Milwaukee County Board adopts 2012 budget
Posted Nov 9th, 2011The Milwaukee County Board approved the 2012 budget Monday night. Hear Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele’s thoughts on the passage and his veto plans.
Milwaukee County Board approves 2012 budget: by the numbers
Posted Nov 9th, 2011Monday evening the Milwaukee County Board voted to approve a $1.3 billion budget that includes a 2.3 percent tax levy increase. According to a statement released by County Public Information Manager Harold Mester, “Under this scenario, the owner of an average City of Milwaukee home would see the County portion of their property tax bill [...]
Milwaukee Co. Board works through the 2012 budget proposal
Posted Nov 8th, 2011The Milwaukee County Board is sifting through the proposed 2012 budget that County Executive Chris Abele says will close a $55 million budget shortfall without raising property taxes. The proposed budget is not without critics. For starters, it proposes eliminating $14 million from the Sheriff’s budget — a move that does not sit well with [...]
Tough, but fair
Posted Oct 14th, 2011Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. says the proposed $14.4 million in cuts to his budget would compromise public safety. We’ve heard this argument before, notably when Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett proposed cutting the size of crews in the Fire Department. As then, we’re not persuaded by Clarke’s arguments and suspect that he can make this new normal for the Sheriff’s Department work.
Abele’s budget shifts health care costs to county workers, cuts sheriff’s budget
Posted Sep 29th, 2011Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele’s 2012 budget fills a $55 million gap mainly by shifting additional health care costs to employees and retirees and making major cuts to Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr.’s budget. Abele proposes $20 million in additional health insurance premiums, co-pays and deductibles for active employees and $5.7 million in higher costs [...]
Journal Sentinel: County Budget Listening Sessions Set
Posted Sep 12th, 2011The Milwaukee County Board’s budget committee will hold three listening sessions this month on the county’s 2012 budget.
Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee County Leaders Explore Bus Transit Funding
Posted Sep 2nd, 2011With deep cuts looming for Milwaukee County bus service, county officials are moving to trim administrative costs, potentially saving more than $1 million a year.
Both County Board Chairman Lee Holloway and County Executive Chris Abele are claiming credit for the move.
Journal Sentinel: Abele blames high county debt on ‘reckless’ borrowing
Posted Aug 29th, 2011Milwaukee County’s debt nearly doubled to about $900 million over seven years through “reckless” borrowing that put a crimp on an already super-tight 2012 budget, County Executive Chris Abele says.
Michigan bill would impose “financial martial law”
Posted Mar 15th, 2011Michigan lawmakers are on the verge of approving a bill that would enable the governor to appoint “emergency managers” — officials with unilateral power to make sweeping changes to cities facing financial troubles.
Arizona’s state parks staying open thanks to partnerships
Posted Mar 15th, 2011For more than a year, Arizona’s parks system has been working to keep the state’s recreational areas operating in the wake of ongoing budget cuts. Users now pay higher fees to visit many of the spaces. Some parks are open fewer hours, and officials are increasingly relying on partnerships to cover costs.