It seems there’s no budget cut too drastic for Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, who seems hell-bent on running Milwaukee County right into the ground. In his latest round of proposed budget cuts, Walker wants to gut the county’s Health and Human Services budget, eliminating eliminate one million dollars for homeless shelters, 2.4 million dollars for elderly and disabled programs, and $721,000 from programs for delinquents, along with nearly $300,000 from a burial program for low-income families.
I understand that Scott Walker’s claim to fame is his “no tax increase” promise, but at what cost? Eliminating homeless shelters and afterschool programs for at-risk young people does nothing to make Milwaukee County a better place to live. These cuts proposed by Scott Walker’s administration are a slap in the face to all those residents of Milwaukee County who may find themselves in need of a safe place to spend the night, and it’s a slap in the face to all those young people who with a little intervention and some guidance might actually be able to take a different path in life.
What’s more, these proposed cuts should be a slap in the face to any county resident who cares about making this county a better place to live, work, and raise a family.
There once was a time in America in which women could not go out at night because the streets were full of destitute people. America has forgotten true poverty, has forgotten home burglary, has forgotten muggings, and has forgotten the human detritus that once existed in all neighborhoods. Many Americans have even forgotten how to protect themselves. The Great Society is upon us. We have the finest poor people in the world thanks to LBJ and the American governments since then.
Now that we have the Great Society, we fail to remember what it was like before. Now we have people who wish to take it away. We have those who wish to get rid of unions and return to the old ways. We have those who wish to get rid of shelters for the poor and food banks for the hungry. We even have those who want to refuse healthcare to those who need it. The, in my opinion, rightful fear is that we will create great dependencies upon government to solve our personal problems. Somehow we must find that path that allows us to create citizens that succeed and provide humanitarian care for those who cannot.
I really doubt that SW wants to take away shelters and food banks; but if the money isn’t there, then somethin’s gotta give.
We need more politicians that are willing to make the tough call and cut programs instead of driving up debt and/or taxes.
Tooooo many politicians that only care about getting re-elected would just pass the buck.
Rich, if you’re okay with gutting programs for elderly and disabled residents, then so be it. Personally, I think cutting those types of programs is reprehensible.
Zach,
and to the rest, will your write a 10k or higher check to the city to help fund the programs?
Hank, I’m a middle class guy. If I had a spare $10,000 laying around, I’d certainly donate to worthwhile programs to help the elderly, homeless, and disabled.
Zach:
You don’t have that money around so you can’t spend it…yet if the government doesn’t have that money around it can?
I blame you for being heartless and not willing to sacrifice in order to pay more taxes.
Mark, I donate plenty to charity every year, how about you?
The issue here isn’t whether the County should spend money they don’t have; it’s the types of cuts Scott Walker wants to make. If you’re okay with cutting programs that aid the elderly and disabled, then so be it, but that speaks volumes about you. If Walker was so intent on making cuts, there had to be other cuts that could have been made.
Then you obviously aren’t doing enough. And yes, I donate plenty, including my time.
So where do you want the cuts to come? YOU make the decisions. How about cutting another 2,000 county workers? How about cutting the park budget (more)? So where should have the other cuts have been made?
No, I’m not comfortable with making cuts to programs, but what is the option? THE MONEY IS NOT THERE. And unless you want to jack up the tax rate even more, it won’t be there.
Personally, I think starting by slashing the worthless County Board’s bloated salary would be a good start.
“Personally, I think starting by slashing the worthless County Board’s bloated salary would be a good start.”
While were at it, we should cut Walker’s salary, as well as those of all his department heads.
Zach, IMHO there’s a difference with being “okay with gutting programs” and having the will to say “…we don’t have the money, so something’s gotta be cut.”
Just like when I have to let someone go as part of my job; am I ok with it? Sometimes yes. Often times it’s tougher, but I still know that it has to be done. Kinda like tough love: The whole shabang is at risk if we don’t have a thick skin, show some tough love, and do the right thing, because more debt and more taxes are not the answer.