Crime is the number one issue business leaders in Milwaukee are facing, according to those in attendance at the Milwaukee Business Journal’s downtown CEO Roundtable event held Tuesday.
Milwaukee saw a 132 percent increase in car thefts in 2021 compared to the previous year, according to Milwaukee Police Department data. District one, an area that stretches from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to the Third Ward, saw a 524 percent increase.
“Everybody wanted to offer their opinions,” MBJ editor Mark Kass told Wisconsin’s Afternoon News. “It’s costing them money. Each of them has had to increase security to keep their customers safe.”
Beyond the increased security costs, Kass also said it’s hurting Milwaukee’s reputation.
“It’s hurting their business,” he said. “If you live in Hartland or Brookfield or Oconomowoc, people are saying ‘I’m not coming downtown.’ They’re scared.”