Tom Ament was Milwaukee County Executive from 1992-2002. He resigned in the wake of an uproar over the approval of significant pension benefit changes. He was succeeded in office by Scott Walker.
Ament was born on November 17th, 1937.
Ament passed away on March 10th, 2014.
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Content referencing Tom Ament
Pension Overpayments Still Happening?
Retired sheriff's deputy notified he owes $9,000 for pension overpayments. Crowley's office says such errors are rarities in recent years.
Aug 21st, 2024 by Graham Kilmer
The Shocking Demise of SDC
Sudden closing of anti-poverty agency Social Development Commission has dire consequences, no easy solution.
May 7th, 2024 by Bruce Murphy
Who Will Blink on Brewers Subsidy?
Vos wants a local contribution and Milwaukee officials oppose this. The issue could get very ugly.
Aug 28th, 2023 by Bruce Murphy
Park East Removal Didn’t ‘Devastate’ Downtown
Controversy over its removal offers lessons to those opposing plan to take down I-794 link.
Aug 14th, 2023 by Bruce Murphy
Actually, County Comptroller Could Get $1.3 Million Backdrop
Or $815,000 if Scott Manske is not reelected. That would save taxpayers $485,000.
Jul 12th, 2023 by Bruce Murphy
Group Pushes Evers to Oust John Chisholm
Led by activist Orville Seymer, group sends petition to governor bashing district attorney’s bail policies.
Dec 21st, 2021 by Corrinne Hess
Pension Costs Decimated County Services
New generation of leaders has inherited government unable to pay for parks, buses, buildings and basic services.
Dec 14th, 2021 by Bruce Murphy
County Pension Plan’s Costs Still Rising
Annual costs rose by 163%, may not be paid off until 2040s. First story in a series.
Dec 1st, 2021 by Bruce Murphy
Pension Backdrop Costs Hit $354 Million
Total cost rose $58 million since 2016, may hit $460 million before all eligible workers retire.
Aug 16th, 2021 by Angeline Terry
No More County Government Bickering
Relationship between County Executive Crowley and Board Chair Nicholson is the best in decades.
Jun 2nd, 2021 by Bruce Murphy
Furloughed Workers May Get Pension Credit
Proposal allows county employees furloughed by pandemic to still gain pension credit.
Dec 16th, 2020 by Graham Kilmer
Mr Pension Scandal Wants Your Vote
John Weishan, who supported infamous pension plan that gouged taxpayers, is running for Register of Deeds.
Jul 22nd, 2020 by Bruce Murphy
County Executive College Dropouts
For 20 years voters have elected college dropouts to run Milwaukee County. What gives?
May 19th, 2020 by Bruce Murphy
The Rise and Fall of Scott Walker
He accomplished much, then was consumed by an insular hubris.
Dec 14th, 2018 by George Mitchell
11 Things to Know Before You Ride The Hop
How many people will ride it? How is it free? Oh so many questions, all answered here.
Nov 1st, 2018 by Jeramey Jannene
Norquist Bashes Inspector General Idea
Council wants its own watchdog. Former mayor says post is unnecessary.
Oct 12th, 2018 by Bruce Murphy
Wisconsin Residents See Democracy in Decline
Nationally and here in Wisconsin, citizens feel their voices aren't being heard.
Aug 6th, 2018 by Nicole Ki
The $400 Million Pension Problem
Infamous county pension plan's cost may hit $400 million, make many wealthy.
Jun 6th, 2017 by Mitchel Writt
Will County Give Pension to State?
Board approves work group to study state takeover of pension system.
Mar 23rd, 2017 by Jeramey Jannene
Who’s To Blame for Pension Mess?
County’s countless expensive mistakes go back at least 15 years -- and still no solution.
Mar 7th, 2017 by Bruce Murphy
The Rise of Scott Walker
Journal Sentinel’s lo-o-ng series struggles to explain it -- but omits the newspaper's role.
