County Board Overrides Abele’s Vetoes
Board Action Includes Restoration of $4 Million in Funding for Public Safety
The Milwaukee County Board on Wednesday overrode County Executive Chris Abele‘s veto of the County Board’s action to restore $4 million in funding for the Sheriff’s Office and build a fish passage for the Estabrook Dam.
County Executive Abele used the so called “Vanna White” veto to string together letters from the previously adopted budget amendment to unilaterally change county policy. The new amendment, constructed through the usage of the “Vanna White” veto, stipulated the removal of the Estabrook Dam, which was not an issue to be taken up at this meeting prior to the County Executive’s vetoes.
“I voted against combining these vetoes for a single vote and would have voted for the removal of the dam had the votes been separate,” Haas said. “Sadly, they were not separate, and I voted to override County Executive Abele’s vetoes as a whole to ensure restoration of funding for public safety.”
Haas added: “Public safety is a top priority in our county, and I believe it is vital to maintain and support our Sheriff’s Department and deputy sheriffs. Thus, I deemed the $4 million to be restored to the Sheriff’s budget to be of the utmost importance for our community, which influenced my decision to override the veto package.
“It was the County Executive’s intention to divide this body and divide the public against the County Board. While the Board and County Executive have agreed on numerous initiatives and amendments throughout this budget cycle, Wednesday’s action was a disappointing conclusion. It is imperative for the County Executive and legislative branch to work together now and in the future in order to provide the most effective and efficient service for our constituents.”
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.
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