The Shepherd Express board, like most people in Wisconsin, wanted to make sure that the Bucks franchise stayed in Milwaukee, and we applauded Herb Kohl and the new Bucks owners for putting up a combined $250 million toward the new arena that was required by the National Basketball Association to keep the franchise in Milwaukee. Gov. Scott Walker, to his credit, realized that the public contribution to the building of the new arena should be the responsibility of the citizens of the entire state, since a major sports franchise like the Bucks, Brewers or Packers truly are state treasures. Actually, the majority of the people coming to the Bucks games live outside Milwaukee County.
The process of putting together the deal to cover the public contribution was moving along fine and the state was prepared to bond for $220 million when Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele entered the picture and proposed to put Milwaukee County taxpayers on the hook for $80 million. No one should have been surprised, since Abele did what he always does and that is use money to try to impress people and to try to be important. In most circles, Abele’s financial commitment was viewed as one of the dumbest acts by this Milwaukee County executive or any county executive in the state.
Thanks to Abele, for the next 20 years Milwaukee County taxpayers will have to pay $4 million annually, which could have been shared by the entire state. Mr. Abele, this is not your father’s money to throw around, but rather the hardworking Milwaukee County taxpayers’ money. Four million dollars per year could have been used for improving our park system or the transit system, providing more care to senior citizens, stimulating greater economic development or just lowering our property taxes.
What $4 Million Means for Parks
The state will withhold $4 million in shared revenue each year for the next 20 years, so the Milwaukee County executive—currently Chris Abele—will have to find some way to fill this hole. Where could Abele or his successor look for $4 million? Well, our beloved county parks rely on the county tax levy for some of their revenue. For example, the 2016 county tax levy includes $2.1 million for our indoor pools, deep well pools and waterparks, and an additional $2.1 million for horticulture and nature education at the Mitchell Park Domes, Boerner Botanical Gardens and Wehr Nature Center. Since Abele targeted the pools for cuts in the past and has failed to provide proper stewardship for the Domes, which are closed temporarily while Abele talks about destroying them to save money, Abele could turn to these assets and amenities for cuts so that Milwaukee County taxpayers can foot the bill for the Bucks arena instead.
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