But Did She Give Him The Advice He Really Needs?

JSOnline is reporting that after her book tour stop at the State Fair Grounds last week, Scott Walker begged Sarah Palin for her help in his last desperate stab at the governor’s chair. Unfortunately for Walker, he got the brush off, at least for now:

Palin told Walker she would be focused through the end of the year on her tour promoting her upcoming book, “Going Rogue,” but would begin helping candidates in January. Walker asked Palin to appear with him at a Fox Valley event to help combat expected fund-raising help the Democratic candidate would get from President Barack Obama.

Undoubtedly, Palin will endorse him eventually, if she sees that she can gain something from using him.

Interestingly, Time Magazine, which first reported the story on their website, points out in more clarity Walker’s desperation:

Walker briefed Palin on his front-running poll standing, and his strong fundraising to date. Palin, tired from a long day, engagingly asked Walker what his campaign slogan is, who is involved in his bid, and why he is running for governor. She urged him to adopt a positive, optimistic message and said it was a good sign that Republicans won gubernatorial contests in New Jersey and Virginia earlier in the month by running on such sunny platforms.

Palin said she was going to focus on her book tour through December, but planned to turn to politics and helping party candidates starting in January. Her aide, Jason Recher, another former Bush aide, asked Walker what kind of help he would like from Palin. Walker pointed out that the state’s late primary and the likelihood that the White House would raise a lot of campaign cash for its side meant he needed help as soon as possible next year. Walker urged Palin to come on board and do an event with him in the state’s Fox Valley area.

Let us fervently hope that she gave him the advice he really needs: How to leave office in midterm to focus on a doomed campaign.

Citizens For A Responsible(?) Government

Yesterday, Citizens for a Responsible(?) Government proudly announced that they are going to donate time, energy and money to a start up recall exploratory group with Supervisor Patricia Jursik as their target:

CRG Network PAC, the political action unit of CRG Network, has agreed to provide assistance and financial support to a Cudahy and South Milwaukee citizens group interesting in holding county officials accountable for tax increases. The group will file the necessary documents to form a resident Political Action Committee (PAC) named “No Tax Increase for Cudahy/South Milwaukee” tomorrow morning with the Milwaukee County Election Commission.

The impetus for forming the PAC was the tax increase positions of local county supervisor Patricia Jursik. The PAC was established to campaign in support of lower-tax candidates and against higher-tax candidates at the next election but has reserved the right to amend the PAC to a Recall PAC pending the outcome of future votes and actions by Jursik.

CRG Network spokesperson Chris Kliesmet commented, “It is no secret that Supervisor Jursik continues to support a tripling of the Milwaukee County sales tax despite the fact that her district voted against it. Such actions are an outrageous breach of the implicit contract between politicians and constituents to represent them honestly. Ms. Jursik should not be surprised that her constituents are taking steps to hold her accountable or that her future actions may well inspire the cry for recall. CRG is already in contact with several other local citizens groups interested in taking similar action should they decide their representatives on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors are no longer honestly representing them.”

I see one flaw with their plan already. Jursik voted against the budget and its increased tax levy (emphasis mine):

Supervisors who voted in favor of adopting the 2010 County Tax Levy (10-9):
Gerry Broderick, Toni M. Clark, Elizabeth Coggs, Marina Dimitrijevic, Willie Johnson, Jr., Theodore Lipscomb, Michael Mayo, Sr., Johnny L. Thomas, Peggy West, Chairman Lee Holloway

Supervisors who voted against:
Mark Borkowski, Paul Cesarz, Lynne De Bruin, Patricia Jursik, Chris Larson, Joseph Rice, Joe Sanfelippo, Jim “Luigi” Schmitt, John F. Weishan, Jr.

