MILWAUKEE – This week the Milwaukee County Board’s Finance Committee deliberated over 60 amendments to the County Executive’s 2023 Recommended Budget. Supervisor Ryan Clancy sponsored 30 amendments, 21 of which were direct assaults on the Milwaukee County Sheriff Department’s budget. Supervisor Steve F. Taylor successfully worked to defeat 20 of those amendments.
“I served on the Board for six years and after a four-year absence I never thought I would come back to such blatant disregard for public safety,” said Supervisor Taylor. “Just when you thought the craziness was over, one half-baked amendment after another was proposed. Here are some examples of what was offered up: free phone calls for inmates; pay inmates an hourly wage; provide inmates with high end kitchen tools, ingredients, and culinary training; porta potties; and finally free bus rides for anyone at a cost of $29 million, all of which would have been funded with money removed from the Sheriff’s budget.
“There is a clear theme here which places the comfort of inmates over the public safety needs of law-abiding citizens, and one I will not support.”
The County Board will hold its annual public hearing on the budget on Tuesday, November 1.
The Finance Committee will hold one final meeting to consider budget amendments from Supervisors on Friday, November 4.
The County Board will adopt the annual budget on Thursday, November 10 and consider vetoes from the County Executive on Thursday, November 17 if necessary.
