Milwaukee Biz Blog

Editor's note: Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, who is running to be Wisconsin's governor in 2010, today delivered his 2010 proposed county budget to the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. The following is the text of Walker's budget address:

Chairman Holloway, members of the County Board, Constitutional Officers, fellow citizens of Milwaukee County, it is my honor to present our 2010 county budget.
Seven years ago, Milwaukee County was on the precipice of financial and organizational meltdown. Since then, despite constant challenges and formidable opposition, we have had our share of successes in county government.
We reduced the county workforce by more than 20% and lowered debt by 10%.
With adoption of this budget, the county's outstanding debt will be 28% lower in 2012 than it was ten years earlier.
While Milwaukee County's bond rating had a negative outlook in 2002, Standard & Poor's recently ranked the county financial practices as "strong," and Moody's attributed the improvement to "strong management and prudent budgetary controls."
How did we control government spending?
We told department heads how much money they would have and asked them to prioritize spending based on available revenue. Under my Administration we have held the line on property taxes and in 2008, when other state and local governments faced massive budget shortfalls, Milwaukee County finished the year with a slight budget surplus.
And we did it without sacrificing quality.
There are those who say we must either significantly raise taxes to fund our priorities or impose massive cuts in government services. But our choices aren't limited to raising taxes or cutting services. Greater innovation will allow us to maintain essential government services without sacrificing community assets that enhance our quality of life.
The Milwaukee County Parks Department is a top finalist for the prestigious 2009 National Gold Medal for Excellence as the best park system in the country. A recent state audit concluded that when compared to its peers, the Milwaukee County Transit System consistently delivers more rides for less cost, has the lowest per passenger cost and the highest ridership per capita.
General Mitchell International Airport is another award-winning county asset. In 2008, Mitchell International served a record 7.96 million passengers and received the Transportation Safety Administration's Partnership Award. Since 2002, we have invested $199 million dollars in airport renovations and improvements without increasing the property tax levy.

Now, looking forward, the budget I am sending you today has five major objectives:
1. To make it more affordable for families to live and work in Milwaukee County.
2. To create a better environment to retain and attract new jobs.
3. To maintain a high quality of life for Milwaukee County residents.
4. To provide a balance between public and private sector employee benefits.
5. To enact major budget reforms to protect taxpayers and ensure the long-term
viability of county assets and services.
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1. Afford to Live and Work in Milwaukee County
There has never been a more important time to commit to the principles of limited government and fiscal responsibility.
Our economy has been the subject of numerous commentaries and reports. Without exception, the authors agree that we need fundamental change to put our economy back on track.
And the first order of business is to change the way government does business. We must be certain that what we do helps employers maintain and grow jobs, rather than making it more expensive for employers and families to make ends meet.
That is what we've done for seven years, and that is what we will do again next year.
We know that it won't be easy. Since the beginning, we've been engaged in perpetual battle with those who are determined to maintain a status quo that Milwaukee County families and employers can no longer afford.
And more families are struggling today than at any point in recent history.
Today, I am joined by Steve Smith. Like so many families in our community, Steve and his wife work hard to pay the bills, take care of their family and prepare for the future. They are concerned about the economy and about rising costs.
And their concern is not without reason. This spring, the state unemployment rate reached a 27-year high of more than 9%, and foreclosure rates rose to above 20%.
So today, for the eighth year in a row, I am presenting a county budget that does not raise the property tax levy from the previous year.
In addition to holding property taxpayers harmless, this budget does not rely on increased sales taxes or implementation of a new wheel tax to fund county government. Increasing these taxes places an added burden on struggling families and employers just as surely as increases in the property tax and income tax do.
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2. Attract and retain jobs
Milwaukee County is blessed by the beauty of our great lake and our pristine parks and trails. Our natural resources combined with the ingenuity and strong work ethic of our people, have made Milwaukee County - and the state of Wisconsin - a great place to live, to work, to raise a family and to retire in.
Our companies are recognized as world leaders in everything from manufacturing motorcycles, to brewing beer. Our people are famous for their midwestern work ethic.
But too often we hear businesses say that government is getting in the way, making it harder for employers of all sizes to maintain and grow jobs right here.
My 2010 budget includes an aggressive plan to retain and attract jobs in Milwaukee County.
Milwaukee County Works, in the Executive Office of Business Development, will partner with existing employers and new businesses to foster economic development and job growth.
In an effort to jumpstart our local economy, this budget accelerates the county building program by beginning $395 million for projects to be started by the end of 2010.
The plan includes $38.6 million to rebuild highways, bridges and roads; $142 million in Airport improvements; over $38 million for park improvements and over
$25 million for county facility upgrades.
John Goetter, the Vice President of Graef USA, is here today. His firm did the engineering work on the David F. Schulz Aquatic Center we opened this summer.
Accelerating three years worth of construction work into the next 16 months will help folks like John put more people to work within Milwaukee County.
In fact, over 1,000 jobs will be created in order to complete the more than 100 projects funded for 2010 in the accelerated capital plan I am proposing today.
In addition, we will save up to $3 million in interest expenses by utilizing the Build America bonds.
Recovery Zone Facility bonds are another tool to spur new private sector developments within Milwaukee County by making low interest loans available for businesses looking to expand factories, offices or other facilities within the county. To that end, we will seek to use up to $18 million in these new low interest rate bonds for business development and expansion in Milwaukee County. Today, I ask you to designate the entire County as a recovery development zone.
The budget I am submitting today maintains our investment in transit - all routes are maintained and funding is included to add 125 new green and clean buses to the fleet. Further, to get people to and from work, the budget includes a new Bus Rapid Transit line from the county grounds through downtown Milwaukee to the UWM campus.
My budget also includes major investment to improve and expand capacity at General Mitchell International Airport.
These are all important steps on the ladder of economic recovery, but they are not enough. Our state leaders must be part of the solution.
Today I am calling on the Governor and state lawmakers to help us get Wisconsin's economic engine humming again, by adopting bold and immediate steps to improve the state's economic climate.
Governor Doyle and the members of the Legislature should move to immediately repeal the job killing Combined Reporting tax that was signed into law earlier this year.
In February, proponents of the Combined Reporting tax on Wisconsin businesses told us it would not have a negative impact on our employers. If only their predictions were true. Unfortunately, Combined Reporting cost Milwaukee County's own Harley-Davidson Motor Company $22.5 million in higher taxes and contributed to a major decline in profits. This loss forced Harley-Davidson to lay off more than 400 workers.
Now is not the time to experiment with new taxes or to take no action hoping the current trend will simply reverse itself. Manufacturing jobs have been the mainstay of our state and local economy for decades and we must do everything in our power to keep and grow good paying manufacturing jobs here.
3. Maintain Quality of Life
My 2010 Budget will maintain the quality of life for Milwaukee County residents.
It starts with key budget priorities - to keep public safety funding intact while fully
funding - and in some cases expanding funding - for safety net programs for
low-income families, children, veterans, and people with disabilities.
Significant improvements for the Sheriff's Office are included in this budget and I
am honored to be joined by Sheriff David Clarke, Jr. here today.
Also, our county- wide Emergency Medical Services system is maintained with more revenue available to local units of government.
In addition to maintaining safety net services for people with disabilities, older adults and veterans, the budget provides $4.5 million for the expansion of Family Care to include people with developmental and physical disabilities.
People like Paul Oberle are already signing up for the new Family Care program. Paul lives with his 87-year old mother, Eleanore Oberle, and has been on the wait list since 1996. They will be part of the first group to move off the wait list for people with disabilities into the new Long Term Care system. Paul and his mother are here today.
And this budget maintains our investment in our parks and recreation facilities too.
The budget includes three times as much for park maintenance as in 2009 and more than $38 million for capital projects including new bathroom facilities, playground equipment and parkway improvements.
We are creating a true public/private partnership by including $1.5 million in the budget to give the Friends of Hoyt Park and Pool the opportunity to leverage the county contribution to raise the remaining private donations needed for an aquatic center at the park. And I am sure that Supervisors Schmitt and De Bruin know just how much work went into this project.
Plans for a fourth aquatics center in the southeast region of the county are also underway. Once completed, we will have a major aquatic center in every region of the county. National research shows us that aquatic centers and splash pads are what kids and families want and we are ready to make a big splash.
Several deep well pools with excessively high cost per user will be replaced with more popular and cost effective splash pads. We expect these transitions to be as successful and as cost effective as the other splash pads in the system - like Gordon Park.
And one of the most exciting initiatives in the budget I am proposing today is funding for the creation of a non-profit organization to run the Milwaukee County Zoo. Specifically the budget creates a planning group to prepare the legal framework for such a transition by October of 2011.
This new organization will combine the continued financial investment and skill of the county, with the Zoological Society's expertise in education and conservation.
Some may wonder why we need to improve the Zoo, as it is one of the best in the world today. The answer is simple: we want it to remain a world-class zoo.
I want to thank Karen Peck Katz, Tom Dempsey, and the other members of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee, who are so committed to the future success of the Zoo. They are very clear that they want to work with the County Board and with our administration to insure a great Zoo for generations to come.
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4. Create Balance between Public and Private Sector Employee Benefits
Probably the most critical part of this budget addresses the need to create a balance between the wages and benefits received by public and private sector employees.
Today, over 48% of the county budget goes to fund wages and benefits for county employees, - and the cost of benefits is growing at an alarming rate.
Neither the problem nor the proposed solutions are unique to Milwaukee County.
Last week, Manitowoc County Executive Bob Ziegelbauer said he envisioned the need to lay off workers in every area of county government after public employee representatives rejected proposed wage and benefit cuts. And just yesterday, Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk asked employees to accept a 5 percent pay cut.
With so many private sector workers seeing their wages and benefits frozen or cut to preserve jobs, it is hard not to expect the same from those in government.
A survey just conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that the cost of providing health benefits for a family now averages over $13,000 per year, with employees paying just over $3,500.
In contrast, the lowest priced option for family coverage at the county costs over $17,000 with county employees paying a mere $840. In other words, the average citizen pays $3,500 for his or her own family plan and then pays taxes to cover more than $16,000 needed just to cover the county government share of employee health costs.
There has to be a balance between public and private sector benefits.
And while we have taken actions in the past to help control costs, we must negotiate additional concessions to help balance the escalating cost of public sector employee benefits for taxpayers, now and in the future.
Without further action, Milwaukee County will become insolvent. And raising taxes on families and employers already struggling to make ends meet is simply not an option I am willing to consider.
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5. Enact Major Budget Reforms
Developing the budget for Milwaukee County is never an easy task given the financial devastation caused by the county pension deal of 2001. And even though the county received a $45 million settlement from the consulting firm that helped to design the disastrous pension plan, taxpayers are still on the hook for years to come.
Under no circumstances will I consider frontloading the funds from the pension lawsuit settlement to balance the upcoming budget or to otherwise fuel spending. These monies must be used to protect taxpayers by covering the long term unfunded liabilities associated with the 2001 pension deal.
And we have included several significant budget reforms aimed at improving the county's fiscal stability in the future.
First, the proceeds from all county land sales will be used to either cash-finance one -time projects to avoid issuing additional county debt, or placed in reserve to pay down debt.
Second, revenue projections from the use of county parks are adjusted to more realistic levels.
Third, the budget lowers county sales tax projections to reflect current economic trends.
Fourth, the budget expands the use of public-private partnerships to leverage private sector funds for capital improvements in the parks, the zoo and other cultural institutions. Using tax dollars to leverage private investments, these partnerships help improve the quality of life for Milwaukee County residents while maximizing taxpayer resources.
Each of these, along with the proposed reforms in wage and benefit packages, will help the county to be financially sustainable into the future.
These reforms address many of the major concerns raised by the Public Policy Forum review of county finances earlier this year. I want to thank Rob Henken for his hard work on that project and for all of the work he and his team do to support our community.
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Finally, let me remind you that the objectives of this budget are simple:
1. Make it affordable to live and work in our county.
2. Create an environment to retain and attract jobs.
3. Maintain a high quality of life for our citizens.
4. Provide a balance between public and private sector employee benefits.
5. Reform the budget process to insure that the county is financially viable into the future.