Dec 6th, 2016 by Bruce Murphy
Chisholm Challenger Skips Debate
Verona Swanigan objects to moderator and drops out of debate with DA John Chisholm.
Jun 22nd, 2016 by Bruce Murphy
County Pension Scandal Poster Boys
Six veterans seeking re-election voted for infamous pension plan that ripped off taxpayers.
Mar 3rd, 2016 by Bruce Murphy
Who is Scott Walker?
The real, profusely documented story of the man who would be president.
Jul 16th, 2015 by Bruce Murphy
Chairwoman Dimitrijevic Responds to Proposals that Would Wipe-Out Public Transparency and Erase Checks and Balances in Milwaukee County Government
Requests that Assembly and Senate Remove Item #67 in Motion #999 from the State Budget
Jul 6th, 2015 by Ald. Marina Dimitrijevic
Race for Dudzik’s Seat Could Get Heated
Will anti-streetcar group get involved? And did Journal Sentinel exaggerate the number of candidates?
Jun 4th, 2015 by Michael Horne
Supervisor Alexander Issues Statement on Pension Buy-In/Buy-Back
"This problem is not an issue of left versus right, Democrat versus Republican, or even management versus unions."
Feb 5th, 2015 by Sup. Deanna Alexander
Will County Pass Another Pension Giveaway?
Board members favor a “grandfather clause” protecting retirees with illegal payments that could cost taxpayers $10 million.
Feb 3rd, 2015 by Bruce Murphy
Will Anti-Streetcar Referendum Succeed?
The process is far more complicated legally than has been reported. Which will make it harder for opponents.
Jan 9th, 2015 by Bruce Murphy
The Story Behind the Streetcar Referendum
Conservatives from outside Milwaukee hope to join forces with black city residents to oppose the streetcar.
Jan 8th, 2015 by Michael Horne and Bruce Murphy
The Assault on Wisconsin’s Campaign Laws
Given higher court’s slap-down of Judge Randa’s decisions overthrowing Wisconsin laws, just where does the law now stand?
Oct 28th, 2014 by Bruce Thompson
The Battle Between Walker and Burke
They are two wildly different personalities with quite different agendas. A frank look at both candidates for governor.
Oct 24th, 2014 by Bruce Murphy
Power Broker Bill Drew’s Home Office
Drew and his wife, consultant Mary Cannon, made a lot of money working from their lovely West Side colonial home. It's on the Spaces and Traces tour tomorrow.
May 16th, 2014 by Michael Horne
The Troubled Legacy of Tom Ament
Former county exec’s lucrative pension plan caused scandal, transformed Milwaukee politics, and led way for Scott Walker.
Mar 11th, 2014 by Bruce Murphy
Memo to County Board from County Executive Abele re: Transit
Memo from County Executive Chris Abele
Mar 10th, 2014 by County Executive Chris Abele
Why Didn’t Chisholm Go After Democrats?
Republicans say the John Doe probe proves bias. So does the federal suit against DA. Are they right?
Mar 6th, 2014 by Bruce Murphy
Recall Effort Targets John Chisholm
DA targeted by right wingers outraged by John Doe and liberal blacks angered by suspects killed in custody.
Feb 6th, 2014 by Bruce Murphy
Will Taxicab Issue Ever Be Settled?
City Attorney’s legal opinion helps clarify things, but it’s still a contentious issue.
Jan 21st, 2014 by Bruce Murphy
Tom Ament Strikes Again
Author of infamous pension plan also devised a 1990 measure giving supervisors unconstitutional power over executive appointees.
Dec 17th, 2013 by Bruce Murphy
The Legacy of Betty Quadracci
Her impact on local journalism and the creation of Quad/Graphics was great -- and greatly underestimated.
Dec 10th, 2013 by Bruce Murphy
The Mystery of Sanfelippo’s Taxicab Empire
Why is Rep. Joe Sanfelippo the registered agent for all of his brother’s many companies?
