Diliberti: Two Out Of Three Is Not Good Enough

Dan Diliberti, Milwaukee County Treasurer, is making some noise in order to draw attention to himself as a candidate for county executive. I must say, Diliberti is one of the few people I've heard that actually wants to fix things instead of pander to the delusional:

With the county facing a huge structural budget deficit and Walker pledging to put state government on a diet – a move that could mean diminished state aid for the county -- it’s no wonder the would-be candidates are mostly staying on the sidelines, Diliberti said during a meeting with Journal Sentinel editors and reporters.

“It’s why no one has declared,” said Diliberti, 63. The potential candidates want to know whether “some one is going to burn (the county) down while I’m trying to build it,” he said.

Diliberti favors beefing up the county rather than stripping away duties. Spinning off county functions such as parks and transit to new separately run districts would be a return to a model phased out 50 years ago for good reason, he said.

Consolidating services at the county level could improve efficiency without sacrificing quality, he said, pointing to the consolidated emergency 911 system and emergency medical services as examples of services done well by the county.

He also said abolishing the post of county executive – another change favored by Walker – could mean a return to a more closed system of government in which the Board chairman who is elected from one of 19 districts effectively runs the county.

Having been treasurer for the past six years has also allowed Diliberti the advantage of being known and establishing a good rapport with many of the movers and shakers in the county, especially business types of folks. This could help him with some serious fundraising.

But even though he is saying the right things, and he could conceivably raise the cash needed for this race, he has one big anchor around his neck which is big enough that it could swamp his campaign and keep him out of a bigger office.

That load stone? It is simply his involvement with the pension scandal.