Supervisors who voted in favor of adopting the 2010 County Budget (10-9):
Gerry Broderick, Toni M. Clark, Elizabeth Coggs, Marina Dimitrijevic, Willie Johnson, Jr., Theodore Lipscomb, Michael Mayo, Sr., Johnny L. Thomas, Peggy West, Chairman Lee Holloway

Supervisors who voted against:
Mark Borkowski, Paul Cesarz, Lynne De Bruin, Patricia Jursik, Chris Larson, Joseph Rice, Joe Sanfelippo, Jim “Luigi” Schmitt, John F. Weishan, Jr.

So now they’re recalling people for doing what they wanted them to do? No wonder they’ve lost almost all credibility.

Yet Another County Supervisor In Trouble, Again

This just broke from Dan Bice and John Diedrich of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Milwaukee County Supervisor Toni Clark is the subject of a secret criminal investigation into possible campaign finance abuses, the Journal Sentinel has learned.

Clark declined Tuesday to answer questions about the matter. Last month, she filed three amended campaign reports with the county Board of Election Commissioners.

In those reports, Clark admitted she took in and spent money from her campaign fund in the past three years after she earlier swore that her campaign was inactive during those times, according to public records filed with the board.

“You know like I know, oftentimes John Doe investigations do occur,” said Clark, who has been elected three times. “If I am or am not part of one, those are secret investigations, so I couldn’t tell you anything anyway.”

Clark said she submitted the amended reports because of questions raised by county election officials. She declined to say whether she had hired an attorney.

The story points out that this investigation stems from an earlier one into Supervisor Michael Mayo, who was fined for violations.

These campaign finance violations have gotten out of control.

If Supervisor Clark committed these violations, she needs to take ownership of them and accept the consequences.

To be honest, this is not the supervisor I thought would be the next to get into trouble, so I would expect that there might be more problems on the horizon.

I think it would be best, given how rampant these issues are, if all 19 supervisors and Executive Walker had their campaign finances thoroughly examined for further improprieties.

How are we supposed to trust them to run our County if we can’t trust them with their campaign finances?

The County Budget And Its Big Black Hole

From Milwaukee County First:

As most of you are probably aware, the Milwaukee County Board went through the amendments in a marathon 17 hour session yesterday.  As is my wont, I took the day off yesterday so that I could attend the hearing.

For a complete results of the votes, I would refer you to either this pdf issued by the County Board or the report from today’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (yes, that is a picture of me in the paper).

The Board has been taking proactive steps to keep the County Executive’s office from continue overreaching its authority, such as they did with the Office of Sustainability and the Economic Development Director.  The concern is that the Board might be also overreaching its authority.  I would hope that they find a way to balance and compliment  each other instead of the extremely divisive and antagonistic behaviors we have seen over the past eight years.

The restoration of the Farm and Fish Hatchery was key, as was the innovative idea of transferring authority of it to the Parks Department, which will actually make it better for all involved.  This program is just too vital, especially in these difficult economic times, to let expire for simple political purposes.  Besides, as was pointed out during the discussion, it is actually cost neutral to the County as that the Hunger Task Force has agreed to assume the costs of the operation.

On at least two separate occasions, Supervisor Paul Cesarz voted in a way that would have actually raised the tax levy.  One item was on the amendment that deleted language that would contract a planning expert to do long term planning for County Trunk Highways, and instead called for using in-house experts.

The other item was to the recommendation to do an audit of the privatized food service at the  Behavioral Health Division (mental health complex).  The reason for this audit was due to complaints that the food quality and quantity had dropped severely, to the point of being nearly inedible.

Supervisor Cesarz voted against both of these issues.  I would have thought of all the supervisors, Cesarz would have been the one most likely to want to make sure that the tax payer’s money is being used to the most effective manner.

Much to the joy of  the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and all lovers of the parks and the lakefront, the proposal to put parking meters up along the lakefront was roundly defeated.  The clincher to its defeat was the fact that implementation of said plan was to raise $450,000, although it was pointed out that there was no explanation on how Walker’s staff came up with that number.  In exchange, UWM informed the Board that it would cancel its lease for parking with the County, resulting in a loss of $94,000.  UWM also would end its contract for U-Pass, the bus shuttle service, which is worth $2.3 million dollars.

