How much will Scott Walker's so-called budget repair bill splash up on the Milwaukee County executive race between Chris Abele and Jeff Stone?
As the April 4 election nears, Stone, a Republican state represenative, is solidly lined up with Walker, whose budget will do serious damage to Milwaukee city and county taxpayers and citizens. Stone alrerady cast a vote in the middle of the night for the budget repair bill.
Today the City of Milwaukee Common Council voted to oppose the budget repair bill. Ald. Milele Coggs and Ashanti Hamilton sponsored the reolution. Coggs said:
"Whether it is the constitutionality of some components of the bill, the alterations to Badgercare, the no-bid sale process for power plants or the pitting of private vs. public employees through the virtual elimination of collective bargaining, we as a City see far greater harm and loss emanating from this bill than benefit.
The vote was 9-2 with one absent and three abstaining (who knows why?) Hamilton said:
The citizens of this city have a tradition of supporting fiscally responsible government and rejects the notion that this so-called budget repair bill is a good deal for taxpayers. Even the most conservative members of the city council have parted ways with Walker and support a more sensible and honorable approach to dealing with the budget.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin says Stone has a history of toeing the Republican party line and voting for budgets that hurt Milwaukee County. Its release says:
In voting for Scott Walker's budget repair bill, Jeff Stone continues to follow Scott Walker's lead and has made another financially disastrous decision for Milwaukee County. By supporting a (budget repair) bill that gives special treatment to some unions rather than asking all to share equally in concessions, the bill will cost Milwaukee $19 million in savings, according to media reports.
In 2007 during a much stronger economy, Stone supported the Assembly Republican version of the budget that according to media reports would cut $33 million of shared revenue to the City of Milwaukee — an amount equal to shutting down the entire Milwaukee Public Library or laying off 150 firefighters or police.
In 2005, Stone voted for the Republican version of the budget that meant a revenue loss of $40 million to MPS, the hardest hit school district of any by the proposal.
There is virtually no chance Stone would not vote with Walker every step of the way. Unfortunately, most if not all of the budget votes will come after the April 4 election. But that doesn't mean it won't be -- or shouldn't be -- an issue in the next month.