Supervisors Adopt 2020 County Budget
Lipscomb Amendments Maintain Transit Service, Invest in Cultural Facilities, County Workers
MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors set (14-4) the 2020 Milwaukee County budget today after adopting several amendments to the County Executive’s budget proposal, including one from Board Chairman Theodore Lipscomb, Sr. to maintain transit services and invest in county facilities and employees.
Today the Board of Supervisors adopted a balanced and responsible Milwaukee County budget that preserves essential services for our citizens and continues the unprecedented cooperation between the Board and the County Executive. Statutory limits on Milwaukee County’s ability to generate necessary revenue make balancing the budget more difficult every year but I’m optimistic that we can address this challenge if the next Board and County Executive continue the collaborative effort we started,” said Lipscomb.
One of Lipscomb’s amendments would maintain transit service for 75% of the bus riders impacted by the County Executive’s proposed route cuts, provide funding for emergency shelter services for domestic violence survivors, re-open Grobschmidt Pool, upgrade playground equipment at the Mitchell Airport Park, and save the historic Trimborn Farm Stone Barn. That amendment also invests in Milwaukee County employees by moving up the effective date of a proposed 1% cost of living pay increase by six months and providing an additional $300,000 for the retention and recruitment of corrections officers.
A separate Lipscomb amendment addresses public safety concerns regarding the proposed transition to electronic monitoring and provide a backstop if expected savings are not realized.
The 2020 Adopted Budget sets the 2020 Milwaukee County property tax levy at $301,109,336, which is $661,896 less than what the County Executive proposed. This represents a 2.281% increase over the 2019 levy of $294,395,459, compared to the 2.51% increase proposed by the county executive.
Despite a structural deficit of $16 million for 2020 and a cumulative $278 million in budget cuts over the past 8 years, the 2020 Adopted Budget maintains discipline in borrowing and does not exceed the self-imposed bonding limit of a 3% annual increase, established in 2003.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
Mentioned in This Press Release
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