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Tom Kertscher
By Tom Kertscher March 16, 2012

With one-year term running out, no evidence of implementation

As part of his "one-year agenda to change Milwaukee County,” Chris Abele said as county executive he would "implement a real jobs strategy for Milwaukee County, including establishment of a final Park East Plan that will turn the vacant land into job-generating development."

We've already rated the Park East part of that statement as Promise Broken.

We haven't seen a tangible jobs strategy, either. So we asked Abele deputy chief of staff John Zapfel about that particular promise.

Zapfel said Abele "has begun taking actions on this priority” by reorganizing the county economic development department and having those staffers meet with businesses and municipalities to talk about creating jobs. He said staff and Abele himself also meet with business associations, universities and other groups "that connect to job development.”

"The goal for all of these relationships is to have as broad and comprehensive knowledge of the needs and opportunities for job creators and job seekers and to connect and facilitate,” Zapfel said.

Like some of the others, Abele may be able to accomplish this in a full four-year term (He is unopposed on the April 2012 ballot).

But he pledged to do it in one year.

We rate this Abele pledge a Promise Broken.

Our Sources

Email interview, Milwaukee county executive deputy chief of staff John Zapfel, Feb. 16, 2012

Chris Abele campaign, news release, March 24, 2011

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