This budget balances the importance of maintaining vital human services and investing in our future, with the need to control the growth of government spending to reflect the taxpayers' ability to pay.
I am looking forward to working with each of you to build a stronger and more vibrant county.

The federal "stimulus" funding package was portrayed as the best way to improve the economy by getting people working on important shovel-ready projects. Instead, we now see that much of that funding is going to new, big-government programs in Washington and to state and local government budget bailouts - not exactly economic stimulus. 

Early on, I raised concerns about the federal "stimulus" package and suggested that cutting taxes and easing regulations would do more to stimulate the economy than spending a trillion dollars of money that the country does not have.

From President John Kennedy to President Ronald Reagan, history shows us that tax cuts work. For example, after the Reagan tax cuts were fully enacted in 1983, America saw the largest peacetime economic boom in history. More than 20 million jobs and 5 million businesses were created by the end of that decade.

Again, at the state level, I pushed for tax cuts. Specifically, I called on the governor to use the majority of the "stimulus" funds to truly stimulate the economy by suspending the collection of the state sales tax through the end of 2009. It would make Wisconsin a commerce magnet and it would help small businesses too. Sadly, state leaders were not open to that idea.

So, now that it is clear that neither the federal or state plans have the kind of tax cuts and pro-growth actions I envisioned, let me clearly lay out our position on the use of the "stimulus" funds in Milwaukee County. 

At the start of the year, I laid out clear criteria for any application for federal "stimulus" funds:

• No matching funds required by Milwaukee County. Most federal grants require a 20 percent (or greater) match from the local government. "Free money" sounds nice until you read the fine print and realize local taxpayers could be required to provide a match, which they cannot afford. For example, if our county receives $50 million for infrastructure projects under this formula, local taxpayers will have to come up with an extra $10 million. And if we borrow to cover the $10 million, the cost goes up by $920,000 per year. This hardly sounds like "free money" to me.
• No long-term federally mandated financial commitments required by Milwaukee County.  For example, a federal program once gave funding to put thousands of police officers on the streets. The funding was eliminated after several years, causing municipalities to make the tough choice of letting officers go or creating a budget hole to fill from another necessary service.
• Expenditure of requested funds will not obligate Milwaukee County to new operating or maintenance expenses. Funding for expenditures not budgeted that would require sizable future contributions to maintain would be counterproductive. Madison is faced with this scenario with a beautiful performing arts center that was donated by a philanthropist, but ongoing maintenance costs exceed their ability to pay.

 

Applying for funds that do not meet these criteria should not be advanced unless they are already included as part of the 2009 budget. We will work with the County Board to identify "stimulus" funds that would be beneficial to Milwaukee County without burdening the taxpayers.

Last week, the head of the state agency that oversees the federal "stimulus" funds said that anyone who prepared a list prior to the federal plan being signed into law by the President should "tear it up" and start over with the formal application process. We made that point in January when various politicians decried my resistance to submitting a "wish list" to the Governor. 

Once the federal legislation was approved and signed and the process became clear, we jumped into action. With my approval, our head of the Department of Transportation and Public Works submitted a list of $66 million in highway projects and $12 million in bridge projects to the state for potential funding. These projects meet all of the mentioned criteria and are part of our long-term plans for the county. Other departments are considering similar requests. 

We will review every program and prepare applications where appropriate, but we did not create a "wish list" of things we do not need and cannot afford. Spending money (that comes with strings attached) when we cannot afford to pay it back is exactly what got this country – as well as many businesses and individuals - in financial trouble. We will not make that same mistake here in Milwaukee County.

