Milwaukee Ald. Bob Donovan joins other officials in in March in announcing a city matching grant pilot program to bring police-monitored surveillance cameras to individual businesses and commercial corridors across the city. Credit: Rick Wood

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With the 2016 mayoral election nearly two long years away, south side Ald. Bob Donovan told several hundred cheering friends and supporters Tuesday night that he will challenge Mayor Tom Barrett.

Donovan, a four-term alderman and a frequent critic of the mayor on such hot-button issues as public safety and the streetcar project, made his announcement official Tuesday night at a rally at American Serb Hall, 5101 W. Oklahoma Ave.

Donovan said Milwaukee's greatest challenge was "timidity of leadership" and emphasized the point later, referring to the "muck and mire of indecision and timidity."

Earlier in the day, he filed papers with the Milwaukee Election Commission.

It will be an uphill battle for Donovan but one he said he relishes. He will be taking on a mayor who is widely expected to seek a fourth term in office and who has hundreds of thousands of dollars more in campaign cash. Donovan has $15,497 in his campaign fund; Barrett has $454,461 and a long list of contributors.

"This is America and anybody can run for office," Barrett said outside City Hall on Tuesday when asked about Donovan's announcement.

Hours later, in a previously scheduled meeting with the Journal Sentinel's Editorial Board, the mayor told editors and reporters that he was focused on working on ways to improve economic prosperity not only in the city but in the region, while acknowledging the challenges of finding more jobs for unemployed residents and finding ways to improve a struggling Milwaukee Public Schools system.

Barrett and Rocky Marcoux, commissioner of the Department of City Development, pointed to a new report, "Growing Prosperity: An Action Agenda for Economic Development in the City of Milwaukee," that they said "nests" neatly in a broader economic planning effort being conducted by the seven-county Milwaukee 7 consortium of southeastern Wisconsin.

"Growing Prosperity" outlines 47 action items that the city and its partners can use to build upon existing community assets and help improve economic prosperity. And the report focuses on five industrial clusters where job growth is possible: food and beverage processing; headquarters and business services; finance and insurance; industrial controls, automation, power and energy; and water technology and research.

"We want to build off who we are," Barrett said, noting the city still has a manufacturing base, its population has stabilized and gone up slightly, and housing in some but not all neighborhoods is strong. Barrett described the work being done at Century City in the 30th St. Corridor, the Reed Street Yards, the Menomonee Valley and the Pabst Brewery area as examples of investment as a means of adding jobs and opportunity.

"We are not abandoning our history," Barrett said.

The report says that, compared with peer cities with similar urban problems, Milwaukee's foreclosure problem fares well. Among the 10 cities, Milwaukee has the second lowest percentage of vacant housing units but the fourth highest foreclosure rate. The other cities compared were Baltimore; Buffalo, N.Y.; Chicago; Cleveland; Detroit; Cincinnati; Minneapolis; Pittsburgh; and St. Louis.

"We've got our challenges but we are fighting back," Barrett said.

Donovan said it's not enough. He said the city's major issues are public safety, MPS and the city's infrastructure. Tuesday night, he said the city was in "serious, serious trouble." He said as mayor he would take Milwaukee off "autopilot" and "make waves."

Earlier, Donovan acknowledged that Barrett has hired more officers — a total of 120 are scheduled to be added to the force by the end of the year. But he said the new hirings do not take into account police retirements and unfilled positions.

"Where we fall short in my estimation is not getting enough boots on the street," Donovan said.

But Barrett has increased the police budget — now at $244 million — by 31% since he took office in 2004.

Donovan can likely count on the support of the Milwaukee Police Association, which put his Serb Hall rally on its website. And he has gained support before from Milwaukee Professional Firefighters Local 215, which represents the city's firefighters.

Michael Crivello, MPA's president, said "at this point we have not endorsed anybody. "It's exciting — and telling — that members of the council are willing to challenge the current mayor. What we need is a mayor who puts safety above politics," Crivello said.

David Seager, head of the firefighters' union, said in an email "that as this juncture it's too early" to endorse a candidate. Seager was at the Donovan rally.

In addition to Donovan, Ald. Joe Davis, another frequent Barrett critic, especially on the issue of economic development, has said he will form an exploratory committee for mayor. And Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. has indicated he will make a decision this year whether to challenge Barrett. Clarke is seeking re-election against challenger Chris Moews.