County Tightens Financial Reporting

Milwaukee County Courthouse. Photo by Graham Kilmer.

Halfway through 2024 an unexpected budget deficit appeared on the horizon for county officials.

Officials were able to take action — trimming costs across a variety of county departments to balance the budget before the end of the year — thanks in part to the regular financial updates that departments provide throughout the year.

But not all departments provide financial updates with the same regularity. At various times the comptroller is reporting the county’s financial position to supervisors with budget information outstanding from one or more departments.

During their meeting in December, the county board passed a resolution sponsored by Sup. Shawn Rolland that amended county ordinances to tighten up the timely reporting of financial information.

County ordinance already has strict requirements for reporting budget deficits. Following passage of the resolution in December, it also now has language requiring county departments to provide “timely and accurate fiscal information as requested by the Office of the Comptroller to support the completion of the new report.”

The reports help policymakers understand “in a global perspective” where the county is financially throughout the year, Rolland said during a meeting of the Committee on Finance in December. The information is especially critical when deficits occur, which leave policymakers with “not a lot of great options,” Rolland said.

The resolution was unanimously passed by the board and signed by County Executive David Crowley.

Its passage is likely well-timed. Budgets are expected to become more difficult to balance in the coming years, as pandemic-era stimulus aids run out and the county once again costs more to run annually than it takes in revenue.