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Home > BizTimes Daily > Archives > November 19, 2008
County board overrides most of Walker's vetoes
Published November 19, 2008 - BizTimes Daily
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The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors today voted to override 22 of the 29 budget vetoes handed down by County Executive Scott Walker earlier this week.
The final 2009 budget will raise the county's property tax levy by 3.1 percent, the county's lowest increase in three years and below the mean average increase of 3.54 percent for other counties, municipalities and taxing authorities in southeastern Wisconsin, according to Board Chairman Lee Holloway.
"In a budget of more than $1.4 billion, the county executive's seven sustained vetoes only reduce the property tax levy by $50,000," Holloway said. "These sustained vetoes will save the average Milwaukee taxpayer 13 cents on their 2009 property tax bills."
The county portion of property taxes on a City of Milwaukee home worth $150,000 last year (now valued at $153,800 this year due to the average citywide assessment increase) will increase an average of $12.04.
"If the county executive would have worked with the board earlier in the budget process, he might have been able to get more accomplished. But it's very difficult to work with the county executive when he legislates through the media instead of working directly with county supervisors," Holloway said.
Walker issued the following statement about the vetoes today: "The county board sustained several important vetoes today. Difficult decisions had to be made and I vetoed measures in an effort to see results both in improved services and in the bottom line for taxpayers. The board sustained my veto to contract outside of county government for call center services which will improve response times and performance, along with eliminating future legacy costs. The board also removed the $750,000 general obligation bonds for building a new mental health facility, keeping the door open for more cost-effective and viable options. Other opportunities to be fiscally responsible were missed. Tough times require tight budgets and we will continue to work to make it affordable to live, work, play and retire in Milwaukee County."
Among the items restored to the budget by the board's veto overrides today: funding of $80,044 to hire a grant writer; $125,000 for services to the Men of Color Task Force; $100,000 for the Summer Youth Employment Program; $60,000 for maintenance at the Technology Innovation Center; $1.3 million for combined courts-related operations positions; $983,011 for the Community Justice Resource Center; $242,217 for Wisconsin Community Service to provide job development and readiness for inmates at the House of Correction; $516,996 for Transit Route 11; $880,500 to subsidize transit fares; $1.4 million for skilled trades positions and contracted services; $1.2 million for housekeeping positions at the Behavioral Health Division; $277,430 for other positions at Behavioral Health; $1.8 million for certain Parks Department positions; $100,000 for UW-Extension relocation; $12,400 for the UW-Extension Horticulture Helpline; $32,500 for bicycle racks for buses; $141,000 for cart paths at Brown Deer Golf Course; $450,000 for reconstruction of the two Lion Bridges at Lake Park; and $250,000 for a new pavement marking machine.
