Mayor’s Message on Passage of the New Budget

Mayor Barrett sent this out…

—————————

Dear Resident:

Today, the Milwaukee Common Council passed the City of Milwaukee’s 2015 budget. I want to thank the Council for including the 12 additional police recruits. This means that in 2015, 85 officers will be ready for deployment. The Council also approved the full overtime amount I had submitted and which was requested by Chief Flynn.

I want to thank all of you who took an interest and the time to weigh-in on the public safety issues. Your voices came through and I really do appreciate how much you all care about our great City and our neighborhoods. Thank you.

As I said yesterday, budgets are about priorities and funding the services we can afford. On the way to striking that balance, there will be disagreements and honest differences of opinion. I believe that the budget that passed today, despite the bumps in the road, strikes the right balance.

I thank Council President Michael Murphy and Alderman Nik Kovac, Chair of the Finance and Personnel Committee, for their leadership, candor and ideas.

I want to acknowledge Alderman Ashanti Hamilton, Alderwoman Milele Coggs, Alderman Terry Witkowski and Alderman Joe Dudzik for their diligence and oversight as the budget was being reviewed and amended at the Finance Committee. It was at the Committee level that Compete Milwaukee, our transitional jobs program, children and family trauma specialists, Community Service Officers and additional nuisance property inspectors were fully vetted. These initiatives, along with our Strong Neighborhoods Program, will help strengthen and maintain our neighborhoods.

I also want to thank all members of the Council who added value to debate and voted in favor of the budget.

Together, we are building a stronger Milwaukee. We have more work to do and I look forward to your continued enthusiasm and collaboration.

Once again, thank you.

Sincerely,

Tom Barrett, MayoMayor