It was not responsible budget planning to have included this scheme in the first place, and it is to the benefit of all that it was so roundly defeated.

This brings us to the big black hole that is found in both the Executive’s proposed budget and the Board’s amended version.

In Walker’s proposed budget, he is counting on some 16% pay cuts from union workers, as well as laying at least 200 workers.  The Board’s amended version is less drastic, but still requires a considerable pay cut and the lay off of a couple dozen workers.

The expectation of concessions by the unions is completely understandable, and to be expected, especially when one looks at what has happened in other bodies of government such as the City of Milwaukee, Dane County and the State of Wisconsin and their respective unions.

However, terms of the contract between the unions and the County, as well as state and federal labor laws intervene with their plans.  The County and AFSCME had reached a Tentative Agreement based on good faith bargaining.  Through a series of poor choices, this Agreement was put on hold, and eventually denied by the Board as a whole.

The actions and statements made by Executive Walker, the County Board, and Supervisor Johnny Thomas basically constitute bad faith bargaining and prohibited practices, as defined by the contract and the law.

It is my understanding that AFSCME has already filed lawsuits against the Board and Supervisor Thomas, and other suits are being contemplated at this time.

It also, ironically puts the County in a bargaining disadvantage. Supervisor John Weishan, who sits on the Personnel Committee, pointed out that Walker’s own labor negotiating team admitted that Walker’s proposal has a zero chance of winning in arbitration.  That means that as long as AFSCME did not propose anything unreasonable, the odds of the union winning an arbitration was all but guaranteed.  To make things even more likely to fall in the union’s favor was the fact that most of  all the other local governments had successfully reached negotiations with their unions offering modest raises, along with other concessions from the unions.  Milwaukee County did the same thing with the nurses union, eroding the County’s position even further.

It is expected that due to this artificial budget and its faulty suppositions, that there would be anywhere from a $15 million to a $32 million deficit on January 1, 2010.  It is further expected that Executive Walker will use this contrived deficit as a reason to call a fiscal emergency and lay off workers.

Supervisor De Bruin had some numbers figured out by Walker’s staff, and found that the expected savings from each lay off for an entire year would be about $40,000.   She added that to make the savings required by Walker’s budget, 800 workers would need to be laid off at the beginning of the year.  If this was delayed to midyear, the number would be 1,600 workers laid off.

During the budget process, almost every department head had informed the Finance and Audit Committee that they would not be able to function at required levels if they were to sustain more cuts to their staff.  This would endanger the County of having to experience more take overs by the State, as they did at the beginning of this year with the Economic Support Program.  This would also likely result in a higher amount of money coming out of the tax levy, as it did with Economic Support.

In summary, through the illegal actions of Scott Walker and the Board, Milwaukee County has been put into an even more precarious financial position.  It faces having to make unpopular tax hikes or losing more control of its programs through take overs by the State.

Privatization of many of these services is also  a viable solution, due to state and federal laws requiring that some of the services be done by public sector workers to ensure accountability.

The Board and the Executive need to work together with the unions to work out some sort of agreement that would preserve the County’s financial sustainability without jeopardizing services.

Perhaps something like a collateral agreement that would create a retirement window, with the stipulation by the unions that would cap any back drop payments to minimize damages to the budget, such as we had witnessed in 2004.  However, this would be a controversial approach to the problem, and might not resolve the issues.

The only viable solution that I can see is that the state legislature and Governor Doyle finally recognize Milwaukee County’s peril, and honor the voter’s wishes to allow us to help ourselves by allowing the one percent sales tax and to do so immediately.

