MILWAUKEE – Yesterday the County Board’s Finance Committee voted to recommend the removal of $2.4 million from the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office capital and operations budget to fund various parks and human needs-related initiatives, including the replacement of South Shore Park’s playground.
“I’m grateful to the many community organizations and individuals who continue to make known your vision for our County, as well as the many co-sponsors these amendments had,” said Supervisor Ryan Clancy. “The amendments recommended by the Finance Committee yesterday are a step in the right direction towards funding the real needs of our community instead of ineffective, punitive measures. Please consider weighing in on these recommendations—and the amendments recommended for rejection—at Monday evening’s Public Hearing on the 2022 Milwaukee County Budget.”
Amendments championed by Supervisor Clancy would delay a $1.6 million project to replace the parking lot at the Sheriff’s Office Training Academy. That funding would be used to replace the playground at South Shore Park, allocate more than $600,000 to replace high priority equipment required to maintain the parks system, and reduce general obligation bonding by more than $400,000 to bring the budget under the County Board’s self-imposed bonding limit. The amendment was recommended on a 6-1 vote.
Additional amendments would fund the work of the Milwaukee County Human Rights Commission, create a Registered Nurse position with the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services’ homeless outreach team, increase employee benefits, bolster the Parks Rangers program, provide much-needed Milwaukee County Parks infrastructure, and facilitate the opening of more pools in 2022.
The County Board will hold its annual public hearing on the budget on Monday, November 1. Members of the public who wish to speak can register at the Board of Supervisors homepage.
The County Board will meet to adopt the annual budget on Monday, November 8.