 

Scott Walker is the county executive of Milwaukee County.

State of the County Address
Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker
Monday, February 16, 2009
Blueprint for Economic Prosperity

Just last year, we helped Tim Sullivan and his Bucyrus International team celebrate the opening of their plant expansion. Over three and a half years, they added 500,000 square feet of workspace and nearly doubled their employee base to 1,400.
I remember coming to visit Tim at his office over on Milwaukee Avenue and talking about his ambitious plan to keep the plant and the jobs here in Milwaukee County.
I remember the push that his board gave to consider moving to another site. And I remember talking about others in the industry moving more and more of their jobs overseas.
Tim Sullivan, however, was committed to South Milwaukee, to Milwaukee County and to Wisconsin. Today, Bucyrus is a success story at a time when we need plenty of success stories.
Thank you Tim for hosting our 2009 State of the County address. Your success is an inspiration to all of us.
I also want to thank South Milwaukee Mayor Tom Zepecki and the Common Council for their leadership and hard work in making Bucyrus a success story.
It is good to have businesses like Bucyrus at a time when our county, state and country face such an economic crisis. Lately, we hear too many stories of job reductions and revenue adjustments.
In just a few moments, I am going to outline our comprehensive plan to get people working again in our county. We want to stimulate the economy with our Blueprint for Economic Prosperity.

But first, I want to share with you a few successes that Milwaukee County had during the past year:
• Our airport achieved another passenger record;
• The zoo opened a new entrance and received a gift for a major new exhibit;
• The Domes reopened and Bradford Beach came back to life;
• We broke ground for the David F. Schulz Aquatic Center at Lincoln Park;
• Our Sheriff created a specially-trained OWI Task Force to target, detect and arrest drunk drivers, making 67% more arrests over the previous year;
• Our EMS system continued to be one of the best in the country;
• Our Family Care program served more older adults;
• We expanded transit options for people with disabilities; and
• We ran Operation Freedom at the zoo again for our veterans, military personnel
and their families.
These are just a few of our successes.
Along the way, we also benefited from the long-term decisions we made over the past few years that helped us adapt to the national financial meltdown:
• While the state government has seen their debt go up since 2002, we reduced our debt by 10%.
• While the Governor talked about cutting 10,000 jobs over eight years but is nowhere close to that goal, we reduced our workforce by 24%.
• While the state raided segregated funds for transportation and patient compensation, we worked with the private sector to create funding partnerships.
• While the state government saw its bond-rating go down since 2002, the county's bond rating improved in recognition of our efforts to address our fiscal issues.

While the state faces a $5.75 billion budget deficit, we finished 2007 with a $7.9 million surplus and are looking to break even for 2008. Unfortunately, the state budget situation is likely to have a negative impact on county government in 2009 and beyond.
Even more serious than the impact of the state budget is the impact of the series of announcements from local employers about job cuts and reductions. This is a major challenge to our well being in Milwaukee County and across Wisconsin.
Individuals and companies who are hurting today cannot wait for help in six months, a year, or several years down the road. We need action now.
This is why I am fighting for a true economic stimulus package.
In 1993, then-President Bill Clinton submitted a stimulus package of $16 billion. This month, the House and Senate passed bills costing nearly $800 billion. There is enough spending in this legislation to give every man, woman and child in America nearly $3,000.
Proponents of the plan claim that it will create or save some 3-4 million jobs. Do the math; this means the government will spend more than $200,000 per job. How does that make any sense?
The better solution is for the federal government to put this money directly into the economy through tax cuts. This is what President John F. Kennedy called for in the 1960s and it is what President Ronald Reagan pushed for in the 1980s. After President Reagan's tax cuts, America had the largest peacetime economic boom in history.
During that time, 20 million jobs and 5 million businesses were created. History shows that tax cuts lead to prosperity.
While politicians in Washington and Madison debate how to spend more on pork barrel projects and bail outs for fiscally irresponsible state and local governments, we have a plan to use these funds to truly get people working again.
Today, I announce our Blueprint for Economic Prosperity. This comprehensive plan calls for immediate action to improve our local economy and to put people back to work.
First, I propose to make it easier for people to afford a home or business in Milwaukee County. Last month, the Chairman of the County Board submitted a wish list of projects worth $512 million. Instead of spending more money, I propose that we put these funds directly into the economy.

Specifically, I call on the Governor and the State Legislature to allow us to stimulate Milwaukee County's economy by taking that same $512 million and provide the following tax cuts:
• Suspend the county sales tax as of March 1st. This will save taxpayers $56.2 million and will give consumers another reason to shop in our county. It will also help small businesses - like builders, auto dealers, merchants and others
• Rebate the county property tax levy bill for 2009. This will save taxpayers $258 million. For the owner of a $150,000 home in the City of Milwaukee, that translates into a savings of $652. For the owner of a small business with a property worth $230,000, it means a savings of $1,000.
• Create a JOBS Fund worth $150 million that can help retain jobs and attract new jobs. The fund will target job creation at small and mid-sized businesses.
• Create an Innovations Fund worth $100 million that will focus on businesses that create jobs in our county related to new innovations. The fund would be created
from a portion of the proceeds from a long-term lease of airport operations.
• Double the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to create 10,000 jobs right here in Milwaukee County. We apply $47.8 million to double the amount of funding available to employers as incentives for adult new hires, summer youth hires, disabled veteran hires and long-term Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipient hires.