You can help convey this message by signing our petition and by calling your state legislature and Governor Doyle’s off ice and call on them to act immediately, before it is too late.  Here is a list of the phone numbers for the state representatives and Governor Doyle:

Rep. Pedro Colón: (608) 267-7669

Rep. David Cullen: (608) 267-9836 or (888) 534-0013*

Rep. Jason Fields (608) 266-3756 or (888) 534-0011*

Rep. Tamara Grigsby: (608) 266-0645 or (888) 534-0018*

Rep. Mark Gundrum: (608) 267-5158 or (888) 534-0084*

Rep. Mark Honadel: (608) 266-0610 or (888) 534-0021*

Rep. Fred Kessler: (608) 266-5813 or (888) 534-0012*

Rep. Peggy Krusick: (608) 266-1733

Rep. Jim Ott: (608) 266-0486 or (888) 534-0023*

Rep. Jon Richards : (608) 266-0650 or (888) 534-0019*

Rep. Sandy Pasch:  (608) 266-7671 or (888) 534-0022*

Rep. Tony Staskunas:  (608) 266-0620 or (888) 534-0015*

Rep. Jeff Stone: (608) 266-8590 or (888) 534-0082

Rep. Barbara Toles:  (608) 266-5580

Rep. Leah Vukmir:  (608) 266-9180

Rep. Annette Polly Williams: (608) 266-0960

Rep. Leon Young: (608) 266-3786 or (888) 534-0016*

Rep. Josh Zepnick:  (608) 266-1707

Governor Jim Doyle: (414) 227-4344

 

Is Tom Barrett Gearing Up For Governor’s Run?

Dan Bice has a piece up on JSOnline discussing the concept of Mayor Tom Barrett, if he were to run for and win the governor’s seat, working out of Milwaukee. There are many things brought up that make it sound quite feasible, including the fact that Doyle had set up an office in Milwaukee.

It would also be hard for the Republican candidate snark on the idea, considering that both of them were schmoozing with Sarah Palin on Friday night, and she was well known to run Alaska from her home in Wasilla (probably so she could keep an eye on those pesky Russians from her porch).

Some people in the article bring up concerns about fund raising, but I don’t think that that would be too difficult for Barrett. He has statewide name recognition, which is more than can be said about any of the Republican candidates. He also has the hero status yet, for his actions this past August. And he would have the support of Doyle and Obama, which would definitely bring money into his campaign coffers.

But the thing that really caught my eye, and made me think that maybe this is closer to becoming reality than the usual mere speculation, is the swipe that Barrett’s Chief of Staff took at Walker:

Along with everything else, Curley said, people need to realize that Barrett really likes his current job.

Never an ideologue, the mayor finds the day-to-day responsibilities both challenging and interesting. Right now, he is fighting to gain control over the Milwaukee Public Schools, a huge initiative for any big-city mayor.

“It’s a full-time job,” Curley said, before taking a swipe at Walker. “He can’t hop on a Harley and ride around the state at taxpayers’ expense.”

If you ask me, them there’s fighting words. Oh, this could be fun!

Will Walker’s Budget Throw The Buses Under The Bus

From Milwaukee County First:

Dan Diliberti, Milwaukee County Treasurer, submitted a letter to Supervisor Elizabeth Coggs, the Chairwoman of the County Board’s Finance and Audit Committee.  This letter was reproduced by BizTimes.com.

In the letter, Diliberti paints a very grim, but completely accurate, picture of the County’s finances, which has only been worsened by County Executive Scott Walker’s absolute refusal to put anything before his gubernatorial campaign:

In the short run, if Milwaukee County continued to finance transit while laboring under state tax freeze rules, funding would only come at the expense of drastic cuts to county parks, dangerous cuts in courts and public safety operations, reductions in mental health services and costly deferred maintenance throughout the county.

Milwaukee County is the last major urban area in the country to fund transit with property taxes. Yet, Milwaukee County cannot legally change that funding formula on its own because state statutes prohibit counties from creating a dedicated funding mechanism for transit.

Milwaukee County has done everything possible to remove this burden on Milwaukee County property taxpayers. The county has worked with legislators to devise legislation that was approved by the Legislature. The county has borrowed money to purchase needed replacement busses and equipment. The county has raised user fare levels to the highest in the nation.

