Milwaukee County vows financial fix without cuts, tax hikes

(The Center Square) – Milwaukee County leaders are promising to close their budget gap without making service cuts or raising taxes.

The county on Thursday said the hole in next year’s budget will be smaller than first expected, at more than $14 million instead of $19 million. More than half of that deficit comes from overtime pay to county workers.

County Executive David Crowley says they plan to use leftover COVID relief money, and some of their cash reserves to bridge the gap.

“I am proud my administration and the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors are working together to close the projected budget gap without any additional costs for taxpayers,” Crowley said.

Some of the money is also coming from the now-shelved expansion of MCTS’ rapid bus line.

That project had a $148 million price tag that can now be used for other things.

But Crowley’s plan doesn’t deal with likely the biggest driver of the county’s budget deficit – overtime and staffing problems in the sheriff’s office.

“We have more work to do to prevent future fiscal cliffs,” Crowley explained. “Increase recruitment and retention to avoid overtime costs and obtain additional financial support for required state-mandated services.”

Crowley said the county has hired an outside firm to study the sheriff’s department’s financial problems.

“In addition to closing the projected 2024 budget deficit, Crowley’s proposal also includes $300,000 to hire an outside consultant to perform an evaluation of staffing and overtime needs in the Office of the Sheriff. The study is intended to identify operational improvements, technological enhancements, and opportunities for continuous improvement. The study will provide baseline data regarding staffing needs throughout the department,” Milwaukee County announced.

The sheriff’s office told county supervisors in July that it will continue to run a multi-million-dollar overtime deficit until it can hire enough deputies to cover the county jail, the court system, and maintain a patrol division. That has proven difficult in recent years as jail guards in particular have been hard to hire and retain.