He’s back: Tommy Thompson whistle-stops Milwaukee in Senate bid

Tommy Thompson stumps before the Milwaukee Press Club.

As he announced on November 30 of last year, Tommy Thompson is back to take a run at Wisconsin’s junior senator seat in a bid to replace retiring Sen. Herb Kohl.

Thompson, former Wisconsin governor and Health and Human Services Secretary under President George W. Bush, is still full of his trademark bravado, self-confidence and bluster. He glad-handed practically every attendee at the Milwaukee Press Club‘s Newsmaker Series Monday afternoon, remembering names and sharing anecdotes with with every person he met. Over the next eight weeks, the Press Club will feature other Senate candidates, including Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D), State Rep. Jeff Fitzgerald (R-Horicon) and formerRep. Mark Neumann.

Thompson fell easily back into his political rhythm, flawlessly reviewing his accomplishments from his 14 years as governor. It was as if the 12 years since his last successful campaign had never happened.

Prior to his appearance, the Wisconsin Democratic Party released a statement questioning Thompson’s legal and lobbying firm’s involvement with the Keystone Pipeline. WisDems questioned why Thompson would not disclose his work with the firm.

Thompson said he had resigned his position with Akin Gump, and that his role at the firm was as a consultant focusing on medical issues and businesses. He added he was planning to resign from the various other for-profit boards he serves on, but didn’t give a date. He said he had “zero involvement” in any lobbying that occurred within the firm.

“I have never been a lobbyist,” Thompson said. “I’m a consultant. A lobbyist is paid to convince members of Congress on pending laws. A consultant can be anybody that gives advice. I don’t hand money to anybody.”

Unfortunately, an old friend in the audience who Thompson called out as an example of a fellow consultant wouldn’t play along and described himself as a lobbyist.

Thompson came right back, fielding questions about Obamacare and the idea that the President said he supported the health plan. ”I supported health care reform,” he said. “But I do not support Obamacare.”

Ignoring the other two announced GOP candidates in the primary and focusing past the Democratic heir-apparent, Tammy Baldwin, Thompson gave four reasons he’s running.

1. The nation needs to change direction and needs a Republican president.
2. For a Republican agenda to be passed, control of the Senate needs to flip.
3. The national debt needs to be reduced.
4. The national deficit needs to be reduced.

“And I’m the only candidate who has ever been endorsed by Ronald Reagan,” he quipped, evoking a 1986 endorsement of his gubernatorial aspirations by the then-President, solidifying his Republican and conservative bona fides.

He pointed to his experience as the U.S. Secretary of HHS and his ability to run and understand the largest department in the federal government as his qualification for the Senate seat.

“I will accomplish cutting the deficit because I ran that department. I will end Obamacare” he said. He also cited the need for jobs and his belief that the path to lower unemployment would be through looser regulations, lower corporate taxes and the building of the Keystone Pipeline “to end energy dependence.”

He asked, iterating his campaign slogan: “Who better than me to be the candidate?”

Thompson added that his role as Secretary of HHS makes him uniquely qualified to deal with the Medicare issue. Thompson supports the theory of Congressman Paul Ryan‘s (R-Janesville) Medicare plan, but claimed his version would be completely voluntary, allowing people to choose whether to stay on the current form of Medicare or do the voucher system at age 55.

Thompson also weighed in on Act 10, saying he supports the governor and won’t criticize the decisions of someone who succeeded him. He did add, however, that he would not seek right to work legislation, since he didn’t “see the need for any further deterioration of labor/management relations in Wisconsin.”

He added that he would have handled the high-speed train issue differently, opting to keep it going, but faster.

“I would have made it a high-speed train,” he said. “It’s not really a high speed train if it only goes 30 miles per hour overall.  I would have eliminated the stops.  I would have made it my train.”

A video of the Tommy Thompson Newsmakers appearance is available at WisconsinEye.

Tom, the third time is not the charm

The conservative group, Club for Growth, is thanking Mayor Tom Barrett for using Gov. Scott Walker's tools to save the City of Milwaukee money. That isn't something a Democrat in Wisconsin really wants, is it?

So Tom Barrett is thinking of running for governor, again. Well, sorry Tom, but the third time isn’t going to be the charm.

Barrett has been non-committal until now about whether he would run against Gov. Scott Walker if the recall effort is successful. But earlier this week, he gave a hint that he might be interested in trying for the office again – just 14 months after he lost that battle.