Now the county has run out of options and money.

Diliberti goes on to say that the only viable solution is for the state to create a RTA so that there is a dedicated funding source for the transit system.  To convey the importance of this need, Diliberti suggested that the County take an extreme stance with the state:

That is why I am asking the Finance Committee to consider whether Milwaukee County can responsibly continue to fund local Mass Transit beyond July 1, 2010 – the start of the new state fiscal year?

If the Board were to take action to limit county funding to the first six months of 2010, Milwaukee County would be making a similar statement that the private transit operator did in 1975 – that we have run out of options.

We have reached a crisis point and no one but the State can save our transit system. If Milwaukee County limited its transit funding to the first half of 2010, it would be a clear message that the state must deal with its responsibility to establish an RTA with a dedicated funding mechanism.

The crisis in funding the Milwaukee County Transit System has reached the point that it is an RTA or bust.  It is time for the state to step up to the plate and take an action that every other state with a large urban county has already done. The State of Wisconsin must take action in order to preserve transit in this region.

I have added my voice to Milwaukee County, civic, business, labor and community groups that have already joined forces to lobby for the state to take action. The state legislature needs to understand that the only viable way to preserve mass transit in this metropolitan area is to create an RTA financed with a dedicated funding source. Absent this action, mass transit will face a rapid decline and certain death in this region.

Public Transit is essential to our economy, but it cannot survive in Milwaukee County without an RTA.
I would like to add one other recommendation.  If an RTA with a dedicated funding source were created, in order to provide real and direct property tax relief, the State Legislature should also include a corresponding reduction in the current Milwaukee County Property Tax Cap. Accordingly, if enacted, the current State imposed Milwaukee County Property Tax Freeze amount would be reduced by the amount (approximately $18 million) of Milwaukee County property taxes currently allocated to the Milwaukee County Transit System.

The Finance and Audit Committee rejected Diliberti’s suggestion and instead chose to go with a $20 wheel tax.

The Editorial Board at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel agrees with Diliberti that the need is great, but backs off of taking such an extreme stance.  They also disagree with the thought of a wheel tax, but instead suggested raising the property tax.

I believe that Diliberti might be on to something.  Walker’s refusal to look at any new revenue streams have led the County to this place of economic woe.   While the thought of the buses and the parks being shut down completely is utterly terrifying and would have devastating effects on the local, regional and even statewide economic systems, I don’t know if Milwaukee County has many other options.

I do not think that Board has enough votes to pass either the wheel tax or that large of an increase in the property tax.  Or to be more accurate, I don’t think they have enough votes to override the guaranteed veto by Walker.

And even if the wheel tax or an increase in property tax was approved, there is still a $15 million dollar hole in the budget.  That would still mean that there would have to be major cuts somewhere.

The County could do across the board cuts, but this would cripple many of the safety services programs and put them in serious jeopardy of being taken over by the state, as they did with the Income Maintenance program a year ago.  This would not only jeopardize everyone’s safety but would also raise our taxes anyway.

The other option would be to do something akin to Diliberti’s suggestion, and target the non-mandated services, like the parks and/or the transit system.  This is a terrifying proposition, but if this were to be pursued, it would have to be done correctly.

I think leaving the systems run until July 1 would be too late for a couple of reasons.  One, I don’t believe the County has enough money to run them even that long.  Two, no politician is going to vote to raise any tax just months before the next election.

If this plan is to work, the cut off date would have to be much earlier.  I would suggest April 1, after the first quarter.  This would allow the politicians in Madison more of a cushion between the vote and the election, making it more likely for them to go along with it.  Secondly, it would bring home the point that Milwaukee County cannot keep on affording these systems without a dedicated funding source in a much more clear and forceful statement to the powers that be in Madison.

