Milwaukee County is hoping to fix some of their funding crises by sending a message to the state.
Milwaukee County officials want to make sure they get a fair bargain from the state. That’s why they proposed a sweeping set of solutions Thursday in order to avert a funding crisis facing the county.
The Fair Deal for Milwaukee County Workgroup, which was created in October and is comprised of a wide range of private and public leaders from across the county, passed the solutions during the Thursday meeting. The workgroup was created because of the large number of problems facing the county, mainly due to the fact that Milwaukee County is sending more money to the state than it is getting back, according to Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, a co-chair of the workgroup.
“In the last 10-12 years, Milwaukee County residents grew what they send to the state by almost half a billion dollars, and what they are get back is largely flat,” Abele said after the workgroup meeting Thursday. “We’re not going to keep growing if we are getting less and less.”
Estimates show that Milwaukee County will face a gap between its expenditures and its revenue of nearly $80 million by 2023. This comes as the average annual cost to continue existing levels of service is increasing nearly $13 million, while pension costs are expected to grow for the next 20 years.
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The County is seeking money to address fixing and improving the Milwaukee Public Museum, Mitchell Park Domes, the Medical Examiner’s Office and the criminal courthouse, among other sites across the county. The parks system is also in need of more staff and funding, as Abele said they have cut the number of parks employees from 800 to 200—while facing $200 million of deferred maintenance for the system. Even social workers are being impacted, as the average caseload for a social worker in Child Support Services is currently around 900 cases per worker.
The Fair Deal for Milwaukee County Workgroup passed a wide ranging set of solutions Thursday.
Abele and the County have been making cuts to services over the years—reducing the county’s energy usage, moving out of one million square feet of office space and reducing the number of county employees by hundreds. That’s why the workgroup is asking the state for local control “to generate new revenue and reduce the current reliance on property taxes through a binding referendum process,” according to County Board Chairman Theodore Lipscomb Sr., co-chair of the workgroup. “We have a series of cultural assets in this community that need to be addressed,” he said.
The workgroup’s other recommendations include:
- Asking the Legislature to fully reimburse the County for the cost of patrolling state highways (Milwaukee County is the only Wisconsin county required by state law to patrol state highways).
- Equally sharing court fees collected by the County (currently 80% goes to the state).
- Adjusting state shared revenue payments and other state aids to align with the cost of providing state-mandated services.
- Accepting federal dollars to expand BadgerCare statewide.
Tim Sheehy, a member of the workgroup and president of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, said Milwaukee’s impact on the region and the state is very evident. “Milwaukee County is the economic heart of the region,” he said. “It pumps out $11.2 billion of personal income per year. This is not just a Milwaukee County issue, it’s also an issue for the economic health of the region.”
The workgroup has also discussed the possibility of raising the property or sales tax across the county to address some of their concerns. This would require a binding referendum. State legislators would also need to approve this—another reason the workgroup is pleading with the state. “This isn't a Milwaukee only problem,” said Lipscomb. “Counties across Wisconsin, and many cities and villages are facing some the same fiscal restraints.”
New Gov. Tony Evers gives the workgroup hope, however, as he has discussed the state’s revenue sharing process in regard to local governments. Both Abele and Lipscomb said they are looking forward to working with the newly elected governor. “I’m very optimistic,” said Lipscomb about working with Gov. Evers. “I've listened to his comments publicly a few times… that he recognizes the challenges that local governments face.”
Next, the workgroup’s recommendations will be considered by the Intergovernmental Relations Committee. The recommendations will go before the County Board of Supervisors on Thursday, Feb. 7 for a vote. Board members can also make amendments if they wish. Any resolution the board signs will then go the County Executive’s desk for his signature.