In addition, I propose that the Governor and State Legislature take the nearly $4 billion that the State of Wisconsin will be eligible for under the so-called stimulus package and apply it to the quickest method to improve the economy: tax cuts.
Specifically, I call on the Governor and State Legislature to suspend the collection of the state sales and use tax as of March 1 for the remainder of this year. The average
Wisconsin household spends nearly $3,000 per year on the sales tax. Our plan will save Wisconsin taxpayers $3.26 billion in 2009.
This bold move would provide immediate incentive to put money back into the marketplace. Imagine the impact on builders, auto, truck and motorcycle dealers, retailers and all others who are hurting under this economy.
Aggressive tax cuts will put more money into the hands of consumers to stimulate the economy and into the hands of employers who can create more jobs.
For a home builder like Craig Rakowski of Wauwatosa, our plan will directly save about $5,000 in taxes on the materials for building a $250,000 home, and will have the added impact of encouraging more people to build and remodel homes in our area.
Or for someone like Roger Kriete who owns the Mack Truck dealership in Milwaukee, ending the sales tax will save his customers $8,560 on an average $160,000 dump truck. That will be a clear incentive for them to buy now.
I also want to thank business groups like the Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors, Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce and the Independent Business Association of Wisconsin who are represented here today. They understand that the quickest way to stimulate the economy is to put more money into the hands of consumers and employers.
Next, we need to increase the odds of finding and keeping a job. One specific way to immediately stimulate the economy is to approve our plan to move the mental health complex to the site of the former St. Michael Hospital. Our plan will provide a state-of-the-art facility for a lower cost; it is shovel ready and will spur economic development and job creation.
Conversely, the county board's proposal to seek $92 million in stimulus funding to build a new mental health facility does not meet the definition of “shovel ready” since it would be 12-18 months before a shovel would actually hit the ground. On top of that, the real cost of building new is closer to $117 million because the plan submitted to the governor does not include parking, infrastructure or site preparation costs.
The better approach is to move forward with our proposal. On top of truly being "shovel ready," it opens the door to the county selling and making the way for development on the land where the current mental health complex sits.
This land is a prime location for further development and expansion of the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center, which is one of our largest job centers. In addition to the proceeds the county would receive from the sale of this land, the further expansion of the Regional Medical Center would provide opportunities for economic development and job creation for the entire region.
And we cannot ignore the stabilizing impact a major County facility located at the former St. Michael Hospital site will have on the surrounding neighborhood. St. Joseph's Hospital provides a good example of how a medical facility can boost a local neighborhood's economy by providing jobs for local residents and creating demand for services ranging from retail, restaurants, housing and office space.
Without our investment in this neighborhood, it is likely the St. Michael's facility will sit empty and actually detract from the local economy of the surrounding neighborhood.
Moving the mental health complex to the St. Michael's site would create a true economic stimulus for this neighborhood.
Today, I call on the members of the County Board to stimulate the economy by acting to move the mental health complex to the former St. Michael Hospital site and to sell the existing site for development at the regional medical complex.
Building a new School of Engineering for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on the County Grounds is another project that will truly help stimulate the economy. We negotiated a reasonable price for the land and now, we need to approve the deal and let UWM get on with their work.
Today, I call on members of the County Board to take up and pass the proposal to provide the land for a new UWM School of Engineering.
I want to thank David Gilbert from UWM and Chancellor Carlos Santiago for their perseverance with this incredible project. Their vision will help build our economy for generations to come.
And there are plenty of other areas of county property that can spur economic development. From land at 6th and State to 68th and State, to land around the House of Correction; we have plenty of opportunities to act on in 2009. As these opportunities are realized, I call for swift action by the County Board.
One of the biggest and most visible tracts of land that is ripe for development is the Park East Corridor. To jumpstart work on this area, I propose selling all of the Park East county land to the City of Milwaukee.
We have a plan for success. The county should sell the land to the city for market value and repeal the so-called community benefits from years ago. City officials have the tools necessary for a large-scale project and they need the flexibility to attract a wide range of interests.
Today, I call on the members of the County Board to approve our plan to stimulate the economy by selling the Park East land to the Milwaukee Department of City Development and to repeal the so-called community benefits ordinance.
Next, we propose new ways to connect people to jobs.
We propose the continued growth of General Mitchell International Airport. Mitchell is an economic engine for the region and it continues to set the pace for passenger growth. We want it to be the most convenient airport in the Midwest. Since the airport is our front door to the business traveler, we will continue our plans to remodel and enhance the facility.
Also, we advocate the pursuit of a long-term lease option for the airport. Mayor Daley in Chicago received a winning bid of $2.5 billion for Midway last September. We want to prepare a similar process, but we need the approval of the County Board.
For more than two years, we have looked into this process, yet some have asked, "“what's the rush?" Simply put, we don't want to lose our chance.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has a pilot program authorizing the long-term lease of airports to private entities. This pilot program allows for only five slots. One slot has already been used by Midway Airport; one slot is reserved for small general aviation airports, leaving only three slots that Mitchell International Airport is eligible for.
The New Orleans City Council recently voted to apply for one of the remaining three slots, and recent reports indicate that Minneapolis, Oakland, Long Beach and Jacksonville, Fla., may seek the remaining slots. If we are serious about finding an alternative funding source for our transit system and about addressing our structural pension issues, we must act now and (at a minimum) allocate the funds required to prepare an application for consideration by the FAA.
As I have in the past, I envision the proceeds from such a long-term lease going first to pay off all outstanding debt for airport related projects, and then using most of the rest as a long-term funding stream for our bus transit system. As mentioned earlier, I would also use $100 million from the proceeds to establish the Innovations Fund.
Last week, I met with all of the major airlines at our airport. Now, it is time for the county to act.
Today, I call on the members of the County Board to approve funding to submit a preliminary application to the FAA for the program.
In April, we will submit our application to the federal government for a Very Small Starts grant to create a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line from the northwest, down Fond du Lac
Avenue to downtown Milwaukee and then back down National Avenue to State Fair Park and West Allis. The County Board approved funding for this request in the 2009 budget.
With a stable funding source for operations and with the use of these federal funds to upgrade the current fleet, we will stabilize and improve the transit system. In turn, this will make the bus system easier for current riders and more attractive to future riders who can use the system to get to and from work.
A week ago, we announced a new partnership on transit with the City of Waukesha and Waukesha County. Once approved by each of our governing bodies, we will no longer have additional transfer fees for bus trips that go beyond county lines. We will help
Waukesha County advance van pools. And we will prepare to purchase a new fare box system that will be the same in both counties.
Today, I want to thank Supervisor Michael Mayo for his willingness to take up this issue before his committee, and I call on the other members of the County Board to approve these enhancements to our transit system.
I also want to thank Waukesha Mayor Larry Nelson and Waukesha County Executive Dan Vrakas for their leadership on this issue. We hope this level of cooperation will expand throughout the region.
Next, we need to increase jobs for those in need.
Last October, Milwaukee County completed the State's process and submitted our application for Family Care Expansion to ensure that people with developmental and physical disabilities are served. Based on the State's timeline, the expected implementation was to be the first quarter of this year.
To date, the State has not committed to a start date while we have over 2,700 people on waiting lists for service. This is a proven, cost effective program for those over the age of 60 and we need swift action from the State to ensure that people with developmental and physical disabilities under the age of 60 receive the services they deserve as soon as possible.
Today, I call on the Governor to keep his commitment to people with developmental and physical disabilities, and without continued delay, approve the expansion of Family Care for these individuals in Milwaukee County.
Finally, we need to streamline and reform government to be able to build an environment for job growth in Milwaukee County.
As the private sector is downsizing workforces and taking steps to control costs just to stay in business, the County too must adopt reforms to fundamentally change the way we conduct our business. To put more of our resources into services to the public instead of benefits to employees, we need to change state law to be more like the private sector.
Today, I call on the Governor and members of the State Legislature to reform collective bargaining laws to reflect current economic conditions and local government's ability to pay. Local governments need relief from the state so we can control employee wage and benefit costs.
During the next year, I will continue to advance proposals to reform county government to make it more effective and efficient. As I have said many times before, the premise that government must either cut services or raise taxes to live within its means is a false choice grounded in status quo thinking. In today's economy, it has become even more imperative that we adapt to changing conditions and find ways to continue to provide core services without raising taxes.
We need to take aggressive steps now to put money into the hands of our citizens and the businesses that create jobs - this will stimulate economic activity and save jobs.
Raising taxes of any kind will result in more job loss, more business closures and more reliance on government services.
Overall, we are ready to rebuild this county, this state and this country. Our Blueprint for Economic Prosperity will lead to real job growth. Today, I call on each of you to help us enact this aggressive plan.
Many of the projects we identify are “shovel ready.” I have a shovel here to show that I am ready to build a better community. Behind me are 19 shovels that represent our interest in working with the 19 members of the County Board to build a better community.
I have hope for the future, and hope is great, but hope without a plan is just a dream.
We have a plan to make the dream of economic prosperity a reality. During times like these, people really do need hope, but people also need to know that there is a real plan to help them get back on their feet again.
We have such a plan in our Blueprint for Economic Prosperity. I am optimistic about our future but it will require swift action from me, the county board, the governor, the Legislature and all of us working together to make this plan a reality.

How many people would take a gift of a $1,000 and go out and buy a $60,000 sports car if they could not afford the monthly payments? Yet that is exactly what many state and local leaders seem to be asking us to do with the federal "stimulus" package.

Federal money nearly always comes with strings attached. In fact, most federal transportation grants require a 20-percent (or greater) local match. "Free money" sounds nice, but what happens when state and local governments cannot afford the match?  

If Milwaukee County receives $50 million for infrastructure under this formula, taxpayers in the county would have to come up with an extra $10 million. Does anyone think we have an extra $10 million in this budget climate?

It is even worse if these federal funds are used for operating expenses as that will create even larger holes in future budgets. Bailing out failed governments is not the same as stimulating the economy.

A real economic stimulus would put money in the hands of consumers - and not the government. Tax cuts work.

