Any thoughts on the ending of Milwaukee residency rule?

Question

Any Milwaukee investors have a prediction on the impact of ending the City's residency requirements? (for the question assume Mayor Barret's attempts to fight the state law fail).

Dan C. · Answer

@Matt Devincenzo @K. Marie Poe The main pull for Milwaukee suburbs would be the better schools. Many city employees and teachers currently send their kids to private schools. But the city's ability to negotiate for a residency requirement with the employee unions is no longer permitted due to a new state law. I don't think that a large percentage of current employees will suddenly leave for several reasons: many would have to take a loss on their home; also they may have already adjusted to whatever accommodation they made for the overall poor schools - either magnet school, charter school, private school or they've been able to transfer their kids into a suburban district (in WI it is possible to send your child to a district you do not live in). But for new employees the perception of the school district will be an important factor in where they choose to buy.

Jason V. · Answer

The problem with the movement out of Milwaukee is the overall abysmal school system. Unfortunately, most of the schools have poor performance ratings. Reading scores for children rate fourth from the bottom in the nation. Most MPS teachers raise their children in private schools. I raised my family in Milwaukee until my kids were about to attend school. My wife and I left because it was cheaper to move to an affluent suburb with good schools than continue to live in Milwaukee and have to send kids to private schools nearby. I just wasn't seeing a value on tax dollars. I am not saying that all Milwaukee schools are bad, but a large portion of them are. I think single employees will continue to live in Milwaukee, but it does not make financial sense to stay in Milwaukee if you are a city employee with a large family. I have talked to many city employees and I believe about 30 percent plan to move out as soon as possible. Milwaukee does have a lot to offer and I hope things will turn out well for the city, but I am skeptical.

Robert Taylor · Answer

Actually, I know several couples that have kids in MPS (Milwaukee Public Schools) and love the schools. From what I've heard, it sounds like MPS has a number of specialty schools at all grade levels that are actually quite good at educating kids and its the parents that actually care about their kids education that make sure their kids get into those schools. That having been said, I know a lot of MPS schools are definitely in real disarray and are problem schools, but I blame most of that on parents that just don't give a damn about being parents to their kids.

Dan C. · Answer

A Milwaukee County judge ruled against the city's residency rule. However it sounds like it can still be appealed further, and Mayor Barrett plans to do so. Just wondering if 6 months later any other Milwaukee investors have any different thoughts on the potential impact, hearing any rumblings from city employees they know, etc?

Ramon Jenkins · Answer

I'm not tax accountant, fyi property taxes - a tax benefit beside hopefully better education private school tuition to my knowledge is not a tax benefit

Account Closed · Answer

I'm curious about Milwaukee city schools. Would any educator with school aged children of their own stay in the city system if they could afford to move to Brookfield? Are most educators currently living in the city sending their own children to private schools? There's always that toss up between higher home prices and taxes versus private school tuition. To me that's where the breakdown is. I don't like residency in principal. But if educators are saying/showing that city schools aren't good enough for their own children, it won't get better when they don't have to live there.

Matt Devincenzo · Answer

So for those not in the WI know(that's this guy) : My question is, coming from areas where cities do not have this "residency requirement", what is behind people's desire to leave. I understand that there has been a requirement for city employees and it is going away. I also understand that there are more desirable suburb areas outside of the city, and some want to live there and that's just swell. But is it really that bad of an area that people mostly don't want to live there? Or is it more of a high taxes in city? Really really poor schools(significantly more than other non city schools)? High crime? I get that these things can all contribute, but what is it that is so bad that (it sounds like) so many don't want to live there. I've just never been in a city that people didn't want to live in. I might not have liked downtown and preferred the west side of town, but many of my friends liked downtown and disliked the west side of town, so there was always a market balance.

Dan C. · Answer

Thanks everyone for chiming in on what they expect with the change in law regarding the City of Milwaukee's residency requirement. My guess is that the impact will be gradual. I don't think there will be a huge flight of current city employees. But as new employees are hired on, a good percentage, especially those with kids, will choose to buy in the burbs. Though the same house in the suburbs costs more, some with children will consider the money they would have spent on private school tuition as money they are willing to spend on a higher mortgage payment in a better school district. So I think it will affect the 'edges' of the city - the person who would have chosen a bungalow in Washington Heights will choose the bungalow in Tosa; the employee who would have bought the new construction home on the NW side will instead buy a newer home in Meno Falls. I think this factor will depress prices a bit in these nicer parts of the city. On the other hand, suburbs close to the city who pull in these city employees I would expect a slight boost to the average price over time.

Uwe K. · Answer

Wow, some are in a rush. Just read this: Seven police officers have moved out of the city http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/218507321.html

Ramon Jenkins · Answer

very interesting - bonus withholding - Whatever happens with city employees most likely will affect the county worker benefits Thank You for sharing