Apr 30th, 2013 by Bruce Murphy
Myths About a New NBA Arena
In their zeal to build new, publicly-funded arena, proponents are misleading the community.
Apr 16th, 2013 by Bruce Murphy
Why Republicans Are Wrong About Recalls
The bill to restrict recalls is a naked attempt by political officials to protect their jobs.
Apr 11th, 2013 by Bruce Murphy
County Backdrops
Unions have filed suit to protect the infamous backdrops, which made many county employees wealthy.
Apr 4th, 2013 by Bruce Murphy
Richest Public Pensions in State History
Here are the backdrop payments received by 1,712 county employees. 255 collected anywhere from $255,000 to $1 million -- plus a monthly pension.
Mar 25th, 2013 by Jeramey Jannene
Why We Need a Part-Time County Board
For 125 years, the board was part-time. Then Tom Ament and company nudged it up to full-time. Why?
Jan 9th, 2013 by Bruce Murphy
The High Cost of the County Board
We could save millions and improve efficiency by cutting the county board and its huge staff.
Nov 14th, 2012 by Bruce Murphy
The Mighty County Board
A doormat a decade ago, the board is now far more powerful -- much to Chris Abele’s chagrin.
Sep 25th, 2012 by Bruce Murphy
The Anti-Recall Patriots
Suddenly it’s become patriotic to oppose recalls. Wouldn’t Tom Ament be surprised.
May 14th, 2012 by Bruce Murphy
Bruce Murphy signs on as Editor
Urban Milwaukee is happy to announce that Bruce Murphy has come aboard as our new editor and columnist, where he will revive his well-known column Murphy’s Law. Among the state’s best-known journalists, Murphy is most celebrated for his stories exposing the Milwaukee County pension scandal, which led to the resignation of County Executive F. Thomas Ament and the recall of seven county supervisors. No scandal in Milwaukee history resulted in more politicians being thrown out of office.
May 9th, 2012 by Urban Milwaukee
Milwaukee Streetcar Round-Up
The Milwaukee circulator streetcar is moving forward, but there is still confusion in the mind of many. We've covered the issue in the past, but this article attempts to bring everything together in one place, the history, the frequently asked questions, and the proposed route.
Apr 19th, 2009 by Jeramey Jannene
The Game and The Players
Understanding the discussion around Milwaukee transit requires an understanding of who has the keys to unlock the federal funds to improve and expand the existing system. We need to lay some groundwork before any discussion on the actual proposals can start.
Jul 7th, 2008 by Jeramey Jannene
Shepherd Figure to Run Madison Paper
Capital Papers Puts up the Capital
Jul 12th, 2004 by Michael Horne
Karen Ordinans’ Role in Shaping the Pension Plan
One of the remarkable stories in local government is the continuing survival of County Board chair Karen Ordinans.
Apr 21st, 2002 by Bruce Murphy
Why Unions Don’t Like Scott Walker
Given that Jim Ryan has not closed the door completely on privatizing some government functions, you might wonder why he was endorsed by labor for county executive.
Apr 12th, 2002 by Bruce Murphy
Why Scott McCallum Is In Big Trouble
It was amusing to see the photo of Gov. McCallum that ran on the front page of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel last week.
Mar 25th, 2002 by Bruce Murphy
Has the Teacher’s Union Taken Over the GOP?
It was not long ago that the state teacher's union was the designated villain for Republicans.
Mar 19th, 2002 by Bruce Murphy
Is Scott Walker Qualified To Be County Exec?
Rep. Scott K. Walker (R-Wauwatosa) was the first candidate to announce for county executive, and is widely considered one of the front-runners for the position.
Feb 27th, 2002 by Bruce Murphy
Why Ament Will Lose And How Taxpayers Will Suffer
Tom Ament's suit against the recall petitions will probably fail. That's the prediction of George Dunst, legal counsel for the state elections board.
