Budgets: City budget approved, county budget delayed

By Tim Seeman

November 10, 2009

City Budget
City and county legislators voted on the proposed budgets of Mayor Tom Barrett and Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker. The city vote was Friday, and county supervisors voted last night.

Milwaukee’s Common Council approved Mayor Tom Barrett’s budget Friday, by a vote of 13-2. The budget had been mired in controversy over proposed furloughs for police officers and cuts to firefighter engine companies.

The council voted to reduce the number of police furlough days from four to one and to shut down one engine company instead of two. No police officers or firefighters will be laid off.

With these restorations, which are pending a mayoral veto, aldermen had to think of a new source of funds. Ald. Bob Donovan proposed an increase in the city’s overnight parking permit fee from $44 to $55, the first such increase since the institution of the fee in 1950.

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County Budget
County Executive Scott Walker’s budget faced a County Board of Supervisors vote yesterday. Supervisors rejected some of Walker’s privatization proposals, including the outsourcing of security, computer technician and housekeeping jobs at county buildings.

Such moves could be reversed later during budget deliberations if a $20 wheel tax, proposed by the board’s finance committee, fails to gain approval from the full board. The fee, which would be tacked on to the state’s $75 fee and the city of Milwaukee’s $20 fee, is expected to raise $9 million.

The board may also have to raise the property tax levy in conjunction with the rejection of the proposed privatizations. Walker has vowed to veto any increase in the tax levy.

Supervisors also considered $41 million in county employee concessions, including a 3 percent pay cut, no seniority raises, higher health insurance costs and new pension contributions equaling 5 percent of salary.