Budget should reflect what Milwaukee values

It’s hard to say what the final county budget will look like. This is one of the worst budgets in Milwaukee County history, and given our fiscal state, there are no easy solutions. But it’s clear that the budget proposed by County Executive Scott Walker was not fiscally sound and could not be passed as introduced.

Among the biggest problems were wage concessions that would break both federal and state laws related to labor negotiations. The other major problem is that the executive’s proposed budget raises spending by about $80 million or more than 6 percent over last year. To do this, it relies on taking on three years’ worth of debt at once while pushing the real cost into the future.

It does sound tempting to pursue a “zero-percent budget.” But, given the level of cuts to our courts, parks, transit system, highway department, sheriff’s department, emergency medical services, and more, we would no longer live in the same community we now know. 

Budget Amendments I Support

• Keeping open six pools slated for closure. This includes Holler Park pool, the only handicap-accessible county pool.
• Changing Walker’s aquatic center plan to build a new outdoor center for $11.2 million and instead adding on to our two indoor pools, Pulaski and Noyes, to create two indoor year-round aquatic centers. We will also add $1.5 million in improvements to these pools, keeping the overall cost to roughly half of Walker’s original proposal.
• Keeping the airport fire department open. This is a tax-levy neutral amendment that keeps our experienced team intact and prevents millions in assets from being transferred to another entity.
• Keeping bus Route 80 running to Puetz and MATC. Under the initial proposal, it would have ended at the airport.
• Eliminating bus transfers altogether. By restructuring fees, we can encourage more people to use weekly or monthly passes, help prevent conflicts between passengers and drivers, and eliminate transfer fraud.

Neighborhood Benefits in 2010 Budget

• $2.5 million in stimulus funds will go to the runway safety area project over College Avenue.
• Holler Park Pavilion’s downstairs bathrooms will be refurbished.
• Shingles damaged by vandals at Humboldt Park Band Shell will be replaced.
• Pathways throughout Humboldt Park will be repaved.

Chris Larson is supervisor of Milwaukee County’s 14th District, which encompasses southern parts of Bay View, the airport, and other parts of Milwaukee’s southeast side. He can be reached at chris.larson@milwcnty.com or (414) 278-4252.