In an article posted to JSOnline this evening, writer Steve Schultze of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel outlines the staff cuts and budget cuts for the County Board that County Executive Chris Abele has proposed in his County Budget. Of course the majority of these cuts are required under the law passed by the Republicans earlier this year with the full support and consent of the county exec (Act 14). From JSOnline:
The Milwaukee County Board will lose three-fourths of its staff and almost 40% of its budget next year, when cuts to the board’s resources ordered under a new state law kick in.
At least, that’s what would happen under the budget proposed by County Executive Chris Abele, a prime backer of the law clamping limits on the board.
Supervisors said they may have some wiggle room to make some adjustments to what Abele suggested for the board’s budget.
And Abele’s budget could be targeted for cuts by the board, despite a provision in the new law its author said was aimed at preventing retaliatory action against Abele by the board at budget time.
Abele’s budget lops $2.5 million and 28 staff positions from the board for next year, leaving it $4.1 million and 11 staffers.
The reductions for the Milwaukee County Board are further moderated because nine staff jobs now under the board would shift to other departments — four research analysts, four committee clerks and a graphics designer.
Those staffers will still serve the board, though they’ll answer to other department heads.
Each of the 18 supervisors had authority to hire a legislative assistant this year, but several of those aides have left in the wake of Act 14. Abele’s budget calls for whittling the number of assistants to four, which would mean four or five supervisors would share one assistant.
The board will get a chance to rearrange the staffing suggested by Abele, said Supervisor Theo Lipscomb Sr.
Well, although that seems excessive it is within the confines of Act 14…but as Capper says…there is more…there always is more”
Abele cut the board’s budget by $45,000 below what the new state limit would have allowed. Lipscomb said that may be changed by the board.
“Yes, I think that was petty,” Lipscomb said.
Board Chairwoman Marina Dimitrijevic said Abele’s extra $45,000 cut came as a surprise. She said it was never mentioned by Abele or other county staff.
“Didn’t he get everything he want with this Republican bill?” Dimitrijevic said, referring to Act 14.
Abele said he won’t veto the $45,000 if the board decides to add that.
$45,000? Really? “Yes, I think that is petty!
Ok…what’s with the links to jobs sites that keep showing up in my posts tonight????
I’m investigating….
I don’t see any links.
hmmm…they don’t show up now but did last night and this morning…I even changed my other budget post to replace the word job.
???????? haven’t posted any sir
but i did get a p/t job at matc emptying garbage…
i’m grateful…
Bri
The next two lines you left out from the article you cited might have been relevant:
“Abele said he won’t veto the $45,000 if the board decides to add that. He said he told Dimitrijevic he crafted a budget for the board because the board didn’t submit a request.
Dimitrijevic did submit a budget request for the board on Sept. 6, months late.”
Why wouldn’t the Board, so concerned about it’s own people, well being and ability to fund itself – submit a budget? Every other department does. Weird, huh?
Dan,
I meant to include the: Abele said he won’t veto the $45,000 if the board decides to add that. But I didn’t think the board submitting the budget on time or not was relevant. I do think they should have gotten it in earlier. OTOH: they had some serious decisions to make on the structure of their offices and what resources they need under the new budget limitations.
Irregardless, the county exec was being petty and if you read my other post about the budget…he might also be inept!
BTW: the County Board is NOT A DEPARTMENT…weird huh?
Yes, the County Board of Supervisors is a department Ed.
Why would those “serious decisions” take months to make? I get that you’re buddies with some of the Supervisors, and that’s great. But in your defense of them, at least get a better understanding of the budget process as it relates to Milwaukee County in addition to understanding the structure of County gov. There’s a lot more out there than what people we want to like and see at cocktail parties post on facebook.
http://county.milwaukee.gov/Departments7723.htm
Because the county includes the board and exec’s office on their website dept menu doesn’t make them a department in the same sense as human relations or labor relations or parks or medical examiner….which was my point.
Well… they have their own budgets, staff, policies, etc and are referred to as “departments” in official documents and in ordinance, but whatever you say in order for your attempt at snark to not fall completely over. The Board must be the opposite of “inept” because it took them several months to come up with and submit a budget of their own.
I hope my kids don’t call me inept tomorrow morning when after an hour of not being able to decide which clothes to wear for the day, I end up choosing their outfit for them.
Once again Dan…I wrote a blog about the CEX…not the board.