u/korbelpapi

By now most of you have heard about the 14-0 vote to ban food trucks downtown after 10pm. Effective May 9th.

I dug into it using nothing but public records and open records requests. Here’s what I found in 48 hours:

— Alderman Bauman confirmed in writing the entire basis for this ordinance was verbal MPD testimony. No published data. No incident reports. Nothing documented.

— The official notice list shows not one food truck operator was officially notified. The most affected operator on Water Street found out from a text message while she was asleep. After the hearing was already over.

— A private restaurant owner and real estate developer testified in support of this ordinance while identifying himself only as an MSOE representative — without disclosing his competing financial interests.

— In his own words — on camera — he said: “The food trucks are not the problem.” Then testified to restrict them anyway.

— This morning he confirmed it again in writing: “The food trucks themselves are not the problem.”

I’ve filed a formal complaint with the Milwaukee Inspector General with five supplemental filings and eleven documented exhibits. CBS 58 covered the story last night.

Food truck operators are gathering at City Hall right now — 200 E Wells Street — ahead of the Public Safety and Health Committee meeting. I’ll be testifying this morning.

The full investigation is here 👇