Milwaukee County Budget

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley details the current and potential future fiscal state of Milwaukee.

The City’s finances were scrutinized in a recent report by the Wisconsin Policy Forum, “Nearing the Brink.” For more than a decade, the Forum has been warning of the looming financial crisis brought on by steadily decreasing funds by the state and a refusal on the part of legislators to allow Milwaukee control over special taxes that could bring additional money from commuters and vacationers.

Participatory budgeting started in Porto Alegre, Brazil and has expanded to cities such as Chicago and Seattle. But what does it look like in practice? Eau Claire is the first city in Wisconsin to incorporate participatory budgeting.

In 2022 both the City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County are planning to use federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act. Rob Henken, President of the Wisconsin Policy Forum, explains how this will help Milwaukee in the short term — and how it could cause problems in the future.