Lipscomb Amendment Restores Services and Invests in County Facilities, Workers
"I want to thank my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors for working with me to restore critical public services, preserve our facilities, and invest in our county employees."
MILWAUKEE – The budget-setting Finance Committee of the Milwaukee County Board recommended an amendment to the proposed 2020 county budget today that would restore transit services, invest in parks, cultural facilities, and county workers, and reduce the property tax levy increase to a level below that recommended by County Executive Chris Abele.
“I want to thank my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors for working with me to restore critical public services, preserve our facilities, and invest in our county employees. Ensuring that we maintain transit service is a top priority and we were able to do that by thinking creatively and working with stakeholders across the county,” said Chairman Theodore Lipscomb, Sr.
The amendment, authored by Chairman Lipscomb and co-sponsored by Supervisors Schmitt, Johnson, Taylor, Shea, and Cullen would maintain transit service for 75% of the bus riders impacted by the route cuts proposed by the County Executive. If a proposed partnership with a local transit company to provide service to Potawatomi Casino workers succeeds, service would be restored to 90% of riders.
In addition to prioritizing transit service, Lipscomb’s amendment also provides funding to re-open Grobschmidt Pool to upgrade playground equipment at the Mitchell Airport Park, and save the historic Trimborn Farm Stone Barn.
Lipscomb’s 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 provides an additional $300,000 for the retention and recruitment of correctional officers.
Lipscomb’s amendment reduces the County Executive’s proposed property tax levy increase by $643,000, from 2.51% to 2.28%, through lower debt service payments in 2020 due to lower rates in recent bond sales.
The public is invited to weigh in on the 2020 budget at the County Board’s annual public hearing on November 4 at 6:00 p.m.
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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