Tax cuts worked for Ronald Reagan in the 1980s and they are what John F. Kennedy called for in the 1960s. In each case, our nation climbed out of a recession by putting more money back into the hands of the taxpayers.

The choice is simple: do we bail out failed governments with budget deficits or do we stimulate the economy and put more people to work with real tax cuts at the federal, state and local levels? I choose to put people back to work!

 

Scott Walker is the Milwaukee County Executive. He is responding to Thursday's Milwaukee Biz Blog by County Board Chairman Lee Holloway.

Editor's note: Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker unveiled his 2009 proposed county budget Thursday. The following is the text of his budget address to the County Board of Supervisors.

 

Chairman Holloway, members of the County Board, Constitutional Officers and - most importantly - fellow citizens of Milwaukee County, it is my honor to present our 2009 county budget. 

Last spring, I ran for reelection on a bold agenda to improve public safety and protect core services - all without adding to the taxpayers' burden. I am proud to say that this budget fulfills that aggressive agenda by transforming our government today so that it can sustain important services tomorrow. This budget represents the next wave of reform. 

When we first arrived here six years ago, the county government was nearly bankrupt.  Pensions, sick leave benefits and years of fiscal mismanagement had left the county in dire straits. While we still have significant challenges, today, we are headed in the right direction. 

Since 2002, our debt is down 10 percent and our workforce has decreased 23 percent.  These changes, along with reforms throughout our government, led the national ratings firms to improve the status of our bond rating. And in 2007, together, we finished the year with a $7.9 million surplus.

As Chairman Holloway knows, I mentioned these facts at our meetings with the bond rating agencies and acknowledged that this was a great team effort. It shows that our reforms are working.

Interestingly, during the same six years over in Madison, the state bond rating was lowered, and the target of cutting 10,000 jobs in eight years is some 75 percent short. On top of that, Wisconsin now has one of the largest GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) deficits in the country.

While state government failed to address its serious fiscal problems, we worked together to get our financial house in order. And our reforms are working. 

To continue this positive trend, our budget transforms the way we deliver services so we can sustain important programs far into the future. And we do it while protecting taxpayers with the seventh straight budget that does not raise the property tax levy from the previous year.

Through key reforms, we make government work better for less. Let's examine a few of these reforms:

We make bold reforms in this budget that transform the way we insure public safety in our county. 
Specifically, we propose that all of the corrections functions in the county be consolidated under the authority of the Sheriff.  I want to personally thank Sheriff David Clarke for his leadership on this important reform.

The jail, House of Correction and Huber facility will all be under the supervision of our chief law enforcement official in the county. This will improve public safety. 

We also propose a new system of universal screening to insure that all criminal justice agencies collect and share the same information about offenders. This is a product of the leadership of the Community Justice Council. 

Earlier this year, Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen helped our DA create a new program to protect witnesses so that they are not intimidated by criminals who don't want them to testify in court. We make that program permanent in this budget. 

In addition to District Attorney John Chisholm, I want to specifically thank Maurice Pulley. He is a dedicated county employee and union official and he is also the father of Maurice Pulley, Jr.

Mr. Pulley's son died last year. He was witness to a violent crime and the thugs who committed the crime gunned him down to keep him from testifying against them.

Mr. Pulley never backed down and pushed for a new program to help protect witnesses.  Mr. Pulley, I want to thank you for your courage and for your dedication to making sure that other families do not have to go through what you did last year. 

We make bold reforms in this budget that transform the way we care for those in need in our county.
John Wagner, who is 40 years old, lives with his mother, Joan Wagner, and requires considerable assistance including help with all of his daily personal care needs. John's father, Terry Wagner, died last year of heart disease and John's brother has been helping to provide for John's care.

John has been on the waiting list for services since 1994 and is waiting for residential services to provide the help he needs. 

In this budget, we propose to eliminate those waiting lists by expanding Family Care to people under the age of 60 with developmental and physical disabilities.  We eliminated the waiting lists for older adults and we will do it again for people with disabilities. And, we continue to expand the number of older adults who are enrolled in the current Family Care program.

Today, I ask you to allow us to negotiate for a state-of-the-art mental health facility on the site of the former St. Michael Hospital, and to sell the land on the county grounds so we have a funding source to sustain mental health services for years to come. 

We asked the developer to sharpen his pencil on this project and he did. This greatly reduced the cost to Milwaukee County. It is clear that building our own structure will cost considerably more, result in more delays and shift significant financial risks to the County.

Mental health advocates understand that the time to act is now. Prolonged debate and delay comes at the expense of the clients we serve and the dedicated staff that work hard day in and day out providing quality care in a facility that has outlived its useful purpose. Let's get this job done!

Finally, we create an exciting program called New Freedom in this budget. It opens the door to people who are Paratransit eligible so they can ride the bus for free. Not only does this save the county money, this reform will actually help individuals gain new levels of independence. It was a team effort, but I want to particularly thank Don Natzke for his passion as we put together this dynamic reform. 

We make bold reforms in this budget that transform the way we provide quality of life programs in the county. 

In this budget, we add 26,000 hours of labor in the parks and provide the Park's Director with the flexibility to bring on staff during the times when people are actually using the system. We open a new aquatic center in Lincoln Park and improve our Park assets by taking all of the bathrooms and playgrounds that have failing grades and replace them in 2009. We also set out to create up to 10 new dog parks and to keep Bradford Beach open again next summer.

This budget continues to improve our attractions at the zoo and maintains our commitment to the public museum, war memorial, art museum and other cultural assets.  We see their value to the community and our support must continue.

The national convention for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) was in town last week. The AZA just completed the accreditation of our zoo and they gave us very high marks. I do too.

In addition to our fine staff at the zoo, I want to thank our partner - the Zoological Society of Milwaukee and their many generous benefactors - for their tremendous support.  US Bank Wisconsin Market President Bill Bertha is a great supporter of the zoo and I want to publicly thank Bill for his leadership in building the US Bank Gathering Place. This is one of the more than $70 million worth of new capital investments at the zoo since the last AZA convention held in Milwaukee in 1988, and the society played the lead role in raising those funds. And I thank them.

A recent survey by the Public Policy Forum showed that our zoo and parks receive the highest ratings for customer satisfaction. This budget recognizes that high level of interest and support and makes further improvements in the Parks and Zoo.

We make bold reforms in this budget that transform how we use transportation in our county. 
Even though the high price of gas drove up the cost of fuel for the transit system by $6 million, we propose passing on less than $2 million of those costs through fares and we insure that all of our bus routes remain intact for 2009. No routes will be cut and there will be no cutbacks in service for Paratransit riders.

Looking to the future, we move forward with a Bus Rapid Transit plan that will improve and upgrade our current bus system. Our budget includes the resources we need to submit an application to the federal government for funding to start a Bus Rapid Transit line from the northwest side, along Fond du Lac Avenue to downtown Milwaukee and back along National Avenue to the southwest side. 

This new line can move forward regardless of the lack of positive action by the Mayor over the $91.5 million for transit improvements. On this issue, you - the county board - and I are united, as we believe that these funds should be spent to improve and upgrade the existing bus system - not to create a new city system that will drain dollars away from the county transit system. 

In addition, I propose that we put in place a process to prepare for a bid to lease the operations of our airport.  Mitchell International is very well run. In fact, we just announced another record-breaking month - the 16th consecutive month of record-breaking growth at the airport. 

The positive news at Mitchell is exactly what will make it attractive to potential bidders in the future. 
If successful, contracting out operations would provide a steady revenue stream to the county. These funds should then be used to support and improve transit in our county - and throughout our region - for years to come. And we can do it without raising another tax.

Chicago is doing something similar even as we speak. The city got more than $1.3 billion several years ago for the Skyway Toll Bridge. Bids for Midway Airport are now being received this week. We should move forward with a plan to see if it can work in Milwaukee too.

