreciate that during tough times. But we live in a tough town. And now that you've experienced the violence first hand, Mr. Mayor, no one will fault you if you take the steps necessary to protect yourself and your family.
Get better soon...
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