But Barrett should listen to his union visitors – Mary Bell from the Wisconsin Education Association Council and Marty Beil from AFCME – who told him to sit this election out. Their choice to run against Walker, former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk. They told Barrett in no uncertain terms they don’t want him.

But he doesn’t seem to get the message, so here’s some reasons why he shouldn’t run.

First – Mary Bell and Marty Beil don’t want him. Oh wait, I said that already. And while I’d like to believe that most public union members don’t march in lock-step with their leaders, many of them do and will do their bidding. Too bad for Tom.

Second – Barrett not only angered Bell, but also the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association when he suggested that he should be the leader of MPS in 2010.  He would have had the power to appoint the superintendent and school board. The board would have retained policy and fiscal oversight, but be answerable to the mayor. The idea died a quick death after an uproar from board members, citizens and teachers, but who’s to say Gov. Barrett wouldn’t take a look at this idea again in light of MPS’s continued failures.

Third – Barrett is a hypocrite of the highest degree. And now his hypocrisy has made him the poster boy for the far-right PAC Club for Growth. This is the man who spent the first six months of 2011 decrying the governor and legislature for cuts in shared revenue and the collective bargaining changes which allowed governmental bodies to find savings through health insurance and pension contributions.

He ranted and railed how it was unfair to the city, that it was unfair that public safety officers were excluded from the changes, that it would lead to horrific cuts in services.

Then, with very little fanfare Barrett presented the city council with a 2012 budget that made full use of the contributions expected from public employees toward their health care and pensions. He changed work rules to make the budget work. He used the tools the governor gave him.

Fourth – I’ll give him an attaboy for the new businesses in the Menomonee Valley, but as for his overall management of the city, Barrett has been lackluster at best, comical at worst. The craziest of Barrett’s ideas – the boondoggle trolley. Laid out to run from nowhere into one of the most congested areas of the east side and back, the train uses money that could be put to better, more flexible use (buses) and underestimates the real cost to businesses on the route. AT&T has said it will cost millions to move cables and fiber optics and if the current tourist trolley on the Lower East Side and Third Ward are any indication, fare collections are not going to pay for this. But Tom doesn’t care – he wants a train and he wants it now.

And finally the best reason Tom should run is Tom himself.  He ran a lackluster campaign in 2010 for governor, after being pushed into the race by President Obama. He seems preoccupied and restless, like he would rather be doing anything other than what he is doing. Wisconsin doesn’t need a governor who seems to be looking for a better gig. We need a governor who is in this for the long haul, with a fire in their belly and a groundswell of support.

We told Tom this 14 months ago. I think we should tell him that again.

Democrats consider loyalty oath

The party of inclusion, the party of acceptance and tolerance, the party of hope and change is reaching back in the political playbook for a tool of suppression, intolerance and coercion – the loyalty oath.

State Senator Spencer Coggs is suggesting there should be a loyalty oath for Democrat candidates.

You may have missed this on Monday night’s newscast, but State Senator Spencer Coggs (D-Milwaukee) feels anyone who hangs the shingle of “Democrat” after their name in a political race should be made to declare their loyalty to the party and adhere to party principles.

He said the idea was in response to the “false candidates” who ran as Democrats during last summer’s Republican State Senate recall primaries. At the time, a number of candidates who either had no political experience or previous Republican connections ran against long-time, established Democrats to slow down the process and give Republican incumbents time to ramp up campaigns.

In the Milwaukee area, that included Gladys Huber, a known Republican party member running against Democrat State Rep. Sandy Pasch in the primary to face State Sen. Alberta Darling. The move gave Darling an extra four weeks to campaign in defense of her seat.

Coggs said Huber’s actions are an example of dirty play and drove up the cost of the recall process by requiring a primary.

I say Huber’s actions are what democracy looks like.

I hate it when elections go unchallenged. When incumbents roll unopposed to another term year after year, or when a career politician decides it’s time to move up in the world by sliding into a vacant seat without a fight. Democracy demands primaries and challenges.

Democracy is an exchange of ideas and Coggs idea that candidates must be certified by the party, they must pledge allegiance to the party belittles the intelligence of the voters.

In the case of Pasch’s primary, voters knew she was the candidate who aligned herself with the WisDems principles of answering to the public unions, allowing more money to be spent on failing programs and sitting in judgement over which type of jobs are suitable for our state. Those who didn’t grasp that information were not paying attention to Pasch’s actions in the statehouse or didn’t care.

Loyalty oaths are an intrusion to individual conscience and decision-making, fascist in nature and deny the right of free association. I’m sure Coggs would be the first person to object to the McCarthy and Truman oaths of national loyalty in the late 1940s and early 1950s against communism.

