As Milwaukee's first newly elected mayor in 15 years, Tom Barrett came to office this spring on the heels of a heated election battle. The underlying race problems in Milwaukee again bubbled to the surface, revealing a polarized community he says must come together. A 20-year career politician and former U.S. Congressman, Barrett is facing his toughest challenge as mayor. Barrett says he's a man with simple tastes and a sense of humor -- qualities that can help him lead.

In this latest edition of Milwaukee Talks, we sat down with Mayor Barrett to discuss his new job, the impact it's had on his family, and what he sees for the future of Milwaukee.

OMC: You've been office for only three weeks. Any big surprises so far?

TB: There's a lot of information, and it's very exciting. I love it. But at the same time, there's a lot of information coming at me, flying in from many different directions. But that's part of the job, so it's actually good.

OMC: The election brought up some dormant racial tensions in Milwaukee. How do you, as mayor, start to narrow the gap?

TB: I think, as a city government, our employment practices have to be reflective of the population of the city. People have to be engaged and understand that they've got a place at the table. I think what we went through were some growing pains. We're a multi-cultural and multi-racial city. That means there are going to be some tensions along the way. My hope is that what we experienced were growing pains, as opposed to permanent scars.

OMC: Could you weigh in on the teacher cuts and property tax increase proposal that we've heard so much about?

TB: I will continue to work on that. In fact, I was just in another meeting (about it). I've probably met more with Bill Andrekopoulos, the head of (MPS), than with any other public official in the last three weeks, because the schools are so intertwined with the future of Milwaukee. Just this morning, we met and talked with a larger group about the challenges the school system faces and the potential for creating a group to work together to try to address some of those concerns.

OMC: Back in 2000, you were the first, and so far only, elected official or candidate to come and visit OnMilwaukee.com to see what we were doing.

TB: I remember!

OMC: How important are high-tech companies and entrepreneurs in the future of Milwaukee?

TB: I think a lot of the growth in Milwaukee's economy is going to come from the 20- and 30-year-olds who are creating companies right now. It's interesting, as this year and last year and next year, we're going to see some 100th and 150th anniversaries from some of the companies that really started Milwaukee. Whether it's Harley Davidson or Miller Brewery or Rockwell, my hope is that what we're experiencing right now are the births of some of the companies that will be here 100 years from now.

OMC: I was in Washington, D.C. around the same time you were in Congress. When I came back, Milwaukee was a really different place, which is one of the reasons we started OnMilwaukee.com. How do you think the city has changed since you entered Congress, and what will Milwaukee be like at the end of your first term?

TB: I think at the end of the first term, people will be saying there's something going on in Milwaukee. They'll look at the Calatrava (Milwaukee Art Museum), Pier Wisconsin, they'll see the continued renaissance in housing downtown and in the Third Ward, Walker's Point and moving north to Riverwest. They'll see a continuously growing and diverse city with a lot of energy. The future of Milwaukee's so bright I gotta wear shades.

OMC: What's the status of the Milwaukee Connector, and what's your position on light rail and Metra?

TB: I'm supportive of the movement forward of both Metra and the (Milwaukee Connector). At some point, I think a decision is going to have to be made as to the feasibility of both of those. Those will be on different tracks, and the place where you don't want them to collide, is there's $91 million of federal money sitting there. You can only spend that money once. So at this point, having them both move forward will allow the stronger of the two to emerge.