Tuesday night, the state Senate passed a bill scaling back the power of the Milwaukee County board. Shortly after, the Assembly signed off on the Senate version; the controversial bill goes next to Governor Scott Walker.
As state lawmakers made efforts to shrink the power and budget of the Milwaukee County board, board supervisors did likewise. However, their plan was more modest, and ultimately lawmakers passed a bill cutting the board’s budget by two-thirds and limiting supervisor’s role in contracts and sale of county property. A proposed pay cut would be determined in a binding spring referendum. Wauwatosa Republican Senator Leah Vukmir had a ready answer for those opposed to a bill which only pertains to Milwaukee County.
“Milwaukee County _is_ being targeted. Milwaukee County is being targeted because it _is_ out of control when you compare it to [the] other 71 counties. Every other county [board] in [the] state is part-time and every other county board in the state’s supervisors have far less pay.”
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Minority leader Chris Larson says his home county should be able to make decisions about its decision-makers. He tried to amend the bill so all of its provisions would go before voters, not just the issue of how much board supervisors should be paid.
“I believe in local control. I believe that the decisions made closest to the people are the best ones. When we did a hearing on this bill in Milwaukee County, this is what we heard: people want to be able to decide for themselves.”
State senators were divided along party lines with the exception of Milwaukee Democrat Lena Taylor. She voted in favor of the bill, saying it was a compromise.
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