What I would like to know is how far is Coggs willing to go with this. Is signing a piece of paper that says I’m with the Democrat party enough to get on the ballot with a D behind my name? Will I have to agree to unlimited access to abortion, universal health care and class warfare to make the cut?  Will a personal interview with party chairman Mike Tate and a gauntlet of paddles from the Wisconsin Assembly minority leadership be enough to do the trick?

What about Democrats who believe in social welfare programs but are pro-life, will they pass the test? Would Chris Abele pass the test – he’s a self-proclaimed Democrat who has been governing more like Scott Walker than Peter Barca.

I acknowledge that Grover Norquist has his own oath of fiscal conservatism that he encourages Republican candidates to adhere to stay in his good graces. There was another oath required by the RNC to attend certain party events in 2004. However, neither were required to place an R behind a name on the ballot.

Coggs needs to rethink this idea. This is Wisconsin, where I don’t have to declare a party to vote and can split my vote between the best candidates, whether they have a D or R behind their name. This is just a bad idea.

Kiddie signatures on recall petitions

As one child signs a recall petition during the "Occupy Milwaukee" protest on Nov. 17, another child waits his turn and bums a cigarette at the same time. Screen capture from Hawzwood.

Yeah, you read that correctly. During the “Occupy the North Avenue Bridge” Thursday night, two children were videotaped signing a petition to recall Gov. Scott Walker.

One of the children looks no more than 10; the other probably 7 or 8-years-old.  Bundled in parkas and winter hats, the boys are directed where to sign and put down their address.

So, “occupiers,” “recallers,” etc.  here’s a hint. If you’re not old enough to vote, you’re not old enough to recall. Just saying.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iWYY8NqAv4&feature=player_embedded

Baby/Knife ads not targeting the correct audience

The City of Milwaukee newest campaign to curb the number of co-sleeping deaths. Ad copy courtesy City of Milwaukee Health Department.

The City of Milwaukee new campaign to reduce co-sleeping infant deaths is getting a lot of attention. It is doing exactly what it was intended to do – start discussion.

But is it starting discussions between the right people?

The ads show babies sleeping on adult beds, full of pillows, blankets and… a butcher knife. The copy reads, “Your baby sleeping with you can be just as dangerous.”

Infant co-sleeping deaths have reached 10 as of Nov. 19 in Milwaukee, with the majority of the deaths occurring in poor, African-American neighborhoods.  The children were either sleeping with a caregiver in an adult bed or coach, where the caregiver either rolled onto the child or allowed the child to become wedged between their body and the couch cushions or between the headboard and mattress.

There were other factors in these infants deaths. Typically, the caregiver was drunk or taking drugs (either legal or illegal) and there was an available crib or Pack n’ Play in the home.

The Pack n’ Plays are provided to low-income families by the city in an effort to reduce co-sleeping, but in some cases, these portable cribs are used to store the child’s clothing and toys, or in one instance, the crib was being used as a garbage can.

Outrage about the ad campaign has reached across the nation, with the TODAY Show’s Dr. Nancy Snyderman and adman extrodinaire Donny Deutsch debated its merits. Snyderman said the ad was over the top, while Deutsch fell back on the old yarn, “if it saves just one child’s life, it is successful.”

There is even a Facebook page “Campaign Against Milwaukee’s Co-Sleeping Campaign” that is calling for an end to the ad.

I personally think the ad is effective, but it is missing the point.

First, the target audience for these ads – young, poor, possibly poor-educated men and women – will get the wrong message. “Don’t let you baby sleep with a knife.” No duh.

Second, the target for any campaign to end unsafe sleeping practices or other behaviors that jeopardize babies should be directed at those most influencial to young mothers – their mothers, grandmothers and aunts.

When I was a young mother, I relied on the advice of my mother and mother-in-law concerning my new baby. Teething nightmares? there was an old German cure for that (a little Peppermint Schnapps on the gums). Weird, green bowel movements? Lay off the peas and beans for a few days. Collic? Take the baby for a walk or a ride in the car.

I didn’t look to the public health department or a book – even though I had plenty of “What to expect” books on the shelves and stopped at the health department each month to pick up my WIC checks.

I relied on what my mom and mother-in-law said about what to do, since they had already successfully raised eight children to adulthood between them with nothing more serious than chicken pox and an occasional broken arm.

