Gov. Jim Doyle is expected to present his version of the state budget next week. But we're asking local leaders what they want to see in it.
Lee Holloway, chairman of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, sent us his top two priorities:
+ Granting Milwaukee County the authority to provide property tax relief and dedicated funding for mass transit, parks, recreation, culture and emergency medical services through a one-percent sales tax.
and
+ Preserving full allocation of Milwaukee County's Shared Revenue
Keep an eye on these issues as the budget negotiations progress. Regional leaders will likely push an increase in the sales tax to establish a Regional Transit Authority in southeastern Wisconsin, which would encompass local bus services as well as launch a regional train system -- the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter rail line.
Milwaukee County leaders, on the other hand, aren't opposed to regional mass transit, but they're hoping to fix the looming financial crisis facing the Milwaukee County services first. They put a one-cent sales tax increase – to provide property tax relief and preserve the parks, transit, cultural assets, EMS services -- on the November 2008 ballot and voters supported it. County leaders hope that this public support will persuade state legislators to allow the county to increase the sales tax. How the state Legislature will sort this out is anyone's guess.
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And Milwaukee County, like most local units of government, will be fighting for their fair share of resources this year (like all years). Since Milwaukee’s state representatives have been shut out of legislative leadership positions – except for a few on the budget-writing Joint Finance Committee – Milwaukee will have to work even harder for the money this year.