Positive plans for 2010 county budget

On Sept. 24, the county executive proposed his 2010 county budget. I will host two listening sessions in the Fourth District to discuss the budget with you. In addition, the County Board’s public hearing is 7pm Nov. 2 at the Washington Park Senior Center, 4420 W. Vliet St.

In my past five years on the board, the same thing has happened every year. The county executive uses the County Board’s tax levy from the previous year, while cutting hundreds of positions and slashing services we all depend on, such as parks and transit. Then, the County Board works on your behalf to provide a balanced budget that is both fiscally and socially responsible. We are at a breaking point in Milwaukee County. Our transit system cannot face more route cuts or fare increases and remain viable. Our parks need infrastructure investments rather than maintenance cuts. 

We must move beyond this routine budget debate and truly revolutionize the way Milwaukee County operates. This budget is a prime opportunity to enact priorities within a larger agenda. I have many positive and progressive plans to move Milwaukee County forward:

• As chairwoman of the Committee on County Board Information Technology, I am sponsoring an amendment to purchase a new legislative workflow program to provide you with much greater access to county proceedings, through online access of all legislation and videos of our public meetings. This will also result in paper reduction.
• I support building a new, state-of-the-art Behavioral Health Complex on the County Grounds in Wauwatosa. We must provide the best possible care for persons with mental illnesses.
• It is my pleasure to sponsor legislation to move South Shore Beach south of Texas Avenue, where better water quality will permit longer swimming hours.
• I will continue my fight to make Milwaukee County a better environmental citizen and improve the administration of the Green Print. I plan to unveil a new, centralized recycling program and work to fund a full-time director of sustainability.

I look forward to hearing from you. Please call or email me as we move forward with the 2010 budget.

Marina Dimitrijevic is supervisor of Milwaukee County’s Fourth District, which includes Bay View and Milwaukee’s near south side. She can be reached at marina.dimitrijevic@milwcnty.com or (414) 278-4232.

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