Stacy Smiter and Juan Miguel Martinez Answer Our County Board Questions

We sent a few questions to every Milwaukee County Board candidate and incumbent, including those who aren’t facing challengers. We think these questions will frame the upcoming term, and we hope to see where everyone on the board stands. We only got two responses, from Stacy Smiter, who is running for District 7, and current District 12 Supervisor, Juan Miguel Martinez, who has no challenger. MAGA candidate Ryan Antczak replied: “Not interested”

1. Will you vote to fund EvictionFree MKE, the program that protects affordable housing by providing renters facing eviction with the right to legal counsel?

MARTINEZ: Not only will I vote to fund it, I am looking for permanent funding so it is a part of our yearly budget and we don't just get scraps at the end of the year.

SMITER: Yes, I support funding efforts like EvictionFree MKE that help keep residents housed and prevent avoidable displacement.

This issue is personal for me.

Growing up, I experienced housing instability and what it feels like to face eviction. I’ve seen firsthand how quickly a family can be disrupted, how stress, uncertainty, and lack of support can impact not just housing, but education, mental health, and long-term stability.

That experience is why I believe people deserve a fair chance, including access to legal counsel when facing eviction.

At the same time, I believe in accountability. As County Supervisor, I will support funding this program while ensuring we are tracking real outcomes:

• Reductions in eviction filings and judgments

• Prevention of homelessness

• Long-term housing stability

This is about protecting families, stabilizing neighborhoods, and making sure our investments are producing real results.

2. Will you vote to send the county's lobbyist to the state legislature in support of the following policies:

- Universal childcare? (similar to this.)

MARTINEZ: Most definitely.

SMITER: Yes — I support expanding access to affordable childcare.

Childcare is not just a family issue, it’s an economic issue. When parents can’t access reliable childcare, they can’t work, and that impacts entire households and our local economy.

As County Supervisor, I will support advocacy for solutions that:

• Help working families afford care

• Support childcare providers and workforce wages

• Strengthen early childhood outcomes

We need practical, sustainable solutions that allow families to work and children to thrive.

- Repealing Act 12 and replacing it with a fairer shared revenue system?

MARTINEZ: Absolutely. While I voted yes in the past for Act 12, I no longer feel it was the best option and look to working toward something better.

SMITER: Yes — I support reforming the shared revenue system to ensure Milwaukee County receives fair and sustainable funding.

Act 12 provided some relief, but it also limited local flexibility.

As County Supervisor, I will advocate for:

• A more equitable distribution of state resources

• Greater local flexibility to address community needs

• Reducing overreliance on property taxes

My focus is simple: fairness for Milwaukee County and relief for taxpayers.

- The Socialist Caucus’s “Tax the Rich” package, including a local option millionaire tax, as described here.

MARTINEZ: Most definitely I do!

SMITER: I support a fair tax system that reduces the burden on working families and homeowners.

Property taxes are one of the biggest concerns I hear at the doors across District 7.

I am open to exploring policies that shift the tax burden more equitably, including options that could provide real relief to everyday residents.

At the same time, I will evaluate any proposal based on:

• Long-term sustainability

• Economic impact

• Whether it truly benefits working families

My priority is making sure the system works for the people — not just balancing budgets on the backs of taxpayers.

3. Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office takes a huge portion of the County Budget, they consistently overspend that bloated budget, and nevertheless kill people in the County Jail through negligence.

Will you vote to reign in the MCSO budget, audit and control their spending?

MARTINEZ: Already have, and will continue to do so.

SMITER: Yes — I support stronger oversight, auditing, and accountability for the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office.

Every department must be accountable for how taxpayer dollars are spent.

As County Supervisor, I will:

• Support regular audits and performance reviews

• Push for spending controls and transparency

• Require outcome-based reporting — not just budget increases

How will you invest in real public safety?

MARTINEZ: Funding credible messenger, continuing to vote for more funding for parks and a dedicated source of funding for transit.

SMITER: Public safety is not just enforcement — it’s prevention, accountability, and results.

My approach includes:

• Targeted enforcement for repeat violent offenders

• Mental health crisis response investments

• Youth mentorship and prevention programs

• Reentry support to reduce repeat offenses

• Data-driven budgeting tied to outcomes

We need to be tough, smart, and accountable — not just spend more without results.

4. Public-private partnerships have deprived Milwaukee County of vital assets in our parks, our museum, and our arts. What will you do to protect Milwaukee’s county park system and other public goods?

MARTINEZ: Continue to vote to uplift parks and their renovations and push for more bike paths especially.

SMITER: Public-private partnerships can be useful — but they must protect public ownership and community access.

I share concerns about losing control of public assets, especially in our parks and cultural institutions.

As County Supervisor, I will:

• Oppose deals that weaken public control of core assets

• Require transparency and public input before agreements

• Ensure partnerships include clear community benefits

• Prioritize long-term public stewardship

Our parks and public spaces belong to the people — and I will fight to keep them that way.

5. Milwaukee County Transit workers are being deprived of adequate pay while fares increase and service lines are cut. What is your plan to nurture and expand public transportation in Milwaukee County? 

MARTINEZ: A dashboard to be updated on contracts expiring is being planned by other supervisors and I to have more oversight on funding, especially after last summer's MCTS shortfall. This is one of many possible plans.

SMITER: Public transportation is essential to opportunity in Milwaukee County.

Right now, we are seeing rising fares and reduced service — and that’s not sustainable for working families, seniors, or residents who rely on transit every day.

As County Supervisor, I will:

• Advocate for increased and stable transit funding

• Push for route restoration and expansion in underserved areas

• Support fair wages for transit workers

• Explore funding strategies beyond fares and property taxes

Transit is not just transportation — it is access to jobs, healthcare, and opportunity.