Milwaukee County Budget Director

Content referencing Joe Lamers

Transportation: MCTS Tries New Tactics To Improve Safety for Operators
Transportation

MCTS Tries New Tactics To Improve Safety for Operators

Providing rides for bus operators back to the station after they end their shift.

MKE County: Tight Budget Forces Difficult Vote on Housing, Juvenile Justice
MKE County

Tight Budget Forces Difficult Vote on Housing, Juvenile Justice

Sup. Shawn Rolland wants $500,000 for a housing program. But his chosen source raises concerns for administration, colleagues.

MKE County: City, County Extend Funding for Eviction Prevention, Legal Aid
MKE County

City, County Extend Funding for Eviction Prevention, Legal Aid

County and City team up to extend free legal counsel program, which has reduced need for other social services.

MKE County: County Officials Close 2024 Budget Gap
MKE County

County Officials Close 2024 Budget Gap

Board approves funding package closing $19 million gap. But a new challenge awaits for 2025 budget.

MKE County: County Strings Together Funds to Close $19 Million 2024 Budget Deficit
MKE County

County Strings Together Funds to Close $19 Million 2024 Budget Deficit

$3.3 million in ARPA funds, including $1 million originally allocated to affordable housing, used to close budget gap.

MKE County: New Buses, Courthouse Project Pushed For 2025 Budget
MKE County

New Buses, Courthouse Project Pushed For 2025 Budget

County committee doing early work on budget struggles to find enough funding.

MKE County: Brewers Ballpark Subsidy Stings County Budget
MKE County

Brewers Ballpark Subsidy Stings County Budget

The county's contribution to the American Family Field deal is making its budget deficit worse in 2024.

Milwaukee County Honored with Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for 2024
Press Release

Milwaukee County Honored with Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for 2024

This award is the highest recognition in governmental budgeting

MKE County: Planning Begins for New Criminal Courthouse
MKE County

Planning Begins for New Criminal Courthouse

County will solicit planning and design contractors in June for $488.4 million project.

MKE County: Corrections Driving County Budget Into Deficit
MKE County

Corrections Driving County Budget Into Deficit

Along with lower tax revenue than projected. '2024 may punch us in the face.'

MKE County: Supervisors Upset By Penguin Project’s Increased Cost
MKE County

Supervisors Upset By Penguin Project’s Increased Cost

Design error leads to $1.5 million hike in cost. 'Somebody's head should roll for that.'

Transportation: Supervisors Recommend Funding for On-Demand Paratransit, Despite Objections
Transportation

Supervisors Recommend Funding for On-Demand Paratransit, Despite Objections

Though the funding is likely not enough, and would be realized by issuing debt.

MKE County: Board and County Exec At Odds Over Debt, Spending
MKE County

Board and County Exec At Odds Over Debt, Spending

Board wants to surpass debt limit given new sales tax, surplus.

MKE County: What’s The Future of The Charles Allis Art Museum?
MKE County

What’s The Future of The Charles Allis Art Museum?

One county budget amendment funds safety repairs, another seeks to end future contributions.

MKE County: Crowley Backs Biggest Project in County History
MKE County

Crowley Backs Biggest Project in County History

His 2024 budget includes planning, design for $488 million courthouse project.

MKE County: South Shore Breakwater Getting Emergency Repairs This Fall
MKE County

South Shore Breakwater Getting Emergency Repairs This Fall

But 2023 budget politics may have killed appetite for long-term repairs.

MKE County: County Set To Begin Work On Replacing Courthouse, Safety Building
MKE County

County Set To Begin Work On Replacing Courthouse, Safety Building

$500 million project would start with $3.8 million planning allocation.

Now Signed, Amended Legislation for Milwaukee’s Fiscal Health is an Opportunity for Property Tax Relief; Commended by Supervisors Burgelis, Logsdon
Supervisor Sheldon A. Wasserman Hosting Town Hall Meeting   on Proposed Sales Tax Increase
MKE County: County Sales Tax Hike Gets First Approval
MKE County

County Sales Tax Hike Gets First Approval

County officials detail future cuts without sales tax plan, as Parks Department is halved and senior centers eliminated.

County Supervisors Hosting Washington Park Senior Center Town Hall Meeting on Proposed Sales Tax Increase
MKE County: What Strings Are Attached to Sales Tax Law?
MKE County

What Strings Are Attached to Sales Tax Law?

State law enabling sales tax hike mandates new policies, though some won't change much.

MKE County: Supervisors Holding Town Halls on Sales Tax
MKE County

Supervisors Holding Town Halls on Sales Tax

Four town halls scheduled this month

MKE County: Crowley Calls Sales Tax Hike A ‘Lifeline’
MKE County

Crowley Calls Sales Tax Hike A ‘Lifeline’

County executive urges adoption to stave off 'catastrophic' wipe out of many county services.

MKE County: Crowley’s Special Grants Office Secured $46.8 Million in 2022
MKE County

Crowley’s Special Grants Office Secured $46.8 Million in 2022

In its second year of operation, the county's grants division applied for approximately $143.6 million in funding.

