MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee County Board held a hearing on the County Executive’s 2024 Recommended Budget. Public comment was welcome, and criticism of the proposed $7 million increase to the County Sheriff’s Office was common.
Pearl Foster is a social worker in Milwaukee and said increasing that budget would harm other programs funded by local tax dollars.
“That money has to come from somewhere, and that somewhere is our communities,” said Foster. “As you chip away at our communities, you harm people.”
Sheriff Denita Ball originally requested a $12 million increase earlier this year. Sheriff Ball said it is to adjust an understaffed correctional system. According to the 2024 Recommended Budget there is a 40% vacancy rate for correctional officers and a 33% vacancy rate for sergeants. The Budget calls for a $3.00 an hour increase for correctional officers paid for with the tax levy, and increased phone call time allowed to each inmate.
Alan Chavoya is the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression Outreach Chair and said there needs to be better transparency between the Sheriff’s Office and citizens before there are funding increases.
“If the County Sheriff is serious about wanting more money, we have to understand how they are using, or in better terms misusing, the budget they already have,” said Chavoya.
Chavoya said he had been told about “devastating” things happening inside Milwaukee County Jails.
Another member of the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression listed statistics that made her feel that more funds should not be allocated to the Sheriff’s Office.
“There is absolutely no conscionable reason why one in every 36 black man in Wisconsin is incarcerated, and most of those folks are coming from Milwaukee,” they said.
Michael Lawson is a Milwaukee resident who called the increase “ludicrous” and listed programs he felt were more deserving of funding increases.
“We’re hearing from people tonight who deserve services like housing and transit,” said Lawson. “Things that measurably improve the lives of everyone in the county.”
The Milwaukee County Board will meet again on November 9th to adopt the budget.
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