Milwaukee County Board adopts 2010 budget

We were handed an unrealistic and irresponsible 2010 budget from County Executive Scott Walker. His budget is based on major service cuts and a wage concession package that was never presented to the unions. The County Board hosted weeks of public hearings and testimony leading up to the budget adoption. More than 500 attended our annual public hearing to voice their opinions. The vast majority opposed Walker’s cuts. In addition, I hosted two town hall listening sessions in November.

After hours of debate, the final budget was not perfect, but was a great improvement. Many of the amendments I sponsored were approved, including the creation of a County Board Office of Sustainability to implement my Green Print legislation, step up our efforts to save money through efficiencies, and become a more sustainable county. Also, as chairwoman of the Committee on Information Technology, I authored an amendment to install a legislative workflow program to improve public access to county government. In addition, the South Shore Park Pavilion will get renovated bathrooms and a new roof in 2010. I am also pleased that a veto-proof two-thirds of my colleagues voted in favor of the creative aquatics initiative I cosponsored. Our plan keeps all pools open, addresses some deferred maintenance, and adds new water park features at our two indoor pools, Pulaski and Noyes, in hopes of generating more revenue. 

I voted against Milwaukee County Zoo privatization, fought successfully against parking meters at the lakefront, voted against cuts to services for the mentally ill, and removed Walker’s proposed bus transfer fee. My vote also helped defeat the proposed vehicle registration fee.

I supported applying more pressure on the state to stop ignoring the voters’ will on a sales tax for parks and transit. My colleagues and I recently traveled to Madison to testify on a bill giving Milwaukee County the authority to enact a 0.5-percent sales tax to support parks, recreation, and culture. This would provide property tax relief and preserve our parks. Please join me in asking our legislators to support this bill, so we can finally see some action on the referendum approved last year.

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.