We are often told that co-sleeping is part of the African-American culture. It is a way to foster closeness within a family. But when it is done in a dangerous way – when the adult is drunk or high, when the adult makes poor choices because they are getting poor advice – we need to change the culture.

We, as a community, need to get the message out to the people young mothers and fathers listen to, who they go to for advice. We need to change the mindset of mothers, grandmothers and aunts who get the phone call in the middle of the night, who dispense their wisdom to trusting, nervous and scared young mothers.

Showing a baby in a bed with a knife makes for some great talk, but the City of Milwaukee and other communities facing this type of crisis need to make sure the talk is between the right people.

County Board tackles Abele’s vetoes

Milwaukee County Courthouse

The battle between the Milwaukee County Board and County Executive Chris Abele came to a head Wednesday as the ball returned to the legislators to accept or override the executive’s vetoes.

The Board had approved a $6.25 million levy increase for 2012, at odds with Abele’s plan to freeze taxes in his 2012 budget proposal. In turn, Abele used his veto pen to erase the levy increase and restore most of his original vision for 2012, with some small concessions to the Board.

But the board prevailed in the end by setting a final 2012 Milwaukee County property tax levy of $275,370,8836, an increase of $5.8 million or 2.15% higher than the 2011 levy of $269,554,701.

The County portion of the annual property tax bill is estimated to increase $2.93. For a home assessed at $150,000, the increase is estimated to be $3.84.

Prior to the veto override meeting, Board Chairman Lee Holloway said he had the votes to override Abele and restore more funding to EMS programs, sheriff deputy positions, parks workers, employee wellness plans and cultural programming.

During the board’s budget adoption meeting, supervisors voted 13-6 to accept a budget of $1.2 billion in spending in 2012; however, the levy of $275.8 million only received a 12-7 vote, one shy of a veto proof majority of 13.

After attempts to combine all of the EMS vetoes into one vote which passed, then failed, the board overrode Abele’s veto and approved $1.5 million to the county-wide EMS program. But, they did sustain his veto to keep the current subsidy formula for EMS in place with the county’s 19 municipalities.

Abele originally zeroed out the EMS subsidy, which was amended by the board with a $1.5 million addition to the budget. In his veto, Abele lowered the subsidy amount to $722,527, acknowledging cutting the subsidy all at once was punitive.

There was a bit of discussion on whether to end the EMS formula and put a new, more Milwaukee-friendly contract in place. Supervisors John Weishan (West Allis, Greenfield and portions of Milwaukee) and Marina Dimitrijevic (Bay View and southeast Milwaukee) spoke in support of changing the contract; something Abele had vetoed for being unfair to the negotiating process.

“It wasn’t a great formula. It was a bunch of mayors getting together and making an agreement on a handshake,” Weishan said. “Allowing the municipalities to decide how to spend this money is inappropriate.”

Supervisor John Weishan. Photo courtesy of the City Channel.

Dimitrijevic said people need to remember that the board restored $1.5 million to the fund and the idea of them taking control of how the money is distributed is not unreal. She also hinted at a need to punish some of the communities with her comments.

“The ICC (Intergovernmental Cooperation Council) and some mayors make disparaging comments about this board, the board that restored some of the money the Executive cut,” she said. “The ICC mayors yell at us for raising the tax levy, but why don’t they raise their own tax levies to support EMS. I interested on how this can be partnership when those same mayors are making these comments.”

Supervisors also restored $1.5 million to fund 25 sheriff deputies and 2 deputy sergeants in the Tactical Enforcement Unit and Parks Patrol on a 17-2 vote to override the veto. This was something Abele had completely unfunded in his initial budget and with his veto pen. Supervisor Joe Sanfelippo, who is also chairman of the personnel committee, said the restoration of these positions were crucial to the adoption of a new Sheriff Deputies Association contract that would give back pension contributions to save the county cash.

The also restored a number of other deputy position that Abele vetoed out of the budget for the same reasons.

Abele had vetoed a $50,000 expenditure to support cultural programs in the parks, saying this type of programming could be found within the current parks budget. The board disagreed and restored the funds to the Parks Department.

Another parks issue drew an Abele veto – to freeze the Park’s Department budget at the 2012 level through 2016.  this would have tied the hands of future supervisors to change the funding to the county park system.  Abele said no way. The veto was sustained by the board, but just barely on a 12-7 vote.

Supervisor Eyon Biddle used five words – “Do it for the children”  - to explain why the board should override Abele’s veto of a $2 million bond issue to replace the HVAC at the Kosciuszko and King community centers. Abele said the board’s approval of this future expenditure violated their own rules of prioritizing capital projects in his veto message.  Those on the board agreed, sustaining the veto with an 11-8 vote, two shy of the number needed to override.

