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Thank you, Milwaukee. It was just three weeks ago, on October 19, that Urban Milwaukee announced it was launching a 30-day crowdfunding drive of $20,000 to expand the publication. And by late last week, the drive had already topped that total.

“Our sincere thanks to readers and fans of Urban Milwaukee,” said the publication’s president Jeramey Jannene “We’re thrilled at your response to our campaign, and happy to note contributions are still being made. As of today, we have hit $21,000. We want to keep that momentum going and have a new goal we hope to reach: $30,000.”

As we noted in announcing our $20,000 goal, every dollar of that money will go to create several new features:

-the city’s first interactive political contribution tracker;

-the city’s first interactive and comprehensive presentation of city data — reported down to the neighborhood and even block level — including crime data and city licenses, permits and complaints that are currently inaccessible for the general public;

-a uniquely comprehensive dining guide;

-an enhanced calendar of events.

“If we can raise the $9,000 needed to meet our new goal of $30,000,” Jannene noted, “the added money we raise will be used on three more projects we’re excited about.”

Those include:

-Common Council Vote Monitor, which will create easily accessible information on all actions taken by council members and linked to political donations.

-Strategic marketing to promote Urban Milwaukee and its newly created features, and to grow our readership to expand our impact on the community.

-Preliminary data analysis of another feature we’d like to add, Judge Tracker, which would shine a bright light on all local judges and decisions made.

To date the campaign has received $21,000 from 200 people, an average donation of $100 per person, in just 21 days. In the next nine days we hope to hear from many more readers and supporters.

“We believe strongly in a free publication because it want to serve as many people as possible,” says Urban Milwaukee publisher Dave Reid. “So all we ask is, would you consider the value Urban Milwaukee has an on annual basis for you and give just that? If enough readers do that we will have no problem making and exceeding our new goal.”

In our latest campaign video, Urban Milwaukee editor Bruce Murphy talks in detail about the vision for the publication and how this drive will help realize that. “This city is not getting enough coverage,” Murphy says.

“Long-term the vision is that we want to become the foremost publication covering the city. And I see no reason we can’t reach that goal. This whole campaign is part of getting there.”

Join our campaign! Click here to give today.