After Veto, Reporting, Board Reverses Course On 36% Raises For Electeds

Milwaukee County Courthouse. Photo by Graham Kilmer.

The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors went back on a controversial 36% salary increase for three elected officials Friday afternoon.

The unprecedented salary increase was for three constitutional county officers: treasurer, register of deeds and clerk. It received support on the county board after Clerk George L. Christenson, Register of Deeds Israel Ramón and Treasurer David Cullen held private discussions with supervisors pushing them to raise their pay, as Urban Milwaukee reported.

Ramón and Christenson told supervisors that their current level of pay — $91,483 annually — violated the county’s ordinance on compensation. The county’s own attorneys disagree with the legal interpretation the officers were pushing on supervisors and the county’s Department of Human Resources.

Initially, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley‘s administration proposed an 11.5% raise for the partisan, elected offices. But the board more than tripled the raise through an amendment by Sup. Tony Staskunas, which would have brought the elected officers’ pay from $91,483 to $124,513 by 2028. Crowley vetoed the board’s action, calling the raises “irresponsible” and encouraging supervisors to take up his original.

Without discussion, the board voted 14 to four in favor of a resolution drafted by Sup. Shawn Rolland restoring the 11.5% raise originally proposed. Supervisors Willie Johnson, Jr., Steven Shea, Steve Taylor and Kathleen Vincent voted against the proposal.

Rolland’s resolution raises the officers’ annual pay to $102,004. It will take effect in 2025. All three will be up for reelection during the fall partisan election cycle. Cullen is the only one currently facing a primary opponent. The primary election will be held in August.