By a margin of 71% for and 29% against, the referendum to cut the pay of Milwaukee County Supervisors passed and will become a reality after the current group of supervisors stand for re-election in 2016.
While I’m not surprised by the outcome of the referendum, given the fact that every community that had previously voted in non-binding referendums voted in favor of a smaller part-time County Board, I am surprised at the margin of the referendum. I expected the vote to be much closer, but voters sent a clear message by overwhelmingly supporting Milwaukee County Supervisors joining their colleagues in Wisconsin’s 71 other counties as part-time supervisors.
Et tu brute? NO WHERE in Act 14 or the just passed referendum does it say that the Milwaukee County Board becomes part time just because it’s pay gets cut to $11.56 per hour. The assumption by the 1% is no one would be willing take on being a county supervisor at that pay rate and without benefits…and that only the oligarchs would have the time and wherewithal to stroke their egos and preen for power in the future. We shouldn’t be buying that line of malarkey. Shoot…I can probably find a thousand people who aren’t making $11.56 per hour and don’t have benefits who are working full time who would live to put their feet up on Rep. Sanfelippo’s former desk…if you know what I mean. And personally I wouldn’t mind supplementing my social security in 2016 while wandering around the court house trying to look important…I mean what the heck!
Et tu who Ed?
I’ll admit I shouldn’t have assumed the board would go part-time as I did in my entry, but the message sent by voters was pretty clear. Every single municipality in the county – including the City of Milwaukee – voted in favor of the referendum.