MILWAUKEE – When touting his proposed 2024 budget to the Milwaukee Common Council earlier this year, Mayor Cavalier Johnson highlighted the fact that for the first time in years, the city would look to adopt a budget that wasn’t littered with cuts.
“When I presented a budget to this council a year ago, my tone was quite different.” Johnson said in the council chambers on September 19th. “Our prospects were worrying, our service cuts were inevitable, and our options were few. One year has made a world of difference.”
The Council seemed to agree Friday, voting to adopt the budget.
Several factors have led to this budget featuring investments versus limitations. Key among them was the adoption of Act 12; that provided Milwaukee with around 200 million dollars in extra revenue next year, including through a new two percent city sales tax that is anticipated to bring in about 184 million dollars next year alone.
An amendment taken up by the Council before the vote adds Sunday library hours, funds more street repairs, launches a preventative lead abatement loan program and opens two more early voting locations.
It’s important to note that while the budget will see boosts to local services this year, portions of the budget are boosted by federal pandemic aid, the last time that will be the case. In its analysis of Johnson’s budget proposal, the nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum found that tight budgets could re-emerge as soon as 2025 when federal pandemic aid will run out.