I also think  that the RTA, while a very worthwhile long term goal, is not appropriate for now.  The County has shown that they are very capable of running the system when it is properly funded.  Trying to get all the parties in southeastern Wisconsin to agree to one version of a RTA, and then get the other legislators to also agree will take much more time than we have to spare.

I believe the need is so great that our regional representation needs to get both the transit sales tax bill and the parks sales tax bill passed as soon as they are back in session.

If they fail to do so, I don’t know when or if Milwaukee County will be able to recover and become the place it once was.

You can help send this message to the folks in Madison by joining your voice to ours.  Please sign the petition located at the left of this page, calling on Governor Doyle and the state legislature to pass these much needed bills.  If we can get them to pass these bills, not only will it save the parks and the transit systems, but it will also give us some much needed property tax relief.  And after you sign, tell all your friends, family members and neighbors to also sign it.

Follow The Bouncing Furlough Day

Last month, the Milwaukee County Board chose to go with four furlough days before the end of the year to help with this year’s budget in order to help with next year’s budget. When the Board passed the resolution for the furloughs, they had set specific days for the furloughs:

The furlough days outlined in the resolution are spread across four pay periods to reduce the wage impact on employees, he said.

The furloughs would occur on Nov. 13 and 25, and Dec. 4 and 24.

“We are also encouraging full-day closures of as many county offices as possible on these days,” said Coggs, chairwoman of the county board’s finance and audit committee. “By closing offices on four business days, we will see energy savings on top of the savings on personnel costs.”

Before they passed this resolution, it was amended to make an exception for the courts, since they all had cases booked to be heard. The Board agreed to allow the courts to go with only one day of furlough and the rest of the required savings made up in other cost cutting methods.

We received an email today that the Coggs Building will now be open on Wednesday, November 25, but closed on Friday, November 20. I was told that the rationale was that November 25 is traditionally the busiest day for the Economic Support Program, as people make a rush to get food stamps and/or food for Thanksgiving.

The problem is that as we were told of the first day a month ago, many people planned accordingly and bought airline tickets for traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday. One person even scheduled a medical procedure for that day.

Now these people are being told that they will either have to report to work or use their own time to take off, if they have any time left to take. This creates an unfair burden on the workers who planned accordingly.

I also learned today that the nurses union was allowed to make a special arrangement with the County where they will not have to take any furlough days. The only thing that they are giving up is that on the next minor holiday, Veteran’s Day, they only will accumulate four instead of eight hours of holiday time to be taken later.

So, now we have the essential services like the Sheriff’s Office, the House of Correction and the Behavioral Health Division already exempt, the lawyer’s union gets only one day of furlough, and the nurses only give up half a day of free time. That means that the County is trying to fix their budget on the back of about 2,000 workers and the people they serve.

I’m not complaining about the furloughs per se. It’s just make up your minds on a plan and stick to it.

Perhaps what the County needs is their own Smart Furl0ugh Bill.

Good News From Supervisor Dimitrijevic

From a press release from Supervisor Dimitrijevic:

BUDGET AMENDMENT PROVIDES FULL-TIME SUSTAINABILITY DIRECTOR

Position needed to save tax dollars and oversee County’s environmental and recycling efforts

Milwaukee, WI – Milwaukee County Supervisor Marina Dimitrijevic is introducing a Budget Amendment at the Finance & Audit Committee meeting this afternoon to create a Sustainability Director to carry out the duties of the Green Print and oversee the County’s recycling efforts. The amendment is based on recent recommendations from the Green Print Workgroup. In addition, the Department of Audit recently highlighted poor recycling efforts and the lack of centralized waste management contracts within Milwaukee County.

“Although the Green Print was enacted more than two years ago, a dedicated Sustainability Director for Milwaukee County was never fully implemented. That has been a major obstacle as we strive to become greener and save money in these difficult economic times,” Supervisor Dimitrijevic said. “My amendment calls for the creation of a full-time Sustainability Director reporting to the County Board and appointed by the County Board Chairman.”