Following the meeting, County Board Chairman Lee Holloway said the overrides and moves by the board were responsible to maintain the quality of life and will only cost the owner of a $150,000 home approximately $4 next year.

Abele Vetoes Milwaukee County Board’s $6.25 Million Tax Levy Increase

Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele

Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele released his budget vetoes early Tuesday morning, removing the $6.25 million in additional levy spending the County Board added to his proposed 2012 budget.

Abele’s proposed 2012 budget froze the tax levy at 2011 levels, fulfilling his campaign pledge that he would not increase taxes in his first budget.

Abele cut $722,527 from the board’s proposed $1.5 million subsidy to the Emergency Medical Services subsidy to the county municipalities. He had originally proposed to completely cut the $3 million payment to communities to cover training and personnel costs for paramedic services, but the board restored $1.5 million to the program during last week’s hearing.

“The municipalities have raised concerns about eliminating the subsidy in one year,” Abele said in his partial veto memo. “I have listened to their concerns and will support continuing a portion of that subsidy in 2012, as a transition to ending the subsidy completely in 2013.”

He added that the budget will continue $4.3 million of funding to municipal EMS to support the communications center, initial and on-going paramedic training, medical oversight, hospital coordination, medical record maintenance, quality assurance, administration and limited billing subsidy and selling medical supplies.

“This represents my strong support for municipal EMS services,” Abele said.

He also vetoed the board’s new distribution plan formula, which would have funneled more of the EMS subsidy to departments that had cooperative service delivery in place, and to eliminate the board’s plan to end the existing EMS contract between the municipalities and county to put in place a “take it or leave it” policy for receipt of funds.

“I do not believe it is appropriate for the Board to invalidate a contract and allocation formula that has been negotiated and agreed to by the individual municipalities,” Abele said.

Abele also vetoed the board’s use of the tax levy to restore 27 deputy sheriff positions and 2 deputy sheriff sergeants. The cut would take $1,551,991 off the levy.

Abele said he would rather see any wage and benefit concessions made by the Deputy Sheriff’s Association be used to pay for the restoration of these positions, which are in the Sheriff’s Tactical Enforcement Unit and Park Patrol programs. The DSA has tentatively agreed to a plan that could restore up to 60 of the 133 positions Abele initially cut in his budget proposal.

The County Board was planning on taking up the DSA’s contract concessions next week when it addresses Abele’s vetoes.

Abele also vetoed $2 million in bond financing for HVAC repairs to the Kosciuszko and King community centers, saying the board’s action ignored the county’s process for prioritizing capital projects and repairs.

He vetoed an attempt by the board to set the Parks Department budget through 2016 by setting a minimum spending level for the services. Abele said such a move ties the hands of future boards and executives, who will need to make budget decisions on an annual, not four-year, basis.

In response to an amendment spearheaded by County Board Chairman Lee Holloway to eliminate an IT-Business Development position, Abele restored it and its $136,540 salary and benefits. Holloway said the position was budgeted to the wrong department, since the person performing the duties was actually working directly with Abele. Holloway said last week that if Abele wants this person in his office, he should pay for it in the executive budget.

Abele said by restoring the position, there will be someone to analyze current business process, principle and practices of county departments and divisions.

“This positions benefits taxpayers by making recommendations to assist in determining which county business areas would most benefit from operational improvement,” he said.

Job Creators Tell Sensenbrenner Government Must Get Out of Their Way

Small business leaders tell Congressman James Sensenbrenner and other elected officials what the government needs to do to create jobs - get out of their way! Photo by The Govfreak

The question of how do we — as a country — create more jobs came to Brookfield Tuesday afternoon as 15 small business leaders from the Milwaukee area met with Republican U.S. Rep. James Sensenbrenner.

Sensenbrenner and several Republican state lawmakers who represent southeastern Wisconsin spent most of the hour-long session at the congressman’s office listening to suggestions for growing business in the nation and region.

The overall message was clear: lower corporate taxes; ease government regulations; get tough on illegal immigration while expanding the number of visas; change the college-focused culture; and reduce unemployment benefits.

Mary Springer, vice president of Therm-Tech of Waukesha, opened the discussion by telling the legislators to reduce unemployment benefits, and to require training and drug testing for those receiving the benefits.

“We are growing rapidly and need skilled workers,” Springer said. “But the long extension of unemployment is a problem. It makes people unemployable.”