On top of that, this budget aggressively improves our roads, highways, bridges and parkways. 
We make bold reforms in how we run government in this budget so we can maintain core services while we protect the taxpayers. 

In this budget, we propose contracting out $9.8 million worth of programs and services. I said many times during the last election that county government could either be an employment service or a provider of key services to people in the community. I pick the latter.

So far, we have plenty of successes in partnering with groups for things like Family Care - which is drawing national attention for the quality of our care – and in many other areas of human services, transportation and infrastructure. 

From getting more help for people in need by using Impact 211 operators who will handle our call centers, to adding 26,000 more hours of labor in the parks by shifting from year-round to seasonal employees, we transform our workforce to sustain or improve core services - all without adding to the burden of our taxpayers. 

This budget turns to partnership contracts to maintain core services while keeping jobs within the county, just not necessarily with county government. These decisions lead to long-term sustainability for the county.

Changes in the use of our workforce and resources - along with a major reorganization - lead to a reform budget that truly transforms government. This is a budget that does more with less and presents a way to sustain vital services for years to come. 

In total, the government reforms I propose in the budget will save this County over $27 million dollars next year and every year thereafter. If we are to sustain our core functions and ensure quality services, we must be bold.

Now, more than ever, I ask the members of the County Board to consider the choices before us today. Do you embrace reform and provide core services through new and innovative ways to protect the taxpayer? Or, do you cling to the status quo and reduce the ability to provide core services in the future while adding to the burden of local taxpayers?

I choose to protect the taxpayers and I choose to embrace reform. I hope you will too.

Scott Walker is the Milwaukee County Executive.

The Milwaukee County Board overrode my veto of a $130 million sales tax referendum by a vote of 13-6.

While the referendum question is merely advisory, the wording is misleading: 
"Advisory Referendum: Shall the State of Wisconsin grant Milwaukee County the authority to provide property tax relief of at least sixty-five million dollars ($65 million) by levying a one percent (1%) county sales and use tax to be used to remove the following three items from the property tax levy: parks recreation culture, transit, and emergency medical services (EMS)?" 

 

Who doesn’t want tax relief? Of course our parks, recreation, culture, transit and EMS are important. But in this case, voters need to be informed of the impact of a sales tax increase. The referendum question implies there will be property tax relief, when in fact it would result in a net tax increase, if you believe their assumptions, of at least $30 to $35 million. 

And the voters in Milwaukee County have overwhelmingly responded favorably to my promise to fight to keep their taxes low.

Back when the County Board proposed their $130 million tax increase, I held a news conference at a local camera shop. The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, National Federation of Independent Business, Independent Business Association of Wisconsin, Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors and the Wisconsin Merchants Federation all joined me in opposition to this measure.

Each of them viewed the $130 million tax increase as detrimental to the business climate and echoed my warning that a new sales tax that is a full 1.5 percent higher than several of our neighbors - the highest in the state - would create a tax island.

The resulting negative economic impact would erase efforts these groups make to attract businesses and people to our area.

The cost of doing business must be addressed to keep jobs here. We can not turn to increasing taxes on our already strapped taxpayers as a first resort in meeting our fiscal challenges. An increased sales tax is not a solution to property tax relief, and no guarantees are in place that the increase will remain dedicated to parks, transit and EMS.  The current board of supervisors can not by law tie the hands of a future board relating to the budget process.

The choice is not to either raise taxes or cut services. We need to demand greater innovation from our government to maintain necessary programs and quality of life assets.

Implementing a Park District, seeking public-private partnerships like the popular Red Arrow Park and Bradford Beach vendors, and exploring a lease of Mitchell International Airport to fund improved transit options that enable our residents to get to work are creative, exciting opportunities for our county and region.

Keep an open mind to new ideas that can save money and provide better services in order to spur the economy and improve our future. These are better alternatives than a $130 million tax increase.

Scott Walker is the county executive of Milwaukee County.

2008 Inaugural Address of Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker
Delivered April 15, 2008

I want to begin by thanking God for all that he has given me in my life. I also want to thank my amazing family for all of their love and support. I want to thank everyone on the program for making this night so memorable. And, I want to thank all of you – friends, supporters, elected officials and community leaders for being here tonight. Thank you for joining me.

One of our sons has his first track meet next week. In high school, I too was a runner. My best events were the half mile and quarter mile. To be good, however, I trained in everything from short sprints to long distance runs. And every race required a plan - a specific strategy to win.

So it is with the opportunities and challenges we will face during our new term. Leading the county, in many ways, is like running a series of races.

Some of our victories will come soon. Things like an agreement over county land to build a new School of Engineering for UWM or the potential of a new, state-of-the-art mental health complex are wins within sight. We should sprint to those victories as they will establish hope for the next stages of our race.

Then, as we head into future budgets for the county, we should explore every possible option - so that we might provide the core services expected of us while keeping our costs under control. This is important so that our residents and our workforce can afford to stay in this great county.

When meeting with new Supervisor Joe Sanfelippo, he mentioned seeing a neighbor of his at the grocery store and that the neighbor told him that he was moving out of the county. When Joe asked why, he said that he was retiring soon and didn’t think he could afford to pay the taxes on his home.

That reminded me of just how important our work is to real people. In my mind, not one of the individuals who helped build this great county should ever be forced to move out because they can’t afford to pay taxes when they retire.

And it’s a big concern for those who provide jobs too. With places like Miller Brewing making key decisions based on the cost of doing business, we need to give them every reason to stay and grow in Milwaukee County.
Facing this challenge will be more difficult than our early victories, but success will have a lasting benefit.

We must also consider the long-term future of our county. To win this stage of the race, we should look beyond the boundaries of our government and consider the race that must be won for the people of this community and region.

Running a long distance race requires great discipline and it requires the most efficient use of weight and resources. Some might argue that the current status of the various layers of government that overlap is not the optimal method of providing services.

So, should we keep the current county government or should we try to create something totally new? I challenge each of us to consider what will be the best way to serve the people 5, 10, even 25 years from now.
So where do we start? To win, each of these races will take a great team. I am proud of the people we have assembled on my staff and in my cabinet.

Since the election, I reached out to the members of the County Board and look forward to continuing that outreach. I will also work with leaders in other areas of government. And I look forward to the support and assistance of our business and civic leaders. Each of these individuals will be part of our winning team.

Most importantly, I look forward to working with you - the people of Milwaukee County. I never lost sight of the fact that we took office because the people of Milwaukee County opted, not for anger, but hope. They (really, we) wanted our government back and we strive to meet that goal every day.

My parents have always been a great inspiration to me. When I ran track, my mother would provide quotes to motivate me for the next race. One came from the Book of Hebrews:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked for us.”

Now is the time for us to run with perseverance. Now is the time for us to run on to victory. Now, is the time to make Milwaukee County great again.