Sup. Dimitrijevic’s Budget Amendment is co-sponsored by Supervisor Gerry Broderick. Energy savings, grants and other non-county revenue will offset half of the funding for the new position. Many other counties and municipalities, including the City of Milwaukee, have created similar positions.

“The lack of a dedicated Sustainability Director to carry out the Green Print and other environmental initiatives has lead to increased costs within the County,” Supervisor Dimitrijevic said. “We have missed out on grant opportunities and cost-saving measures, and that’s why we are taking the matter into our own hands during the 2010 Budget process.”

The Green Print, unanimously approved by the County Board and signed into law in 2007, incorporates a conservation ethic and plan for Milwaukee County to become more environmentally responsible. The comprehensive plan includes lower energy consumption, the utilization of more renewable energy sources, turning unused parkland back into native grasslands, managing storm water runoff, requiring higher energy efficiency standards in new projects, and a Sustainability Director to oversee the Green Print.

A Supervisor Run Amok

This is not to be tolerated.

Today, County Supervisor Marina Dimitrijevic issues a press release in defense of a resolution she cosponsored with Supervisor Chris Larson, which would authorize a study of extending health care benefits to the domestic partners of qualified county employees.  Her words were quite polite, but the undertone was also unmistakable (emphasis mine):

“Milwaukee County needs this study to determine if there is a low-cost way to treat all Milwaukee County employees fairly. I hope my colleagues will support a study to promote equality and improve the health of families in Milwaukee County. The Personnel Committee has recommended this study be performed with existing staff.

“Last week, one of my colleagues on the County Board issued a statement on this matter that was full of false numbers. This Supervisor stated that it is ‘incredibly irresponsible to propose new spending that would increase county operating expenses by nearly 4 million a year.’ I do not know where this false number originated. The truth is the County already picks up the cost when Milwaukee County employees get married and/or have children.

“The Federal government, the State of Wisconsin, the City of Milwaukee, MPS and MATC all grant benefits to domestic partners. Milwaukee County should grant that same level of equality. At the City, only 30 employees enrolled a partner, resulting in a .2 % increase in the employee benefits budget. In fact, the majority of those enrolled at the City have heterosexual partners.

“Some believe County government should operate more like a business. In this case, a majority of the nation’s leading corporations do provide domestic partner benefits. I believe Milwaukee County should provide the same courtesy to all employees.”

The supervisor to whom she is referring is Supervisor Joe Sanfelippo, who issued this press release, and included similar language in a flyer mailed to his constituents.

This was highly irresponsible and inappropriate for Sanfelippo to lie to his constituents like that.

But the Dimitrijevic press release is just the latest issue regarding Sanfelippo.

Two days ago, JSOnline reported that Supervisor Patricia Jursik and Sanfelippo have been having a rather heated exchange regarding his appearance at the CRG rally:

Now extending into its second week, Milwaukee County Supervisors Patricia Jursik and Joe Sanfelippo continue a dispute over Sanfelippo’s Oct. 4 appearance at an anti-tax group’s rally.

The back and forth was documented in a series of e-mails between the two.

Jursik objected to Sanfelippo’s remarks at that rally. She called them disrespectful to other supervisors and branded Citizens for Responsible Government group as “bullies.”

The offending passage, in Jursik’s view, was a Sanfelippo comment to the rally taking exception to the view that County Executive Scott Walker’s proposed budget cuts were “mean.” Sanfelippo praises Walker’s budget in his CRG speech.

Sanfelippo said Jursik used a “harsh and insulting tone” in bringing up his speech comments.

She said his appearance “on the CRG stage” crossed the line of appropriate behavior. She advised Sanfelippo “you may not use my name or an any way refer to me during your rants.” She also said Sanfelippo had declined to discuss the matter with her.

He said he never spoke of Jursik or any supervisors by name at the rally and suggested, “Perhaps your memory is going out.”

As for Sanfelippo’s alleged avoidance of Jursik to discuss the issue, Sanfelippo retorted: ”You are full of crap and you know it!”

