Budget Amendment Elevates Community Voices, Fuels Ongoing Budget Collaboration Among Supervisors

MILWAUKEE – Today, Milwaukee County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson, in collaboration with several co-sponsors, authored a proposal unanimously adopted by the Committee on Finance to amend Milwaukee County’s 2024 recommended budget. Chairwoman Nicholson released the following statement upon passage of the amendment: 

“Today’s proposal encapsulates our unwavering commitment to our guiding principles, as we continue our tireless work towards adopting a budget that not only makes Milwaukee County a better place to live and play for all, but also reflects the aspirations and voices of the people we serve.” 

The proposal builds upon the County’s 2024 Recommended Budget, expanding investments in housing, transit, health and human services, parks, and criminal justice reform. The budget amendment is a direct response to the valuable input gathered from budget townhalls, extensive dialogue with constituents and stakeholders, and most notably, the invaluable insights collected during the County Board’s Annual Public Hearing, underscoring our commitment to addressing the pressing needs and priorities of our community. 

Main provisions of the amendment include:  

• Allocating over $1 million for on-demand paratransit options to support dignity, independence, and inclusion in Milwaukee County, prioritizing connections for work and medical needs  
• Allocating $250,000 for an external audit of Milwaukee County Jail operations with a focus on reducing in-custody deaths and $150,000 for improving services for vulnerable populations interfacing with the court system 
• Supporting health and human services, ranging from Birth to 3 programs to the aging community. This amendment specifically focuses on bolstering aging services, showcasing our commitment to residents from cradle to grave 
• Funding for affordable housing and wraparound services to the Concordia 27 project on Near West Side and develops a plan for unexpended ARPA funds to go to affordable housing and other projects focused on equity  
• Allocating $500,000 to enhance our County parks, activating green spaces and prioritizing safety and accessibility improvements. Additionally encourages innovation at Red Arrow Park by exploring options for in-house concessions and year-round skate rentals 
• Providing opportunity for our young leaders to engage with elected officials and public policymakers, as was evidenced by the testimony of our Youth Commission at the Board’s 2023 Annual Public Hearing    

The Chairwoman’s amendment has garnered strong support from a wide range of co-sponsors including 1st Vice-Chair Taylor, 2nd Vice-Chair Shea, Supervisor Johnson Jr., Supervisor Burgelis, Supervisor Martin, Supervisor Martinez, Supervisor Gómez-Tom, Supervisor Coggs-Jones, Supervisor Vincent, Supervisor Logsdon and Supervisor Clancy.

Other provisions in the adopted amendment can be found here, and will be taken up by the full Board on November 9, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. 

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

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