Springer’s sentiments were shared by a representative of The Mark Travel Corporation, who said training needed to be mandatory. An employer from Germany said the United States needs to adopt his county’s policy, which requires individuals to undergo skills training in order to receive unemployment benefits.

Jeff Hamilton, president of Sprecher Brewing in Glendale, said he has trouble finding employees willing to work in a factory. He said schools need to have more non-college programming — in areas such as trades, safety, food processing — to develop the workers needed in today’s businesses.

State Rep. Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield) said the problem has been growing over years, as school districts have ended shop classes and technical education.

“Seventy percent of the jobs in Wisconsin only require a two-year degree,” he told the group. “But our school guidance counselors and parents push four-year colleges.”

Instead, he pointed to the Waukesha School District, which is starting to promote the trades and technical jobs as early as kindergarten. Kapenga added that he is working with the Kettle Moraine School District to enact a busing program to take high school shop students to area technical colleges for coursework.

Immigration reform was the issue of a staffing agency owner, who said illegal workers make it difficult for him to place legitimate employees. He understood the need for field workers, apple pickers and menial laborers, but said immigration needs to be reformed with an Internet verification system and increased visas for skilled machinists.

Sensenbrenner said there is legislation pending that would expand the numbers of H-1B visa for foreign workers who have master’s and doctorate degrees from U.S. universities. The business leaders liked the idea, but said the visa should be open to skilled workers who may have honed their craft in apprenticeship programs or technical colleges overseas.

Machining company owners asked the government officials to reduce mining, energy and air quality regulations, which they described as squeezing businesses out of business and forcing layoffs. But a representative of Cooper Power Systems in Waukesha said the standards on electrical efficiency were helping his business. He just wanted to see Department of Energy guidelines to remain reasonable and open for discussion.

Finally, the talk moved to taxes — corporate, income and excise. To a person, everyone felt taxes were too high. They also decried the practice of allowing large multinational corporations to park income and assets in foreign subsidiaries to avoid taxes while they had to absorb federal rates up to 35 percent with no shelters.

“We don’t have offshore divisions to hide money,” Terry Welch, president of Prime Coatings said. “It’s discouraging to pay federal corporate taxes and then add state, local and fees onto that. Now I’m paying 50 to 60 percent to the government. It is really hard to grow when you only have 40 to 35 percent of your money.”

Sensenbrenner said tax reform is a big issue for the U.S. House, but believes a standalone bill addressing it would never see the light of day in the Senate. Instead, he would like to see corporate tax rates more in line with the rest of the world, which could make U.S. companies bring those hidden dollars home to invest in jobs and workers.

State Rep. Bill Kramer (R-Waukesha) said the one-hour listening session told him that the state Assembly and Senate are on the right track.

“I’m hearing that taxes are too high, regulators need to get out of the way and that businesses don’t want incentives to hire,” Kramer said. “They want government out of their way. The Democrats would use taxes, incentives and regulations to create jobs and that is not what businesses want.

“These people want confidence; they want to know what is going to happen next so they can plan,”

Gary Laev, of Electrical-Mechanical Drives in Grafton, summed up the feelings of his colleagues gathered around the table.

“If I could speak to (President) Obama for 30 seconds I would tell him to lower my taxes so I have more money to hire workers,” he said. “When you take more money from me, I have less to put in someone else’s pocket.”

This story first appeared on the Brookfield Patch.

Milwaukee County Board Votes to Restore Some EMS Funding

The Milwaukee County Board Monday — on a veto-proof vote of 15-4 — approved a budget amendment that would restore $1.5 million to the county’s Emergency Medical Services subsidy.

The amendment was presented by the board’s Finance Committee in response to County Executive Chris Abele’s plan to eliminate the entire $3 million that the 19 county municipalities would have received in 2012 for EMS personnel and training.

However, there are conditions on the money:

• The current EMS contract between the county and the municipalities is voided;
• Funds will be distributed according to percentages determined by the County Board and not the Intergovernmental Cooperation Council or local fire chiefs; and
• Municipalities must work toward creating cooperative efforts (similar to the North Shore Fire Department, which serves  Bayside, Brown Deer, Fox Point, Glendale, River Hills, Shorewood and Whitefish Bay, or the agreement between the City of Milwaukee, West Milwaukee, St. Francis and Cudahy).

If the municipalities don’t agree to the conditions, the board will withhold the subsidy.

Supervisors Mark Borkowski, Willie Johnson, Joe Sanfelippo and James “Luigi” Schmitt voted against the measure.