State of the County Address
Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker
Tuesday, January 29, 2008

 

Today, I am proud to be at the Hope Christian Schools. These schools embody the kind of hope I see for the future of Milwaukee County.
Over the years, it has been my pleasure to be here for groundbreakings, ribbon cuttings and check presentations. I've heard choirs and speakers and even been part of a food tasting here. It's when I see the impact on the young people here of a quality education, however, that sparks my greatest amount of hope for the future.
These students will be the leaders of our community and our county, and the fact that they are doing so well is a positive sign for the future. I have great hope because of them. Thank you for hosting me here this morning.
All too often we hear about negative news in our community. Sometimes it is about our schools and other times it might be about some of the challenges we face in this city, this county and this state. These challenges are real. Today, however, I want to start by reporting on some of the positive news in our county. These are the things that give me hope for the future.
A year ago, we saw $1.1 billion worth of new construction in Milwaukee County and this should be another banner year. In 2007, our airport broke the all time record with over 7.7 million passengers and readers of a national travel magazine ranked Mitchell as the 4th best airport in the country. These are all good signs for our economy.
Last year, we again gave the Sheriff the resources needed to occupy the lakefront. As predicted, the beaches were safe because of that presence. Then, working with Masterlock, we obtained more than a thousand gunlocks to hand out to the public with the Sheriff and our firearm intervention program for young offenders continues to be a success.
"AARP: The Magazine" did a story on five great places to live and listed Milwaukee as one of them – in no small part due to our Department on Aging. Our FamilyCare program served some 7,500 older adults with long-term care needs and still generated a surplus. And our nutrition program provided more than 463,000 delicious meals (I know because I have eaten at nearly every site) in 2007.
Last year, we hosted Operation Freedom again at the zoo - this time with the Military Order of the Purple Heart. Some 17,000 military personnel, their families and veterans joined us for the tribute. Our veterans' office continues to see more vets since our move to the VA. We joined with others to advocate for the preservation of the historic buildings on the VA grounds as well as the continued use of that area to serve the needs of our veterans.
During the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, we hosted events at a number of our parks and at the zoo and we converted several of our buses so we could transport participants. All of these activities, plus the work of countless veterans and their supporters, earned Milwaukee the distinction of the most patriotic city.
And 2007 marked the 100th anniversary of the parks system. We had 100 free concerts, planted 100 trees, gave away a motorcycle thanks to Harley-Davidson, had a 100th anniversary bash at Washington Park, and shot off fireworks at Red Arrow Park on New Year's Eve.
A couple of years ago, the headlines shouted out bad news about the Milwaukee Public Museum. County Board Chairman Lee Holloway and I stepped up and appointed a financial oversight panel and took control. Our team then worked with a recovery committee to put things back into place.
Full payment of the loans that were guaranteed by the county will be paid off by March 31st of this year. I want to thank Valerie Daniels-Carter, Mike Falbo, Mike Grebe, Jennifer Noyes and Carol Skornicka - as well as Mary Meehan and the members of the recovery panel - and Dan Finley and the museum staff for their amazing work. We stuck our necks out to protect the museum and it paid off.
At the zoo, we completed a $30 million capital campaign with the Zoological Society of Milwaukee. The US Bank Gathering Place will open this spring and the flamingos will return to the zoo with a new home.
Overall, plenty of good things took place during the past year. It gives me hope for the future of Milwaukee County.
Still, we also have some significant challenges.
Recent statistics from the FBI show that violent crime continues to rise in the City of Milwaukee. This is unacceptable for the city, for the county and for this entire region.
If people don't feel safe in their homes, at work or in their neighborhoods, nothing else matters. Public safety is my number one priority because it trumps all other issues.
Historically, the county has not played a direct role in public safety, but times are changing. We must work with local police departments and the Sheriff to fight crime.
Our 2008 budget includes support for the Sheriff's Targeted Enforcement Unit that will continue patrols on the lakefront and expand coverage to our parks and other key areas across the county. We just transferred funding for new vehicles for that unit.
We will also work with the Community Justice Council to implement a program to replace the old system of checking in Huber offenders at night with a new GPS system that will track them every hour of every day. Once a judge sentences someone to work release, we need to know where he or she is 24/7.
In 2008, we will also work to implement a program to involve more churches and other faith-based organizations with young people in the juvenile justice system. They need support to keep them out of trouble.
While juveniles who are not a public safety threat can be connected to people within the community, those who commit serious crimes must continue to be waived into adult court. State legislation that would raise the age in adult court from 17 to 18 would be a serious blow to fighting crime and it could cost our county (at least) $23 million. I will lobby against this legislation in 2008.
I know that those who live in poverty are not predestined to a life of crime, but I also know that those who live in high crime areas are too often imprisoned by the poverty that follows a wave of crime. We must work to end crime and we must work to end poverty. I look forward to working with the Sheriff, the new chief in Milwaukee and others to make our community safe once again.
Having a low crime rate is one way to improve our neighborhoods. Having more people living in their own homes is another.
Unfortunately, 2007 was a record year for foreclosures. While there were foreclosures in every community in the county, 87 percent were in the City of Milwaukee and most were in the poorest neighborhoods. Lowering property taxes is a key strategy to keep more people living in their own homes. When folks are working paycheck to paycheck, every penny counts.
And lowering property taxes is an important way to keep jobs in the county. With major players like the Miller Brewing Company making key corporate decisions based on the cost of doing business here, we need to show that we can complete with other parts of the country.
I made a commitment to hold down taxes. For six straight budgets, my proposals have not raised the tax levy from the previous year. I commit to doing that again.
And even though the members of the County Board and I sometimes differ on the size of the tax levy, we have changed the terms of the debate. When I arrived, budgets were increasing almost 6 percent per year. Now, even with the increases enacted by the County Board, the annual increase in the tax levy is just a little over 2 percent.
That is progress and it gives me hope that we can do even more to control costs and lower taxes in the future.
While we are working to make things more affordable, we are also restoring pride in our county. Quality services and financial responsibility can still go hand-in-hand.
Unfortunately, too many people cling to the status quo notion that says government must either dramatically raise taxes or cut services. I say that is a false choice.
Many of our people and our businesses cannot afford higher taxes. Yet so many of our programs are vital to our quality of life. We should demand greater innovation from our government to balance the two concerns.
As an example, I will seek to increase the hours of work in the park system by using seasonal employees for entry-level work and will seek to expand the number of public/private partnerships like the Starbucks in Red Arrow Park.
In addition, there will be plenty of improvements in the parks system in 2008. Soon, we will break ground on the David F. Schulz Aquatic Center at Lincoln Park, which will be a major water destination on the north end of the county. We also hope to help the Friends of Hoyt Park Pool finish off a major capital campaign for a new aquatic center.
The Domes will receive a major facelift after four decades of service, the Oak Leaf Trail will continue to grow and new splash pads will go into place at several parks.
In the area of human services, a major move for us in '08 will be to formalize plans to move the mental health complex to the former St. Michael's Hospital site. Currently, we are working with the leadership of the County Board to prepare a plan that best meets the needs of the county and the people we serve.
Along with caring for more older adults, we hope to expand FamilyCare to people with developmental and physical disabilities and will work with the state to make that a reality. And now that we established a permanent commission with the City of Milwaukee, we will work to add more housing options for people with special needs throughout the community.
In addition to housing, we want to create an environment for more job growth. In 2008, we will push to build the UWM School of Engineering on the county grounds and to preserve the Eschweiler Buildings as part of that project. The Milwaukee Regional Medical Center is a major economic engine for this region and building the new school there will be like pouring jet fuel into that engine.
We are also moving forward with major projects on the Park East corridor. Working with our neighbors at the Bradley Center, the Brewery, Manpower and others, this will continue to be a growing and exciting part of our county. So far, our projects will add $300 million worth of new value to the county and we are far from being finished.
Our airport is another economic giant. To avoid the problems seen at O'Hare, we will move forward on a plan to build another major runway and additional concourses at the airport. This plan comes from a great deal of work with the neighborhoods surrounding the airport, the business community and with the airlines and other stakeholders. This is a plan that inspires hope for our county and our region.
I will also push forward with a regional plan on other forms of transportation. But instead of looking at regionalization as an excuse to raise taxes, I see it as a way to consolidate costs and to move workers from one part of the region to another.
I want this region to move forward with a way to dramatically improve the transit system. Our Bus Rapid Transit plan will connect people with an exciting new system of hybrid buses. Used successfully in nearly 20 other urban areas, this technology can reduce travel times, increase riders and improve environmental conditions - all at a fraction of the cost of fixed rail. I hope that we can move forward and build a consensus around this plan in 2008.
And we will continue to restore pride in our county by strengthening the ethics code, creating an Internet based system to increase the transparency of government and blocking an increase in pension or payroll benefits. It is about time that everyone realize that government is here to serve the people and not the other way around.
On the lighter side, 2008 will mark the 5th year I travel the state and neighboring states on a Road King to promote Milwaukee area attractions. Last year, we made 65 media stops in four different states.
Soon after this year's ride, the Harley-Davidson Museum will open. Then, the 105th anniversary celebration will be held at Veteran's Park in August. I can't wait.
Finally, we owe it to the taxpayers to keep an open mind to ideas that can save money and provide better services. It has worked well in the past, and now we should be more aggressive in our efforts. This is how we build true hope for our future.
Some changes come fast. Others take time. For those who might be discouraged with the pace of change in county government, I share your angst. At the same time, I remind us all about how long it took to dismantle the parking structure that once sat above the expressway.
After years of negotiations and debate, we finally took the annex parking structure down a year ago. Today, everyone who goes through the Marquette Interchange has a spectacular view of the courthouse.
In the same way, I know that we live in a great county. In fact, I know that there is a great county government here with many, many outstanding people working in it. For too many years, however, the scandals prevented the rest of us from seeing the good that is within.
Working together, I am certain that we can reveal that greatness once again. But hope without a plan is just a dream. I believe in the people of our county. With a positive agenda, like the one we outlined here today, we can make that dream a reality.