Mmm.  It seems that some of the thugish behaviors that occurred at the CRG rally has taken hold of Sanfelippo.

Supervisor Sanfelippo needs to take a hard and honest look at himself and at his behaviors over the past few weeks.

While he most certainly has the right to appear at whatever rally he so chooses, he is also an elected official that represents not only his district, but all of Milwaukee County.

Furthermore, Cory Liebmann has reported that Sanfelippo has gone to the extent of insulting and lying to and about one of his constituents who has a mental illness.

It is not acceptable for one of our elected officials to take such personal swipes at any of his colleagues or at a constituent, nor is it appropriate for him to tell blatant lies to his constituents in an effort to smear a very worthwhile objective.

Supervisor Sanfelippo should issue an apology to his colleagues on the Board and to his constituents for his boorish behavior.  Then he should go on about the very important business of trying to salvage a viable budget out of what was presented to them in September.

Milwaukee County’s Newest And Biggest Deficit Crisis

It was revealed today that Milwaukee County is facing a new deficit crisis that no amount of cuts or higher taxes will resolve.

In fact, this new deficit crisis of which I speak has nothing to do with money.  Well, okay, maybe it does, but only in an indirect manner.

The deficit to which I am referring is the fact that we lack a county executive that is credible or honorable.

Today, JSOnline reported that Scott Walker did not just admit to using lay offs* as a malicious manipulative tool, but actually bragged and joked about it.

This is completely reprehensible.

Walker actually issued lay off notices to 180 workers last week due to a sudden fiscal crisis which was the direct result of his administration’s incompetence.  As the County Board scrambled for ways to fix the problem that Walker and his staff created, he issued a statement rescinding the notices.  He made a grandiose statement on how nice it was to be able to work together with the County Board to resolve this problem.

And now it turns out he was lying about the lay offs all along, and that it was just his malicious way to try to manipulate the County Board.

Most of us, especially in this rough economic stretch, has either been laid off or at least furloughed, at some time or another.  I don’t know many people that would say it was fun to be laid off and having to instantly worry about how to make all the bills, much less what to do about health insurance and other stressors that go with being unemployed or underemployed.

For Walker to just unfeelingly take 180 people, their families and the clients that rely on the services that these workers provide and so malevolently manipulate them in order to score some cheap political points is inexcusable.

Predictably, this has caused quite a bit of outrage.

Chairman Holloway, along with Supervisors John Weishan, Chris Larson, Theo Lipscomb and Johnny Thomas issued a joint press release condemning Walker’s actions:

“Either he was lying then, or he’s lying now. This is not a game. The fact is that these employees indeed received layoff notices. A true leader would not play games with our community’s core services and the lives of 180 families for personal, political gain.

“If the County Executive were only applying pressure on the County Board to come up with savings, he wouldn’t have actually issued these layoff notices. Once the County Executive decided to pull the trigger, he cannot claim that he never expected to harm these families.

“The County Executive’s comments are a big slap in the face to the residents of Milwaukee County. His radio comments this morning are contrary to the spirit of cooperation we fostered on Friday.”

Likewise, the unions are just as angry, if not more so.  Rich Abelson, Executive Director of AFSCME District Council 48, gave me his statement on Walker’s behavior:

“His [Scott Walker's] actions are despicable.  It shows the callous disregard he has for the workers who hold the county together and how out of touch Walker really is.”

Milwaukee County First echoes these condemnations.

For Walker to use innocent people as political pawns is disgusting enough.  But to then go behind everyone’s back and brag and joke about doing so shows a total lack of moral compunction and that he is not someone whose word can ever be trusted, even by his supposed allies.

It is also another example of the scorn and contempt he feels towards the people of Milwaukee County, whom he is supposed to be representing.

*Full disclaimer:  I am an employee of Milwaukee County, but was not one of the people identified for the lay off.

Cross posted at Milwaukee County First.