Those backing the amendment said since the funds were county dollars, the board, not the ICC — a coalition of county municipal governments — or fire chiefs should decide how the funds are distributed. Supervisors also said the issue of consolidation must be studied closely.

Supervisor Marina Dimitrijevic, who represents West Milwaukee and the near south and southeast sides of Milwaukee, was the most vocal in her support of the new distribution formula.

“Who made the formula? The ICC. Who is Milwaukee’s representative on the ICC? Who represents the diversity of this county?” she asked. “Do we want our diverse body to do this or them? Did they add to their budgets or increase fees to cover this cost? No.”

Supervisor John Weishan, who represents West Allis and portions of Greenfield and Milwaukee, said it is hard to argue that Franklin needs a subsidy when you look at that community’s median income and property values and compare them to Milwaukee.

But Sanfelippo said the suburbs shouldn’t be punished because they are aren’t diverse enough. He said it was best to rely the input of the fire chiefs and mayors because they are the experts in what the emergency needs are for their cities.

An amendment offered by Supervisor Patricia Jursik was similar to the one that passed, but it did not end the current contract or change the subsidy distribution formula. It failed on a 12-7 vote.

Borkowski offered two amendments, both of which would have restored the full $3 million to the EMS program. One would have increased the county’s property tax levy by the full amount, with Borkowski saying people are willing to pay for EMS with tax dollars. That measure failed on a 10-9 vote, after Jursik switched her “aye” to a “nay.”

Borkowski’s second measure would have lessened the levy increase to $2 million, with the remaining $1 million taken from the fund to move the county’s mental health services from institutional to community-based.  That measure also failed on a 15-4 vote.

Under the new distribution plan, the EMS subsidy would be allocated as follows:

• City of Milwaukee: $725,000
• North Shore Fire Department: $150,000
• South Milwaukee: $125,000
• Oak Creek: $100,000
• Franklin: $100,000
• Greenfield: $100,000
• West Allis: $100,000
• Wauwatosa: $100,000

The amendment came at the County Board on Monday took up Abele’s 2012 budget.

Abele has said that he will veto any budget items that increase the 2012 property tax levy over the $269 million levy set for 2011.

Abele’s first budget doesn’t thrill supervisors or Sheriff David Clarke

Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele

Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele presented his first budget to the full board Thursday morning. He characterized it as “honest” and not including any revenues from potential land sales or overly optimistic projections about earning or expenses. He freezes the tax levey at the 2011 level and cuts spending by 5.6 percent.

While he didn’t go into every detail, Abele focused on four major budget areas in county government.

To see the detailed narrative of the Abele budget proposal, click here.

Transit

Facing a $15 million deficit to maintain transit services, Abele said his budget would maintain all of the current levels of service without a general fare increase.

His plan hinges on the receipt of $10 million in federal grants that were earmarked to the cancelledSoutheast Regional Transit Authority. The $15 million budgeted to SETRA for the KRM train will be divided among transit services in Milwaukee, Kenosha, and Racine counties.

Abele will use those funds to restore freeway flyers, festival shuttles and other eliminated routes proposed by the Milwaukee County Transit System in their budget submission. He would also establish an express route between Bayshore and the airport.

However, he reminded supervisors that if the SERTA money is not received, drastic cuts will have to be made.

Supervisor Jason Haas said the restoration of transit is important to the southern suburbs because it provides access to thousands of jobs in Greenfield and Franklin. He remains cautiously optimistic that Abele and the board leadership can convince the state to direct the RTA funds to the county.

Supervisor Patricia Jursik, who announced two weeks ago that transit would be her priority, was pleased with Abele’s plan.

“I am happy with the lobbying and public hearings that were held,” she said. “I really think the County Executive got the message that transit access is very important to all of the county’s residents, especially those in the Southeast suburbs.”

Paratransit riders faced a service at the federal minimum levels of service, with stops extending only ¼ mile from regular bus stops. Abele made it a priority to continue border to border Paratransit services within the county.

This was the only area that Abele spoke of increasing revenue – a fare increase for Paratransit riders from $3.25 to $4.50 for a one-way ride.

“Linking residents to education and jobs is critical to our growing economy,” Abele said. “While we were unsuccessful in stopping the 10 percent cut (in state funding), I am committed to continuing the fight to restore transit funding in the future. We all understand that transit is the key to economic growth and vital to the success of our region.”