First of all, let me say I am optimistic about Milwaukee County's future. The vetoes I cast (Tuesday) were not because I'm battling the County Board. I am battling against the reality that Milwaukee County finds itself in a fight to keep businesses and families from leaving because our taxes are too high.

And while I have great hopes for this county, I know those hopes cannot be realized if we give in to the notion that we need to raise more money through taxes to drive economic development. I believe quite the opposite, we need to take less.

Look at what's at stake with the MillerCoors merger. Do we really believe that more taxes create the best economic climate possible to influence that decision? And what about the American Bowling Congress? Will the County Board's suggested tax increases push that decision over the edge?

I would love to see commercials that invite businesses to Milwaukee because Milwaukee is good for business. But we can't send out those kinds of messages, because we keep raising taxes. Milwaukee shouldn't be in the position of having to ask corporations to stay. But we are. And that's why I'm vetoing the items in the County Budget. 

The budget, as passed, maintained most of the provisions included in the budget I submitted to you in October.  Specifically, as adopted, the Board maintained key public safety provisions contained in my Recommended Budget, including full support for the Sheriff's Targeted Enforcement, Drug Enforcement and Expressway Patrol units, additional funding for law enforcement equipment and Airport security, better monitoring of Huber inmates through the use of Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) equipment, increased funding for the Firearm Offender Supervision program and increased funding for the County's Emergency Medical Services system. In regard to the GPS initiative, I welcome and support the County Board's recommendation to engage the Community Justice Council Steering Committee and to retain additional Correction Officer positions in order to phase in the initiative.

Public safety is a priority in this budget, and so is making Milwaukee County an affordable place to live, work, learn and retire. Recently it was noted that the cost of electricity, fuel, gas, groceries and medicine had gone up. The conclusion was that the amount government collects from the taxpayers should go up too. I agree with the assessment of costs, but disagree with the outcome. Costs are going up and that is all the more reason why we have to be mindful of what our residents and employers can afford.

The reaction of taxpayers at the MPS budget meeting should remind us that most people feel we already pay too much to the government. The budget I return to the County Board today not only avoids an increase - it actually provides a slight decrease in the property tax levy.

Keeping residents here in their homes and attracting new residents is good. So is keeping and attracting jobs to our county. Recent census estimates show that even the City of Milwaukee is adding more residents. 

Economic growth is important. Last year, we saw more than $1.1 billion in new construction throughout Milwaukee County. To further that growth - and to make the case for businesses like Miller Brewing to stay here - we must hold the line on taxes, which will lower their cost of doing business in our region.

Controlling the tax burden can be done while also ensuring that we continue to provide core services – the kinds of services that make us proud to live in Milwaukee County.  Our budget, with these vetoes, seeks to provide these services in new and innovative ways that are more cost effective.

A good example of rethinking how we provide services is in the parks.  My original budget would replace a wave of entry-level, year-round parks workers with funding for seasonal employees. This plan would protect the taxpayers by saving money but also protects the parks by adding nearly 20,000 more hours of labor. My vetoes include a return to this money-saving way to get more work done in the parks. 

We maintain the new funding for parks maintenance and add it to the $12.9 million I included to improve our parks system. We begin work on a new aquatics center at Lincoln Park, install new playground equipment, improve our parkways, build new splash pads, upgrade trails and fix areas of the lakefront. 

Our budget also maintains funding for the cultural institutions and provides infrastructure improvements at the zoo. 

In the area of transportation, our budget maintains all of our bus and ParaTransit routes. It includes no increase in the cost of ParaTransit rides or the cost of passes for frequent users of the transit system. While the state is still providing considerably less than the historical level of support, there was some help in the latest budget.  We used that funding to support our bus system.

Major improvements continue at General Mitchell International Airport. In September, the airport broke the monthly record for passengers and is on pace to once again break the annual passenger record. A national travel magazine recently named our airport as the fourth-best in the country. Our improvements are working.

And this budget includes a major investment in infrastructure. We improve county roadways and bridges. We also include funding to resurface a number of parkways. 

The adopted budget also maintained my recommendations related to key human services initiatives, including increased funding of more than $1.7 million for the Behavioral Health Division to address patient and staff safety concerns caused by increased patient volume and the increased acuity of patients being served at the mental health complex.

The board also approved my supportive housing initiative that will provide an additional
$1 million for the construction of housing for individuals with mental illness. These efforts, combined with the creation of a new Housing Division in the Department of Health and Human Services and continued support for the recommendations of the Special Needs Housing Action Team, provide for meaningful, long-range action to address the housing needs of our most vulnerable citizens.

These are the things that make us proud to live in Milwaukee County and they continue to be priorities in this budget. 

 

Scott Walker is the County Executive of Milwaukee County.

Safety. Affordability. Pride. These are the three themes that outline our vision for the 2008 county budget.

Safety: We gave the Sheriff the resources he needs to protect our parks and buses and to address violent crime in the City of Milwaukee and throughout the county.  We built this off of the success of enhanced patrols on the lakefront this summer. 
We also put more into programs to keep our young kids out of a cycle of crime, increase supervision of offenders in the community and improve one of the best paramedic programs in the country. Public Safety is a priority in my budget.

Affordability: If taxes continued to grow at the same rate as before I got here, we'd be paying $43.9 million more in taxes this year. Instead, for the 6th budget in a row, there is a zero-percent increase in the tax levy. 
This budget was built to protect the retired couple living on Social Security, the new homeowners with a baby and the entrepreneur just branching out to start a new business.  These people need to be able to afford to live, work, grow and retire in Milwaukee County.

Pride: Our budget includes a significant investment in our roads, highways, parkways and airport.  We restore the transit routes that were to be eliminated and keep ParaTransit service.  We push new construction and housing opportunities. We continue our health care for low-income individuals, increase long-term care for our seniors, expand FamilyCare to people with disabilities and improve care for those suffering from mental illness.

We continue our investments in the zoo, our cultural institutions and the parks. Besides adding more than $14 million in new capital improvements to the parks, we actually INCREASE the number of hours of work in the parks. My plan to replace year-round, full-time employees with seasonal employees actually increases the total work hours in the parks by nearly 20,000. Plus, it makes a great deal of sense. 

Do you pay the kid who mows your lawn to work in December? No. Our plan just makes common sense as we allow the parks system to hire and use staff at the times when they need it most. Our plan will actually IMPROVE care for the parks in 2008.
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till, there will certainly be plenty of opportunities for the defenders of the status quo to try and attack our budget and give out misinformation about the details. When they do, we will be certain to act quickly to get you the facts. 

 

Scott Walker is the Milwaukee County Executive.