(Photo by Sue Vliet)

The Common Council has approved legislation urging Ascension Wisconsin to reconsider its plans to reduce services in the City of Milwaukee.

The Council voted unanimously today to urge Ascension Wisconsin to reconsider its plans to reduce services in the city and to establish a one-year moratorium on any downsizing and service reductions at Wheaton Franciscan – St. Joseph Campus and other Milwaukee health care facilities. The resolution urges Ascension to “work with community leaders, elected officials and other local stakeholders to find alternatives to service reductions and ways to preserve health care services for Milwaukee residents, particularly in economically distressed areas of the city.”

The legislation’s primary sponsor – Alderman Khalif J. Rainey – said he is pleased with the strong Council support for the measure and noted it is “just the beginning of the effort to push back” on the plans for service reductions at St. Joseph (located in his 7th Aldermanic District) and other Ascension facilities.

“I am planning to sponsor a communication file to trigger a hearing that will allow for the Council to continue discussions with Ascension on this critically important issue,” he said. “Citizens across our city rely on Ascension facilities for care and they are the least able to find other options if they lose those vital services.”

Co-sponsors of the legislation are Aldermen Michael J. Murphy, Jim Bohl, Cavalier Johnson, Bob Donovan, Mark A. Borkowski, Robert J. Bauman, Nik Kovac, Russell W. Stamper, II, Terry L. Witkowski, Tony Zielinski, José G. Pérez, and Alderwoman Chantia Lewis.