A Strong, Responsible Budget for Milwaukee

November 30, 2007

A STRONG, RESPONSIBLE BUDGET FOR MILWAUKEE

Dear Friends:

Yesterday the Common Council wrapped up its deliberations on the 2008 City Budget, and I signed this package into law.

Working in concert with the Common Council, I am proud of the strong, responsible budget we produced for the City of Milwaukee. This package invests in Milwaukee's most important priorities while continuing to hold the line on taxes and deliver basic City services.

And the smooth process demonstrated that Milwaukee's executive and legislative branches can work together effectively to provide a City budget that responds to community needs at a price it can afford.

Here are some of the highlights of the 2008 City of Milwaukee Budget:

Controlling Taxes

The 2008 City Budget is fiscally responsible and continues to hold the line on property taxes. The owner of a median valued property in the City will pay just $25 more in property taxes and fees for City services next year, an increase of only 1.7% -- well below the rate of inflation.

The tax rate is $8.01 per $1,000 of assessed value, compared to $9.73 when I took office four years ago. And the City of Milwaukee had the lowest percentage levy increase of the five local taxing jurisdictions on the City's tax bill – for the second year in a row:

More Police: With new hires and civilianization, puts 100 more Milwaukee Police Department officers on the streets over two years. 2008 sworn strength is estimated to be 1,978 officers, the highest funded sworn strength level since 2000.

MPS School Safety Partnership: Invests $498,000 in a 50/50 cost-sharing split with MPS to put School Resources Officers in a total of five Milwaukee high schools, a three school increase. At the two schools that currently participate in the Partnership there has been a substantial decrease in incidents and an improved learning environment as students and teachers feel more secure.

Neighborhood Safety Initiative: Directs $1.3 million in new funding to continue the Neighborhood Safety Initiative in 2008. This strategy has been very successful in decreasing violent crime across the Milwaukee, and has helped create police-community partnerships. Nearly 50,000 positive business and citizen contacts have been developed.

Economic Development

Workforce Development: Continues to solidify the City of Milwaukee as lead agency for workforce development in the region. The budget features $200,000 to continue the Driver's License Restoration Initiative, removing a major roadblock to employment.

Youth Summer Jobs: Invests $300,000 to mobilize City government, the nonprofit community and the business sector to offer paid internships to Milwaukee high school students. Last year 1,250 young people participated, gaining valuable skills and contacts.

City Development: The budget authorizes $64.6 million in Tax Incremental Financing for development projects such as Bronzeville, Tower, Midtown, and various Neighborhood initiatives like Mitchell Street. City use of Tax Incremental Financing has already created and or will create an estimated 3,317 jobs and a $357 million increase in Milwaukee's tax base. The budget also includes $1.8 million for the development fund.

Healthier Neighborhoods

Community Improvements: The budget provides $300,000 for improved recreation facilities across the Milwaukee, such as tennis courts and tot-lots, and $200,000 for the conversion of Hartung landfill into a neighborhood park. It also invests $200,000 in matching money to private foundation funding to improve neighborhood conditions outside of CDBG areas.

Health Department: Maintains major health department programs and clinic hours, and increases immunizations (27,000 immunizations to 11,000 clients projected in 2008) and lead abatement (785 additional units in 2008).

Affordable Housing: $400,000 for the Housing Trust Fund, to leverage $2.5 million in borrowing authority currently in place; and $75,000 to continue Milwaukee's collaboration with County government and the Continuum of Care Coalition to provide quality supportive housing options for citizens with special needs.

Green Milwaukee: The budget invests $500,000 for energy challenge program to improve efficiency in energy usage in City government. Additionally the budget contains $500,000 for sustainable boulevards and $1.1 million for tree planting.

Delivery of City Services

Infrastructure: $1 million increase for local streets; $560,000 increase for street lighting; $580,000 increase for major streets and bridges; $1.6 million increase for Sewers; $619,500 increase for Water Mains. Rapidly accelerates repair and replacement cycle for local streets from 165 years to 65 years by 2013. The budget also includes $2.1 million to support operations and capital projects at the Port of Milwaukee.

Solid Waste Services: Maintain garbage and recycling pickups at current levels, with no cuts, and expand pilot programs to improve recycling participation and tonnage. Expedited program to abate nuisance litter, especially food litter

Library System: In an effort to begin standardizing library hours, neighborhood libraries with morning hours will open at 10 rather than 10:30. This will increase hours on those days by 30 minutes – yielding an overall increase of 1%.

The people of Milwaukee expect that their government will manage and control the tax burden. Our citizens demand that our City government find innovative and effective solutions to the challenges that face our City. And the people of Milwaukee expect that critical services will be maintained and delivered efficiently. These are all reasonable and appropriate expectations, and I am proud to report that the budget the Common Council and I have enacted will meet each of these priorities.
 

Sincerely,

Mayor, City of Milwaukee

Visit my website at: http://www.city.milwaukee.gov/mayor