Mental Health and EMS services

Abele campaigned on converting the county’s delivery of mental and behavioral health services from an institutional setting at the County Grounds to smaller, community based centers. He plans to move ahead with the development of two North Side Crisis Resource Centers and an 8-bed crisis respite facility, funded with the $3 million that had been previously budgeted to the county’s EMS system.

He said the EMS subsidy was “outdated” and that its use toward mental health services would be an “investment in building community capacity” for these patients.

The idea of cutting funding to municipal paramedic services has not been well received by suburban fire chiefs or leaders. Greenfield and Wauwatosa will lose $200,000 each and the North Shore Fire Department will lose up to $362,000. NSFD Chief Robert Whitaker said that type of cut would eliminate one person per shift and increase response times.

Abele said the move to cut the subsidy was a tough decision that wasn’t done lightly, but the idea of a $55 million budget deficit and $108 million debt service payment for 2012 isn’t something to be approached lightly either.

“I think they should all be excited at the fact that for the first time we have a payment in the budget to start paying down that debt,” Abele said following his speech. “And if we don’t make a change in the way we budget, there will be more drastic cuts in the future. Remember, the $108 million in the budget is for debt service which could be going to EMS and a lot of other things.”

Supervisor Mark Borkowski, representing parts of Milwaukee, Greenfield and Franklin, was openly against the shift of EMS funds.

“It is very disappointing that this budget starts the decimation of the County’s nationally ranked paramedic service,” he said. “When there is an outcry for greater cooperation among governmental units, and this paramedic program is a shining example of unity, we are going in the opposite direction. Pretty unbelievable.”

Public Safety

Another place Abele looked for savings is the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department.  While his 2012 budget proposal still devotes 49 percent of spending to public safety, he said it’s time for the department that has seen a 62 percent funding increase since 2001 to tighten its belt.

The department will continue to manage the jail and House of Corrections, patrol the freeways and parks, provide court security and service legal papers. But Able expects the Sheriff to find and implement efficiencies in the department.

In a supplementary handout, Abele noted that all 19 county municipalities provide police coverage. Those police departments are augmented by two university departments and finally the Sheriff’s Department. He urged the Sheriff to reduce duplication and remove itself from law enforcement duties other than traffic citations.

“Everything we propose is based on facts, data, research and a lot of consultation with local law enforcement.  In terms of public safety, in 2009 the Sheriff’s Department reported only a single digit number of arrests. That is not what they do,” Abele said.

“Instead, I look forward to a reasoned and intelligent discussion on the changes I have proposed to the budget for the office of the sheriff… not politics, hyperbole and melodrama.”

Sheriff David Clarke said Abele’s proposal shows a “low priority for public safety” and that he does not take orders or directives from the County Executive.

“Case law is very clear that the sheriff alone decides how to carry out his duty and responsibility,” Clarke said in a press release. “His budget is an obvious attempt to micromanage my office. I am independently elected by the voters of Milwaukee County. If he wants to be in charge of my office, he’s going to have to run for sheriff in 2014.”

County Supervisor Joe Rice, whose northeast suburban district was eliminated with the acceptance of the 2010 redistricting of the county supervisory map following Abele’s speech, is not convinced by cuts to EMS or public safety.

“It will be up to the County executive to convince citizens that his cuts to vital public safety areas in paramedic and law enforcement service will not have a detrimental impact on vital services now serving as a model of intergovernmental cooperation.”

No Taxes

The Public Policy Forum released a study in August suggesting the county increase the tax levy by 1.8 percent and implement a $10 county-wide vehicle tax to raise $10.1 million.  However, Abele stuck to his guns and refused to increase the property tax level.

Abele said he had two reasons from his no taxes pledge.

“First, Milwaukee County residents are taxed enough,” he said. He added that high property taxes, growing debt and the structural deficit are an indication of a lack of discipline and willingness to make difficult choices.

“Raising taxes just allows us to defer to another year and that is something I am not willing to do.”

Instead of taxes, Abele’s budget fills the $55 million hole with $20 million in savings from a redesign of the employee health care plan and increased contributions and $5.5 million in savings from a 4.7 percent pension contribution. These are in addition to the savings from efficiencies in the Sheriff’s Department.

Wauwatosa/West Allis Supervisor Jim “Luigi” Schmitt said the devil is in the details and he is waiting until he sees the specifics before deeming Abele’s proposal a success.

“As a member of the Finance and Audit Committee, I will take a close look to see where the county Executive cut to fill the budget gap. In the coming days and weeks, I will review the data presented as well as analysis from County Board staff, in making decisions for next year’s budget on behalf of my constituents.”