MILWAUKEE – Today, the full Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors approved County Executive David Crowley’s proposal to close the 2024 budget deficit without additional costs for taxpayers and no major impacts on services. County Executive Crowley plans to sign the legislation in the days ahead.
The Milwaukee County Comptroller’s Office has forecasted a $12 million projected budget deficit for the current 2024 budget. Factors that are contributing to the projected budget gap include increased staffing, overtime, and food costs at the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office and Community Reintegration Center (CRC), lower-than-anticipated sales tax revenues, higher health care expenditures, and updated departmental projections.
County Executive Crowley and the Milwaukee County Office of Strategy, Budget, and Performance worked with departments to identify funding sources and departmental budget surpluses to reallocate funds and close the projected 2024 budget deficit. To accomplish this, the Crowley administration is utilizing funds from American Rescue Plan Act federal dollars, anticipated departmental surpluses, and debt service reserves (if needed).
“I remain committed to deploying fiscally responsible solutions to balance our budget and work toward our shared vision,” said County Executive Crowley. “I am proud my administration and the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors came together to close the projected budget gap without any additional costs for taxpayers. But we have more work to do to prevent future fiscal cliffs, increase recruitment and retention to avoid overtime costs, and obtain additional financial support for required state-mandated services. As we prepare next year’s budget, I will be working to maintain operations, invest in the community, and foster a brighter, healthier, and stronger future for Milwaukee County.”
In addition to closing the projected 2024 budget deficit, Crowley’s proposal also includes $300,000 to hire an outside consultant to perform an evaluation of staffing and overtime needs in the Office of the Sheriff. The study is intended to identify operational improvements, technological enhancements, and opportunities for continuous improvement. The study will provide baseline data regarding staffing needs throughout the department.
More information about County Executive Crowley’s proposal is available HERE.
