Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Abele's Mismanagement Creates Growing Budget Gap

On Monday, I reported that Milwaukee County Emperor Chris Abele was refusing to give county workers their lawful raise.  I also pointed out that Abele was doing so because he needed the money to cover gaping holes in the budget as he gave away the shop to his cronies and fellow plutocrats.

A report from Milwaukee County's Comptroller confirmed that the county is facing a growing budget gap, most of which can be laid at Abele's feet.

From a press release from Chairman Theodore Lipscomb, who tears Abele apart for his foolishness:
Milwaukee County Board Chairman Theodore Lipscomb, Sr., responded to today’s release of the Five-Year Financial Forecast by the independent Comptroller by saying, “It’s clear from this report that the Administration’s continued mismanagement of the pension system and the Executive’s unilateral negotiations on the arena made the 2016 budget gap much worse. If this forecast had been released just a couple of months ago, before we discovered more errors in yet another administrative pension debacle and before the Executive committed $80 million from Milwaukee County to fund the arena, we would have been in a better position heading into next year’s annual budget.” These two items alone account for approximately $20 million of the identified $26.2 million budget gap.

Lipscomb further observed that the report highlights how holding the property tax levy flat over the next five years could require additional service cuts. Chairman Lipscomb noted, “Milwaukee County has responsibly met the challenge of levy limits imposed by the state, but it would be a mistake for local leaders to continue playing out of the Walker playbook. It’s clear that any plan to flat-line the levy really means we fall behind. The report suggests following a flat levy could lead to $38.6 million in service cuts. The report also focused on the County’s infrastructure needs, stating that without increases for maintaining or improving its capital assets, future liabilities would continue to grow. Overriding numerous Executive vetoes, the County Board has led the way with investments in the park system for capital improvements and routine maintenance. The Parks Director is slated to present a plan by September to utilize $5 million recently allocated to the department to address seriously deferred maintenance and needed improvements.

“We need to move everyone, not just a select few, forward. If the Executive can commit $80 million of public funds into the business of out-of-state billionaires, surely we can invest more in park restoration and transit improvements that benefit all Milwaukee County residents. It is these types of improvements to our public infrastructure that create a higher quality of life for all."
Don't expect Abele to acknowledge the error of his ways, much less apologize for them.

He has too many issues regarding his daddy's success to admit what a failure he is. Not only that, but this pompous ass has delusions of grandeur in thinking that he will be able to buy his way into the governor's office and admitting he screwed up would pop his bubble.

Again, I urge the gentle reader to call Abele at 414-278-4211 or email him at countyexec@milwaukeecountywi.gov and tell him to stop his political posturing and do his job!  (Needless to say, county workers should do this on their own time and using their own phones,)

1 comment:

  1. Is Abele trying to role model what a truly bad employer looks like, in order to inspire bad employers throughout Milwaukee County? Wow ! What a great vision for Milwaukee County's future !!!

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