PHOTO CREDIT: Evan Casey
Morgan Park
Milwaukee County Parks are on life support. We are six years away from the parks receiving no taxpayer support. County Executive David Crowley predicts that in 2027, every dollar of current revenue will need to be dedicated to services mandated by the State of Wisconsin. In 1989, 23% of the county’s tax levy went to our parks. By 2019 that number had dropped to 5%. Without new revenue sources, there will be nothing left over for our parks.
Milwaukee County Parks are defined by the State of Wisconsin as a “non-mandated service.” State government mandates that Milwaukee County provide a variety of services to support courts, the jail and certain social services. Parks and other cultural amenities are not included.
Now, 60% of the Parks Department budget comes through funds that the department has raised itself. Concessions, golf courses, beer gardens, rentals and marina fees are included in this “earned revenue” category. Milwaukee County Parks funding formula relies more on this revenue than any other similarly sized parks system in the country. As a result, our Parks Department is focused on revenue generation. If they didn’t focus on bringing in these funds, the county could not maintain splash pads, pools, trails, bathrooms and other parks essentials.
Historically, this over-reliance on earned revenue was not the case. The Parks Department once relied upon direct revenue to make up only 20% of their budget. In the 1980s, the county had over 1,300 full time Parks employees. Parks now has only 240 full time employees and a fraction of the seasonal staff we had in the past. It is impossible for one employee to replace five people in full time positions and maintain the same level of service. With so few staff and so little money, deferring maintenance and cutting services is the only path for parks to follow. This impossible situation is being managed with a first aid kit. We need a modern hospital to save the patient.
Parks Need Revenue
So how do we save the patient? Milwaukee County Parks needs revenue. Governor Tony Evers included a provision in his proposed budget that would allow counties and municipalities to increase their sales tax by 0.5% if voters approve it in a referendum. This additional revenue wouldn’t fix every problem we’re facing, but it would provide some funds our parks system desperately needs.
In an ideal world, state government would increase the revenue shared with all counties. Each year, Milwaukee County sends tax revenue to the State of Wisconsin. The amount of money sent to Madison has increased steadily over the last decade, but the amount returned as shared revenue has remained flat (and decreased when inflation is considered). The state legislature has used these funds for their own political purposes. State income taxes were created so that revenue could be shared with local governments across Wisconsin. This original intention has been corrupted as this revenue has been shifted away from its purpose of holding down property taxes and providing local communities with revenue.
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Our Parks Department has worked with friends groups, corporate partners and individual donors in every way possible. We have applied for grants from the federal government, state government and private foundations. Milwaukee County is also working with the Wisconsin Policy Forum and looking to other parks systems for options we may have missed. We have exhausted every avenue to generate revenue and keep our parks alive.
This 0.5% sales tax is the only short term fix that Milwaukee County has. Contact your state senators and representatives (especially if they are in the Republican Party) and let them know that you would like this local sales tax referendum kept in the budget. Let Milwaukee County voters decide the future of our parks system.
As the Parks, Energy and Environment Committee Chair, I would be remiss if I didn’t ask if you would like to donate to help our parks. Contribute to the Milwaukee County Parks Foundation and learn about other ways to help at loveyourparksmke.com.
Milwaukee County Supervisor Sheldon Wasserman is Chairman of the Parks, Energy and Environment Committee.
