Workgroup Recommends Set of Legislative Solutions to Avert County Funding Crisis
"We need a new partnership with state leaders on solutions that are good for the county and the state." "
MILWAUKEE – The Fair Deal for Milwaukee County Workgroup voted unanimously Thursday to recommend a set of solutions for averting a looming funding crisis facing Milwaukee County.
“Milwaukee County is facing a serious crisis. We need a new partnership with state leaders on solutions that are good for the county and the state. We all have a shared interest in solving this problem, and we need help from leaders in state government to provide essential public services and invest in the future,” said County Board Chairman Theodore Lipscomb, Sr., co-chair of the workgroup.
The Fair Deal for Milwaukee County Workgroup outlined several areas for possible action by the State Legislature that would adjust revenue streams coming into County government.
Workgroup recommendations include:
- Allowing Milwaukee County local control to generate new revenue and reduce the current reliance on property taxes through a binding referendum process;
- Asking the Legislature to fully reimburse the County for the cost of patrolling state highways (Milwaukee County is the only Wisconsin county required by state law to patrol state highways);
- Equally sharing court fees collected by the County (currently 80% goes to the state);
- Adjusting state Shared Revenue payments and other state aids to align with the cost of providing state-mandated services;
- Accepting federal dollars to expand BadgerCare statewide.
The workgroup’s recommendations will be considered by the Intergovernmental Relations Committee, and are expected to come before the Board of Supervisors on February 7.
Any resolution adopted by the Board would then go the County Executive’s desk for his signature.
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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