MKE County: County Programs Win 5 National Awards
MKE County

County Programs Win 5 National Awards

National Association of Counties' non-competitive awards praise Milwaukee's innovations.

Milwaukee County Wins Five 2023 NACo Achievement Awards
Press Release

Milwaukee County Wins Five 2023 NACo Achievement Awards

Awarded for Mental Health Emergency Center, Credible Messenger Program, Electronic Patient Care Records System, Strategy Dashboard, and Parks Foundation

MKE County: Board Grows Cautious As Legislature Debates Shared Revenue
MKE County

Board Grows Cautious As Legislature Debates Shared Revenue

Proposal for cultural spending shot down by supervisors worried about legislators' views.

MKE County: Forensic Science Center Gains Funding
MKE County

Forensic Science Center Gains Funding

State commits $20 million toward county's new $127 million home for medical examiner and emergency management.

MKE County: County Faces Drastic Budget Decisions
MKE County

County Faces Drastic Budget Decisions

County is short $87 million over the next five years, could force massive cuts in service.

MKE County: Crowley Reorganizes Budget Office
MKE County

Crowley Reorganizes Budget Office

County Executive moves strategic planning into the budget office, seeking long-term improvements in racial equity.

County Executive Crowley Appointment of Joe Lamers as Director of New Office of Strategy, Budget, and Performance Passes Committee Vote
Press Release

County Executive Crowley Appointment of Joe Lamers as Director of New Office of Strategy, Budget, and Performance Passes Committee Vote

New department shifts County organizational design to prioritize vision and strategy

Court Watch: County Courts Short of Staff
Court Watch

County Courts Short of Staff

Not enough deputy court clerks, court reporters, interpreters and defense lawyers for indigent, chief judge says.

Milwaukee County’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Task Force will launch on Aug. 12
Press Release

Milwaukee County’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Task Force will launch on Aug. 12

Committee will kick off effort to seek community feedback and build recommendations to strategically allocate $183.6 million in federal funding

Transportation: County Pursues Funding to Replace 64 Buses
Transportation

County Pursues Funding to Replace 64 Buses

Hundreds of MCTS buses are coming due for replacement in upcoming years.

MKE County: State Cuts to County Transit Go Deep
MKE County

State Cuts to County Transit Go Deep

Legislature cuts Milwaukee's funding by $32.7 million over next two years. Impact could be devastating.

MKE County: How Will County Spend Stimulus Money?
MKE County

How Will County Spend Stimulus Money?

With $183 million in ARPA funding and more flexible guidelines, county could replace some lost revenue.

MKE County: County Faces Financial Disaster
MKE County

County Faces Financial Disaster

By 2027 structural deficit will leave zero dollars to spend on parks, transit, other local services.

MKE County: Board Approves Overtime Oversight Policy
MKE County

Board Approves Overtime Oversight Policy

New policy will likely bring the sheriff's office before the board to explain overtime expenditures.

MKE County: County Ends 2020 with $32 Million Surplus
MKE County

County Ends 2020 with $32 Million Surplus

In a big turnaround, projected deficit became a surplus due to federal CARES Act funding.

MKE County: County Running Out of CARES Act Funds
MKE County

County Running Out of CARES Act Funds

Report shows its entire $77 million allocation has been spent or will be claimed by costs already incurred.

MKE County: County Working To Close Budget Gap
MKE County

County Working To Close Budget Gap

Officials face a projected $42 million deficit for 2021. Cuts could be brutal.

MKE County: Crowley Using CARES Funds For Housing
MKE County

Crowley Using CARES Funds For Housing

Of $77 million in federal funding, biggest single grant helps those at risk of losing housing.

MKE County: County Wants Its CARES Money Back
MKE County

County Wants Its CARES Money Back

$103 million allocated for Milwaukee County ended up with the state. County officials demand the money.

MKE County: COVID-19 Could Cost County $450 Million
MKE County

COVID-19 Could Cost County $450 Million

Milwaukee County being squeezed by increased costs, declining revenue.

MKE County: County COVID-19 Expenses Are Rising
MKE County

County COVID-19 Expenses Are Rising

Already in the millions. County may need to levy property taxes above the state-imposed limit.

MKE County: County Budget Will Be Hit Hard by COVID-19 Shutdown
MKE County

County Budget Will Be Hit Hard by COVID-19 Shutdown

2021 budget deficit could be $40 million or more.

Transportation: Transit Union Stages Rally
Transportation

Transit Union Stages Rally

Calls for contract to include to backpay and driver security measures, and for the restoration of bus routes.

MKE County: Committee Okays Referendum on Legalizing Pot
MKE County

Committee Okays Referendum on Legalizing Pot

Unanimous vote in favor of November referendum asking to legalize and tax marijuana.

Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele Announces Appointment of Joe Lamers to Serve as Budget Director
Press Release

Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele Announces Appointment of Joe Lamers to Serve as Budget Director

Lamers, a Wisconsin native and UW-Milwaukee graduate, will begin his role at Milwaukee County on February 12th.