Feb 7th, 2002 by Bruce Murphy
Is Ament’s Pension Deal Biased Against Blacks?
In the wake of the pension controversy, County Executive F. Thomas Ament has attempted to woo the black community in hopes that strong support there might keep him in office.
Jan 31st, 2002 by Bruce Murphy
Ament’s Sweetheart Insurance Deal For An Old Crony
Accusations about cronyism in the Ament administration just keep coming.
Jan 25th, 2002 by Bruce Murphy
Could Bob Ott Be Investigated For Ethical Conflicts?
Milwaukee County is beginning to resemble the plot of And Then There Were None. One by one, top officials are disappearing from the courthouse.
Jan 24th, 2002 by Bruce Murphy
The Real Story Behind The Sheriff’s Departure
There is bad smell surrounding the retirement of Sheriff Lev Baldwin.
Jan 19th, 2002 by Bruce Murphy
How Ament Prevented Any Research of the Pension Plan
Over and over the question has recurred: why would county supervisors, most of whom will not get the more lucrative pension payoff for veteran workers, approve this deal?
Jan 16th, 2002 by Bruce Murphy
Did Ament’s Aides Conspire to Replace the Chair of Personnel?
Did Tom Ament's aides scheme to replace the chair of the county board's personnel committee so they could get their blockbuster pension plan passed?
Jan 15th, 2002 by Bruce Murphy
How Gary Dobbert’s Buddies Got Yet Another Pension Benefit
It's hard to believe there could be any more scandal associated with the Milwaukee County, but it turns out there was yet another group of insiders handed a neat pension boost by the administration of County Executive F. Thomas Ament.
Jan 15th, 2002 by Bruce Murphy
What Karen Ordinans Really Thought About Ament’s Pension
It’s been amusing to hear County Board chair Karen Ordinans declare her outrage about the county pension plan.
Jan 11th, 2002 by Bruce Murphy
How To Kill Ament’s Pension
Now that the mainstream media is having a feeding frenzy over the pension story I first broke back in October, Milwaukee County Executive F. Thomas Ament has gotten religion.
Jan 10th, 2002 by Bruce Murphy
The Bitter Feud Between the Bradley Center and Wisconsin Center
The "negotiations" by the Bradley Center and the Wisconsin Center District have begun to resemble the feud between the Hatfields and McCoys.
Dec 14th, 2001 by Bruce Murphy
How Mayor Norquist’s Salary Cut Lowers Property Taxes
John Norquist styles himself as a budget cutter, but few are aware of how personally he has taken that mission.
Oct 19th, 2001 by Bruce Murphy
How The County’s Pension Fund Grew And Benefited A Few
Last year was a terrible year for stock funds, but it wasn't so bad for Milwaukee County's pension fund.
Oct 10th, 2001 by Bruce Murphy
How Tom Ament Gave Himself a Golden Parachute
Observers have often described county government as an "old boy's club," where veteran politicos and long-term county employees get preferential treatment.
Oct 8th, 2001 by Bruce Murphy
Will Taxes Be the Key Issue in the Governor’s Race?
In the wake of the tragedy in New York and Washington, the Democratic candidates for governor have slowed down their campaigning, but they have been strategizing as to what the major issues will be in next fall's election.
Sep 21st, 2001 by Bruce Murphy
Why the State Doesn’t Hate Tom Ament Any More
Time was when Milwaukee County was a favorite whipping boy of the state.
Jul 30th, 2001 by Bruce Murphy
Milwaukee’s Mighty Economy Crushes Other Nations
Milwaukee has a new way to brag about itself.
Jul 18th, 2001 by Bruce Murphy
Is Wisconsin Short-Changed By Its Top Foundation?
With the resignation of Michael Joyce, the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation is looking for a new president.
Jul 12th, 2001 by Bruce Murphy
